Discovery Boxes

Over the past summer, Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum staff & volunteers revamped many of its Discovery Boxes.  Each Discovery Box contain specimens, books, educational materials, and suggested activities to inspire K-12 students to have a deeper understanding of the world’s natural and cultural diversity. 

They cover a variety of life science topics currently including:

• Bat Ecology
• Biology of Birds
• Carnivores of North America
• Dinosaurs
• Diversity of Life
• Fish Communities
• Frogs & Toads
• Human Anatomy
• Insect Diversity
• Ocean Life
• Pollinators
• Snakes
• Spiders
• Turtles
• Wetland Ecosystems

In addition, we have 10 Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Resource Trunks available for two-week checkouts.  They are geared to Illinois wildlife and cover the following topics:

• Illinois Birds
• Illinois Fossils
• Illinois Insects & Spiders
• Illinois State Symbols
• Illinois Trees
• Illinois Endangered Species
• Illinois Wild Mammals
• Aquatic Illinois
• Fieldtrip Backpacks 1 & 2

We are continuing to work on creating single box displays to highlight a specific species or theme.  These life-size, complete taxidermy specimens do not come with any accompanying educational materials, but make great study specimens.  They include:

• Barred Owl
• Immature Red-tailed Hawk
• Snowy Owl & Great Horned Owl
• Waterfowl – Sora, Merganser, & Ruddy Duck
• Backyard Wildlife – Cardinal, Downy Woodpecker & Fox Squirrel

Homeschoolers, teachers, and education programs staff can check out any of the above items for free for a two-week period.  The online form to reserve a box can be accessed by clicking here: Reserve Your Discovery Box, or on the red button of the same name about halfway down our JSNM Museum page on the Benedictine University website.  They can be picked up and returned during our normal museum hours at the museum’s front desk, where we can assist you as needed.  If the hours do not work for you, please do not hesitate to contact us to make alternate arrangements.

A new page showing all of the items available for checkout is being created on our outreach website at Discover-Nature.org.  A complete listing of all items with detailed pictures and descriptions will be available by the end of October.  Watch the website’s home page for further updates as we are developing additional educational materials to make available through the website for two-week free checkouts.

A sampling of our Discovery Boxes are pictured below:

^{_{Left to right, top to bottom: DB – Bat Ecology; DB – Birds; DB – Carnivores of North America; DB – Dinosaurs; DB – Diversity Of Life; DB – Frogs & Toads; DB – Insects; DB – Ocean Life; DB – Snakes; DB – Spiders; DB – Turtles}}