Starlab

Students can take a look at the night sky in detail at any season or latitude in a Starlab traveling planetarium. The planetarium comes complete with audiotapes and astronomy programs on the northern sky and constellations visible at each season. Additional cylinders on Greek and Native American star myth, the biological cell, and plate tectonics are available on a limited basis.

Telescope Trunk

Capture students' interest in the "Big Sky" using a Telescope Trunk from the Museum. The Telescope Trunk contains an easy-to-use 4 inch Edmund Astroscan telescope, star charts, and activities on astronomy and the sky.

Toys in Space Science Trunk

Students engage in science process skills using the contents of this science trunk. Materials include all the science toys needed for the "Toys in Space" astronomy activities, an activity guide, posters and resource materials.

Archaeology Trunk

Sign up to use our trunk introducing students to archaeology. This trunk contains artifacts, models, activities, videos and resource materials. The trunk focuses on regional prehistoric and historic archaeology projects.

Bannack Homesteading

This trunk covers the early years at Bannack, Montana's First Territorial Capital. It includes artifacts, a Bannack video and activities designed to allow children the opportunity to participate in homesteading type activities.

Bannack Mining

This trunk includes activities and artifacts depicting the gold mining history in Bannack. Hard rock and placer mining are covered.

Basque Culture

Students explore Basque culture, past and present, with artifacts, clothing, a flag, cards, music, and curriculum packet. The trunk is available for a maximum of two weeks.

Dinosaur Trunk

Contains real dinosaur bones, casts and molds of bones, teeth and eggs along with the latest information about dinosaurs for use in the classroom. These materials, accompanied by resource books, a CD-ROM, videos and posters can be used to create activity stations in the classroom or support more teacher-directed activities.

Dinosaurs

This trunk provides activities and lesson plans pertaining to dinosaurs in Montana, especially those in the Glendive/Makoshika State Park area. Included are posters, bones, and videos. Geared toward younger students, although older students may be able to use some of the contents. Because the trunk is very large and may be costly to ship, it is recommended that a number of schools or organizations in an area arrange to share the trunk for a few weeks, transporting it from one place to another as needed.

Frontier Cowboy Trunk

This trunk focuses on the American cowboy in the 1880s to 1890s. The cattle drive and cowboy life are explored through books, photos, clothing, and a curriculum. Available for two weeks at a time.

Japanese-American Culture

Contains special objects from traditional and contemporary Japanese-American culture. The trunk is available for a maximum of two weeks.

Lewis & Clark Expedition

This trunk covers the history of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, as well as daily life on the journey. The trunk includes video, books, beaver skin, wool blanket, writing utensils, sewing utensils, trading items, and personal items such as clothing and eating utensils. A curriculum is included.

A Life Cycle of Giving: Gift and Exchange Among the Plateau Indian Nations

Follows Indian life from birth to death, examining objects that were made and exchanged by Plateau people. Available for a maximum of two weeks.

Mining

This trunk brings geology, Montana history and the story of mining minerals into the classroom with hands-on learning with rocks and minerals, formation of rocks, history of mining and equipment, how minerals are found, why mining continues and what mined minerals are used for.

The Oregon Trail

This trunk is filled with objects and activities that represent different aspects of life on the Oregon Trail.
The concepts covered by the trunk include family life, journeying through a new land, and the hardships of the 2000-mile trek. The trunk is available for a maximum of two weeks.

Pictograph Cave Interpretive Trunk (Life at Pictograph Cave)

Focuses on archaeology in Montana. Contains pictograph and artifact replicas, a video, slide show, and lesson plans.

Cave and Geology Trunk and Curriculum Guide

This trunk is designed for classroom use and can be used in conjunction with a field trip to Lewis and Clark Caverns. The trunk includes two videos, books, hardhat, carbide lamp, climbing gear, rock samples, speleothems, poster, and a cave mapping game. A curriculum is included.

Clark Fork/Pend Oreille Watershed

This trunk offers a glimpse into our local watershed. Take an imaginary journey using a hand-painted floor map and wooden figurines to tell the stories of historical characters whose lives were dependent on water. Curriculum and multimedia materials addressing watershed issues are included. Themes covered are the water cycle, water quality, bull trout, aquatic life, and human impacts.

Enviroscape Model

The Enviroscape is a three-dimensional model for demonstrating a variety of water and watershed concepts. A Users Guide provides background information, set-up instructions, specifics activities to demonstrate pollution sources and best management practices. The unit includes: a colorful molded landscape top emphasizing non-point source pollution, trees, cars, buildings, pollution buffers and simulated pollutants. A Economics curriculum incorporating social components such as property rights, cost / benefit analysis is also available upon request for middle and high school educators.

