Shark Discovery Box

Discovery boxes are "museum-in-a-trunk" traveling curriculum modules that teachers use in their own classrooms. Discovery Boxes are designed to stimulate critical thinking and educate through excitement by involving students in active, hands-on learning. The wide variety of objects and resources makes Discovery Boxes effective learning tools for any grade level and allows teachers to customize these materials to fit their curriculum and SOL requirements.

Each topic is developed thematically and contains natural history specimens and artifacts from the Museum's collections for hands-on use by students, as well as activities, audiovisual materials, student and teacher resource information and much more. A teacher resource packet in each box provides background information on each specimen and suggested activities for implementation into the curriculum.

Funded in part by Northrop Grumman, Newport News.

Rental Fee:

Contract schools- $75 per week ($50 for the next consecutive week)

Non-contract schools- $95 per week ($70 for the next consecutive week)

Automatic pick-up and delivery are included!

For more information or to make a reservation, call the Reservations Coordinator at 757-595-9135 Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.  or email your request to Reservations.

Eight Different Topics

Under the Bay

Museum mounts of fish, squid, skate and algae; collections of shells, crabs, corals and sea stars; scale models, posters, puppets; children's books, reference materials and activity guides; student microscope, video, audiotape and 35mm slides and more!

Shark Secrets

Real shark jaws, shark skeleton, shark skin and fossil shark teeth; shark embryo and eggs, shark products, stingray mount, posters, puppets, student microscope, children's books, reference materials, activity guides and more!

Tropical Rainforest

Museum specimens of insects, crystals, leaves and piranha; skins and feathers of endangered tropical bird species, rainforest products, scale models and puppets; posters, video, audiotape and 35mm slides; children's books, reference materials, activity guides and more!

Incredible Insects

Insect mounts, collections, eggs and architecture; fossil insects and scale models, insect products, beekeeper hat and glove and insect eye viewer; student microscope, video, audiotape and 35mm slides; children's books, reference materials, activity guides and more!

Be a Tree

Collections of leaves, wood, seeds and flowers; real taxidermied mounts of bat, bird, insects and other tree-associated animals; tree products, bark rubbings and petrified wood; puppets, video, audiotape and 35mm slides; children's books, reference materials, activity guides and more!

Snakes Alive

Real snake skeletons, skulls, taxidermied mounts; collection of reptiles and amphibians, snake eggs, embryos, fossils and skins, reptile products, puppets and posters; video, audiotape and 35mm slides; children's books, reference materials, activity guides and more!

Hawks to Hummingbirds

Bird skeleton, feathers, taxidermied bird mounts, fossil cast and puppets; eggs, nests and embryos; bird bands, bird feeder and bird house; student microscope, video, audiotape, 35mm slides and posters; children's books, reference materials, activity guides and more!

Digging Dinosaurs

Real dinosaur bones, teeth and other fossils; Casts of dinosaur skin, eggs and skulls; dinosaur hatchling sculpture, scale models and puppets; video, audiotape and 35mm slides; posters, children's books, reference materials, activity guides and more!

NEW The Natural History of Early Virginia

What was the natural world like for the Jamestown settlers and the Native Americans? Natural items used for survival, trade, food, jewelry, music and toys. Corn grinding post with corn to grind, artifacts, animal furs, Native American crafts, skulls with a simple skull key, bone/horn tools, feathers, puppets, video, posters, hands-on activities, children's books, reference materials, activity guides, resource information and more.

NEW Amazing Astronomy

Real meterorites, tektite, earth rocks and minerals identical to those found on the Moon and Mars, spectrometers, lenses, mirrors, a Rive Ray box, AV materials, posters, scale model of the solar system, distance to the nearest star tape, comet balls, childrens' books, reference materials, activity guides, resource information and more.