This kit provides opportunities for patrons to discover and explore animals through observation and creativity. Take a look at real specimens or create your own creature.
This kit includes:
Activity Binder
- Introduction/Instructions
- Inventory Sheet
- Book list
- Camouflaged Critters
- Looking Up Close: Animals
- Create a Creature
- Prompts: Camouflaged Critters/ Looking Up Close: Animals/ Create a Creature
- More Animals/Consumables List
- Extension Activity Ideas
- Animals & Insects Supplement
- Exploring Plants, Insects, and Animals: Opportunities for Cultivating Empathy in Children
- What Children Gain by Learning Through Inquiry
- Inquiry-Based Learning: Preparing Young Learners for the Demands of the 21st Century
- 3 Laminated activity sheets
Books
- What If You Had Animal Teeth? by Sandra Markle
- What Color is Camouflage? by Carolyn C. Otto
- Lots and Lots of Zebra Stripes by Stephen Swinburn
- The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle
- Diary of a Spider by Doreen Cronin
- Escargot by Dashka Slater
- Ant, Ant, Ant (An Insect Chant) by April Sayre
- Animals Two by Two: I Wonder Why by NSTA kids
- Looking for Animals by NSTA kids
- What Can an Animal Do? by NSTA kids
- What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? by Steve Jenkins
Create a Creature
- Scissors
- Buttons and beads
- String
Looking Up Close: Animals
- Boxes of prepared slides
- Tarantula shed/molt
- Bug specimens with identification guide
- Sealed butterfly and feather slides
- Small feathers
- Large feathers
- Sheds or molts
- Sample skins/scales
- Hand loupe magnifiers
- Small magnifying glasses
- Zoom microscopes
- Set of petri dishes
- Camouflaged Critters
- Tweezers
- Shredded newspaper
- Trays or plastic containers
To Be Provided by Borrowing Library*
- Additional specimens (sheds, insects, feather, etc.)
- Pipe cleaners
- Wiggle eyes
- Masking tape
- Elmer’s glue 1.25oz
- Model Magic
- Recycled materials (cardboard tubes, clean plastic utensils and containers, fabric, beads, etc.)
- Bag of cloth materials for Camouflaged Critters
*Some of these materials are provided in the kit but may be recommended to purchase as they will not be restocked by NMSL in the future.
Please see the attached user manual for larger images, manuals, and inventory.
Each trunk contains an activity binder as well as activity materials. Some materials will be up to you to provide but most of the materials have been included; please read through the activity binder and user guide to determine which materials you’ll need to provide.
Also included in the activity binder is a complete inventory of the activity trunk.
Please verify inventory is correct when you return the trunk and sign and date the inventory. If any materials are missing, please notify us as soon as possible, and make note of it on the inventory.
Your completed inventory should be placed inside the trunk and returned with the trunk to the New Mexico State Library.