Fireworks

Hands-on learning about fire ecology. Themes include: wildfire behavior, forest change, plant and animal adaptations to fire and management of wildland fires. Included are a curriculum guide, tree cookies, posters, games, puzzles, books, slide show, videos, and everything you need to experiment with fire (plus a fire extinguisher!). For more information, take a look at the fire lab's website about the fireworks trunk.

Forest Stewardship

Created by Swan Ecosystem Center in Condon, MT, this trunk is a powerful tool to get students outside using the tools of the trade in forest stewardship. Equipment, art, research materials, forester's tools, lesson plans, and more help support your forest and science curriculum.

Forestry Box

This box is designed for use in conjunction with an interpretive trail in the Wenatchee National Forest in Washington state. It includes a teacher script, student study questions, and hands-on activities that teach about disease, forest succession, habitat, geology and topography of Washington. A three-part slide show examines forest ecosystems, forest disturbances and land management issues. Through pre- and post work activities, students examine management scenarios, learn debating skills and implement community service projects.

Fungal Jungal

Developed by the Western Montana Mycological Association, this mushroom educational trunk includes an amazing slide show highlighting various species of mushrooms, collection trunks for the classroom, identification posters, videos, dried mushroom specimens, and a teacher's guide full of activities and flashcards.

Glacial Lake Missoula

This trunk provides everything necessary to conduct a detailed investigation of the dramatic ice-age floods that shaped our landscape over 12,000 years ago. Full of lessons, maps, pictures, and extension activities your students won't be able to get enough! A great geology source and an amazing natural history detective story with evidence in our own backyard.

Groundwater Flow Model

Groundwater Flow Models (GWFM) are used to demonstrate groundwater movement principles. A model, constructed with a clear Plexiglas front, allows observers to watch how ground-water moves and is affected by wells, sediment layers, etc. GWFM's demonstrate two aquifer types: an unconfined aquifer of white sand just below the surface, and a confined aquifer at the bottom of the model. Dyes are used to show water movement patterns and as tracers showing contaminated water migration. Comes with model, user's manual, video, activity guide, and reference books. Teachers, 4-H leaders, adult education, civic planning meetings, and resource professionals can benefit by using GWFM's.

Healthy Air, Healthy Communities

Air pollution in the intermountain west is the focus of this unit, empowering learners to protect our precious air quality. Hands-on activities integrate the subject areas of science, mathematics, health, social studies, and language arts. Includes an experiment trunk for creating miniature inversion layers, puppets, posters, books and a curriculum guide.

Liquid Treasure History Trunk

Everything needed to conduct a one-week study of Montana's water history is included in this trunk. Historic artifacts, photographs of water history topics, historical documents and film footage, and a teacher's guide are included. The lesson suggestions are useful in language arts, math, history, and science classes.

Living With Winter

This trunk is designed to supplement ecological studies with the opportunity to think about complex relationships and systems. Concepts such as snow metamorphosis, animal and plant adaptations, and energy transfer are examined through the inquiry-based, experiential activities. The trunk includes posters, pelts, books, videos, and games.

Mount Jumbo

Two-to-four week thematic unit that involves students in a hands-on exploration of the geologic and human history of this Missoula landmark. Specific plant and animal relationships are also covered. A slide show, books, transparencies, field guides, posters, and biological specimens are all included.

Native Plants

Learn the magic of Montana's native plants! Created by the Montana Native Plant Society, this trunk is rich in materials, field guides, curriculum, and visual aids to identify plants native to this Rocky Mountain Palouse prairie region.

Pollution Prevention Trunk

This new trunk provides educators of children and adults hands-on ways to prevent pollution through easy, everyday actions. The focus will be on non-point source pollution such as household cleaners, lawn-care, and disposal of motor oil and other common toxins. It will contain natural cleaners for everyday use as an alternative to chemical based cleaners. Community projects such as storm-drain painting will also be enclosed. Project WET is currently seeking field-testers for this trunk (rental fee would be waived).

Pond Life

This well-known Project WET resource has everything you need to bring the wonders of ponds and wetlands to your students, including books, slides, posters, flannel board, games, viewing tank, hands-on activities, and curriculum guides.

