Be a paleontologist as we discover how we know dinosaurs existed, how to tell the difference between dinosaurs and reptiles, and how to determine what adaptations allowed these strange and interesting animals to meet their needs!
Download the Teacher Guide to Exploring Dinosaurs
Fossils are clues to past environments. Discover how fossils are formed and investigate shared characteristics of fossils from a particular environment by utilizing the same paleontology techniques that experts use.
Download the Teacher Guide to Exploring Fossils
1 LS – Basic Needs of Living Things
2 LS – Interactions Within Habitats
EXPLORING MAMMALS | LEVEL: 1st–4th
What makes a mammal a mammal? Students will investigate types of mammals, adaptations, habitats, and more in this memorable learning experience featuring an up-close look at native Ohio species.
Download the Teacher Guide to Exploring Mammals
1 LS – Basic Needs of Living Things
2 LS – Interactions Within Habitats
EXPLORING REPTILES | LEVEL: 1st–4th
Students will investigate reptiles through a deeper look at their adaptations, habitats, and more in this memorable learning experience featuring an up-close look at native Ohio species.
Download the Teacher Guide to Exploring Reptiles
1 LS – Basic Needs of Living Things
2 LS – Interactions Within Habitats
YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT: HOW NUTRITION AFFECTS HEALTH | LEVEL: 1st–6th
Get a taste of the "Choose My Plate" dietary guidelines while learning to create healthy meals based on the different food groups. View real human organ specimens that are affected by dietary choices! Grades 4–6 programs include how to identify and interpret information on nutrition labels.
Download the Teacher Guide to You Are What You Eat
1–2 HLTH – 1.2.1, 5.2.1, 6.2.1, 7.2.1
SCIENCE OF SEEKING SNACKS: ANALYZE YOUR SNACKING BEHAVIOR WITH MUSEUM MANTIS RESEARCH | LEVEL: 2nd–7th
The smell of fresh-baked cookies. The look of bright red strawberries. What lures YOU to seek a snack? Join this real-life investigation of how praying mantis hunting behavior gives us insights into our own eating habits.
Compare insect and human senses with a series of hands-on experiments, and see amazing scanning microscope images of insects’ sensory organs—taken in our own entomology lab. Examine insect specimens used at the Ritzmann Lab with Case Western Reserve University—and hear their brain activity! This program will take you beyond the basic 5 senses with the help of 6-legged scientists! This program is supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation.
Download the Teacher Guide to Science of Seeking Snacks
2 LS – Interactions Within Habitats
MIGHTY MELANIN: THE SCIENCE OF SKIN COLOR | LEVEL: 2nd–7th
Museum research dives into the very beginnings of the human species in Africa, around 200,000 years ago. Exploring variations of human skin color and other genetic variations helps us to track original migratory routes of our ancient ancestors. Investigate the concept of VARIATION in other animals, and celebrate variation within our own species.
We guarantee that our real specimens, museum models, and classroom activities will have your students getting “under your skin” to learn more about human variation!
2 LS – Interactions Within Habitats