Prairie Ecosystem

Lying in the shadow of the Rockies, the prairies comprise nearly one third of the continent. Discover this unique ecosystem and the many creatures that depend on the grassland habitats. The trunk contains curriculum materials, books, videos, prints, and hides.

Stream Ecology Trunks - Elementary and Secondary

These trunks are designed for educators to use in the field when studying water quality and monitoring on ponds and streams. They contain magnifying glasses, pH paper, macroinvertebrate guides and collection tools, stopwatches and instruments to measure stream flow. The secondary kit also includes a HACH Surface Waters Chemical Test Kit and pocket calculators.

Tree Trunks

These trunks promote a better understanding of trees and forest communities. Contents include audio tapes, books, activities, a board game, videos, posters, and guides for tree identification.

Water and Bug Box

This box includes a curriculum guide, books, posters, videos, relief maps, waders, kick nets, water quality testing kits, all focusing on "what is a watershed?"

Water Literature Trunk

This trunk contains books, books, and more books! Inside are books on the following themes: the water cycle, rivers and streams, lakes and ponds, pollution and the environment, Native Americans, and the history of water. The trunk is too heavy to ship all of the books. You decide which sets of books you need; we’ll send the one’s you request. Contact Montana Watercourse for a complete list of books, or view the list on our website: http://www.mtwatercourse.org/Educators/trunks.htm

Wetlands

Wetlands are an excellent tool for teaching basic science concepts and a great introduction to the outdoor classroom. Curriculum guide include.

Wilderness and Land Awareness Box and Curriculum

This box contains interdisciplinary lessons, activities, and teaching tools. The goal of the box and curriculum is to provide classroom teachers, land managers, and outdoor educators with an interactive resource to promote awareness, understanding, and appreciation of the cultural, environmental, and experiential values of our natural resources.

Bear Box

This trunk on grizzly and black bears is available for pick-up only at vari ous Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks locations. It includes a bear hide, video, casts of bear prints, and lots of other hands-on materials.

Bear Box (#2)

Materials in this box include activities, videos, pelts, skulls, scat, tracks, and a teacher curriculum.

The Bear Facts

Grizzlies and black bears are studied through books, news articles, posters, activity guides, brochures, and plenty of hands-on materials - puzzles, stuffed toys, black bear skull and pelt.

Bear Trunk

Background material, research guides, and props to facilitate discussions about bears of the world, their habitats, and food sources. Emphasis is on black and grizzly bears including how to tell them apart and how to hike/camp safely in bear country. Activity guide and sample lesson plan included. With additional materials available on the web, upper grades can benefit from information regarding scientific method and results of the Crown of the Continent Ecosystem DNA research study to determine population size as well as information about listing of the grizzly bear as an endangered species.

Grizzly Bear Teaching Trunk

Includes bear and prey pelts, skulls, tracks, books, puppets, games, a radio collar, Native American stories, posters, videos, and a curricular package. Available for 2-3 weeks at a ti me.

Traveling Grizzly Library

This trunk is housed in bear-resistant food lockers of the type used in backcountry camps. Contents include a complete curriculum, books, videos, posters, and workbooks. Materials are geared toward raising awareness of grizzly bears and related issues.

Antelope Box

Includes male and female skulls, a hide, and rubber molds for casting. Provides activities, but does not include a comprehensive curriculum.

Aquatic Education Resource Trunk (Aquatic Box)

Includes materials, supplies, and lesson plans to teach about fish habitats and food sources.

Bat Education Trunk and Curriculum Guide

Focuses on bat truths and myths, bat characteristics and habits, and bat conservation. The trunk includes a curriculum, bat skeleton, two videos, slide show/tape, poster, books, and activities.Two trunks are available.

Bighorn Sheep Box

Includes a hide, male and female skulls, sheaths, and droppings. Provides activities, but does not include a comprehensive curriculum.

Birds of Prey

A thorough look at predatory birds, with activity guides, books, brochures, posters, videos and an audio tape. Hands-on materials include stuffed toys, binoculars, track and foot molds, and mini-puzzle.

Bison Box

Includes a hide and sheaths; skull also available. Provides activities, but does not include a comprehensive curriculum.

Bull Trout

Take a plunge into the world of the Northwest's native Bull trout. With this multifaceted educational trunk, experience the historical decline and subsequent efforts to return our Bulls to their native habitats. Includes actual bull trout eggs, sac fry and fry for observation. Also includes resources, curriculum, videos, mark recapture population estimation activities, and other exciting hands-on materials.

Cat Box

Contains hides and skulls.

Fins, Scales, Fishy Tales

This trunk helps students learn about fish, with activities focusing on fish life cycles and fishing. Books and posters cover topics such as endangered species, aquatic plants, and water quality.

Furbearer Box

Includes hides of a bobcat, raccoon, beaver, otter, pine martin, fox, badger, mink, muskrat, coyote, and fisher, and skulls of a fisher, beaver, raccoon, fox, pine martin, bobcat, and coyote. Provides activities, but does not include a comprehensive curriculum.

Hats Off to Bats

Offers an informative look at bats, through the use of books, videos, posters, activity guides, brochures, puppets, and even a dried bat (look don't touch!).

Insect Investigations

Introduce your students to the beauty and benefits of six-legged animals. Themes include classification, body parts, camouflage and life cycle/metamorphosis. The trunk is available for a maximum of three weeks.

Loons

This exciting hands-on trunk consisting of a loon mount, costumes, puppets, books, posters, and more was created by Donna Love, author of Loons and member of the Montana Loon Society. Discover the legend of loons and there remarkable lives with this engaging trunk.

Montana's Threatened and Endangered Species

A trunk designed especially for Montana. Includes grizzly bear hide, books, cassettes, videos, puppets, posters, and curricular package.

Moose Box

Includes a hide and rubber molds for casting plaster. Provides activities, but does not include a comprehensive curriculum.

Mountain Goat

Includes a skull and hide. Provides activities, but does not include a comprehensive curriculum.

Predator Box

Includes the skull and hide of a bobcat, mountain lion, wolf, and coyote. Provides activities, but does not include a comprehensive curriculum.

Skulls

This trunk comes with a box of animal skulls and a teaching guide filled with hands-on activities. The kit provides an intensive opportunity for younger students to learn about the animal world, where animals live, and how they survive.

SongbirdBlues

Explore the natural history of migratory birds with this award-winning trunk! Learn about their life in Mexico and Montana, and find out about the increasing problems they face in their summer and winter homes. Help students appreciate songbirds and learn how to help insure that their songs always herald spring in the Rockies. The trunk includes a curriculum guide, specimens, books, puppets, tapes, videos, and a felt storyboard.

Songbirds

Attract, view, and identify backyard birds and learn about their life cycles. Contains a curriculum, books, audio-visual materials, p osters, and plenty of hands-on materials (including binoculars).

Threatened and Endangered Species Trunk

Many of Montana's animals face the danger of extinction due to habitat loss. Learn of the tenuous existence of these animals and what steps are being taken to recover their populations. Inside the trunk you will find hides, specimens, books, posters, videos, plaster tracks, and a curriculum guide.

Waterfowl and Shorebirds

This trunk emphasizes bird identification and explores the habitat of water and shore birds. Books, magazines, posters, audio-visual materials, and various track molds are included.

Wild About Elk

This curriculum trunks uses elk as a tool for teaching the importance of wildlife habitat and conservation. Includes an elk hide, mountain lion hide, whitetail deer hide, antlers, horns, plaster tracks, deer and elk scat, a video, slide show, books and more.

Wolf Box

Materials in this box include activities, wolf and coyote pelts, skulls, scat and tracks, videos and a moveable wolf model.

Wolf Ungulate Box

Contains a wolf skull and hide, whitetail deer hide, and elk video.

Wolves and Humans

Absent from Montana for nearly 50 years, the gray wolf is coming back, but not without controversy. Explore the natural and cultural history of wolves and invite students to consider how we can coexist with one of nature's wildest and most symbolic animals. Included in the trunk are a curriculum guide, hides, fur samples, skulls, plaster casts, videos, and cassette tapes.

Geospatial

This toolbox contains data CDs, workbooks, and Global Positioning Systems (GPS) units. It is accompanied by a curriculum guide with over 25 lessons for introducing students to map reading and interpretation, GPS mapping, and using GIS.

Upper Clark Fork Science Trunk

This trunk contains a multi-media CD on the Upper Clark Fork basin developed by Montana Tech’s Technical Communications. The Summer Ride, an original by Peggy Schmidt, ties the seven science lessons into a cohesive package. All materials for the science lessons are included in the trunk.

Social Studies Trunk

This trunk contains historical photos, literature resources, videos, CD’s, DVD’s and lesson plans. Designed to change as the Clark Fork basin clean up efforts continue, users are invited to add to the contents of the trunk. This trunks also contains a multi-media CD on the Upper Clark Fork basin developed by Montana Tech’s Technical Communications and The Summer Ride by Peggy Schmidt.