Loan Kits

Teachers’ Resources
Educational resources are provided to prepare teachers & students for their natural history field trips to The Pember Museum and Nature Preserve.

Our loan kits are available free of charge on a first come, first served basis for a loan period of two weeks.  You can call to reserve the kit or email the educator at pember_edu@roadrunner.com and then pick it up at the museum. We can also deliver the kit through the SALs library system to a library near you. It usually takes a few days, so planning ahead is necessary. The borrower will need to have a library card and is responsible for the safe return of kits and their entire contents.

We will and have in the past “black listed” educators for kits returned damaged or missing items. We understand and expect normal wear and tear. Each kit is reviewed upon return.

We can come to your location to present an hour-long program using one of our loan kits. Fees are mentioned under Services.

Animal Tracks
Discover the tracks of various animals by studying real track replicas, and making your own negative track impressions. Rubber replicas can also be used to make positive track impressions as long as they are cleaned off after use. Self-hardening clay is not included in the kit. The white or natural clay is best for this kit as the Mexican red clay will stain the concrete casts making them difficult to clean.

  • 13 Trackmaster concrete casts include: Black Bear, Bobcat, Bull Frog, Chipmunk, Eastern Cottontail, Great Blue Heron, Great Horned Owl, Porcupine, Raccoon, Red Fox cub, Ruffed Grouse, Skunk and White-tail Deer.
  • 15 Rubber Track Replicas include: Bald Eagle, Barred Owl, Chipmunk, Cottontail Rabbit, Deer, Frog, Grey Squirrel, Muskrat, Opossum, Porcupine, Red Fox, Skunk, Snapping Turtle, Timber Wolf, and Woodchuck
  • Book – Field Guide to Tracks
  • Information and activity sheets

This kit cannot be sent through the SALs library system due to the weight and fragility of the concrete casts. It will need to be picked up at the museum and returned the same way,.

Awaken Your Senses
Compare your sense of smell, taste, touch, hearing and sight with those of other animals using various common and natural objects.

  • Resource guide – Seeing, Hearing & Smelling the World.
  • Videotape – Mystery of the Senses with activity guide.
  • Activity Materials include:
  • Smell – 6 film canisters containing unknowns to identify using sense of smell from Nose Detective activity
  • Taste – Determine whether you have the heredity to taste PTC by placing a strip of PTC paper on your tongue.
  • Touch – Paper clips for Hotspot’s activity
  • Hearing – Cassette tape for various sounds for Sound Waves activity
  • Vision – Index cards for Thaumatrope activity

Bird Eggs
Eggs can be white, colored or spotted; round, pointed or oval; large, small or in-between. Discover which birds lay which eggs and why.

  • Egg specimens: King Rail, Coot, Ruffed Grouse, Downy Woodpecker, Partridge, Virginia Rail, Ringnecked Pheasant, Eastern Meadowlark, Killdeer, Baltimore Oriole, Grackle, Common Galinule, Belted Kingfisher, Sora, Catbird, American Robin, Veery, Cowbird, Eastern Kingbird, Common Yellowthroat, Long-billed Marsh Wren, Northern Flicker, Blue Jay, Bluebird, American Redstart, House Wren, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Phoebe, Yellow Warbler, Indigo Bunting, Least Bittern, Tree Swallow, Great-Crested Flycatcher, American Crow.
  • Note that eggs are fragile and are for viewing only.
  • The following may be included upon request and can be held: Ostrich, Emu and Greater Rhea.
  • Photo egg magnets
  • Information and activity sheets

Bird Nests
How can birds make so many kinds of nests using only their beaks? Discover which bird uses mud for its nest, which uses grass and twigs and which uses spiderwebs with the real nests in this kit.

  • Nest specimens: American Robin, Chipping Sparrow, Northern Oriole, Red-eyed Vireo (2), Red-winged Blackbird, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Yellow Warbler
  • Plastic mount of chick development
  • Book – Bird Nests
  • Video – Eyewitness: Birds weaverbird nest building
  • Laminated photos of Barn Swallow and Ruby-throated Hummingbird
  • Information and activity sheets

Birds of New York & Vermont
Explore why birds are such special creatures. Examine bird skins and wings to see how bird bodies have adapted to their environments.

  • Study skin specimens: American Goldfinch, American Kestrel, Black-capped Chickadee, Evening Grosbeak, Ovenbird
  • Wings: Blue Jay (2), Red-winged Blackbird (2) including 2 feet of the Blackbird
  • Books –    Audubon Society Field Guide – North American Birds
  • A Golden Guide to Birds
  • Video – A sequence from Birds of the Backyard
  • Audio – CD of bird songs
  • Bird Checklist
  • Information and activity sheets

Birds of Prey
Enter the world of magnificent raptors. Discover the hunting secrets of hawks and owls by getting a close up look at these remarkable birds.

  • Study skin specimen: Sharp-shinned Hawk
  • Talons: Short-eared Owl, Rough-legged Hawk
  • Wings: Barred Owl, Northern Harrier
  • Taxidermy mount – Barred Owl
  • Audio – Continuous loop of owl calls
  • Owl pellet and 2 hand lenses
  • Information and activity sheets

Bird Songs & Sounds
Why do birds sing? What is the difference between a call and a song?

  • Bird study skin specimens: American Robin, Gray Catbird, Wood Thrush
  • CD – Common Birds and their Songs
  • Audio cassettes – 53 All American Bird Songs
  • Guide to Bird Sounds – 2 cassettes
  • Book – A Golden Guide to Bird Life
  • Bird Information Cards (2 sets of 18 cards each)
  • Information and activity sheets

Butterflies & Moths
Colorful and fragile, butterflies are everyone’s favorite insect. Examine the many types of local butterflies and learn how to attract butterflies to your yard.

  • Specimens include: Black Swallowtail, Cabbage Butterfly, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Monarch and Painted Lady
  • 2nd kit includes “American Beauties” – Butterflies and Moths
  • Magnifier
  • Book – Golden Guide to Butterflies & Moths
  • Video – Attracting Butterflies to your Backyard
  • Poster of Butterflies
  • Butterfly Bingo with 6 bingo cards and question sheet
  • Information and activity sheets

Cargo for Conservation – Endangered Species
Why is our wildlife in danger? Using products made from animals confiscated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife, discuss the reasons for the decline in many wildlife populations.

  • Specimens include: Monitor Lizard, Python Snake, Olive Ridley Turtle
  • Textiles include: boots-Sea Turtle, shoes-Python/Viper & Caiman, purse-Varanus Lizard, wallets-Cobra & Monitor Lizard, belt-Boa Constrictor, ivory necklace-Sperm Whale, ivory bracelet, ivory earrings, ivory carving, bracelets-Hawksbill Sea Turtle & African Elephant Hair, necklace-black coral pieces, earrings-Nautilus Shell and a seashell gift
  • Traditional oriental medicine (boxes only) of Bear musk, Tiger plaster and Rhino horn
  • Books: Endangered Animals, Zoobooks-Endangered Animals, National Wildlife Educator’s Guide, CITES Appendices I, II, III, and USFWS Cargo for Conservation
  • Poster
  • Endangered Animals floor puzzle (48 pieces)
  • Information and activity sheets

Creatures of the Night
Many animals do their living, hunting and eating in the concealing darkness of night. Learn about these animals and the unique ways they cope with darkness.

  • Raccoon rubber foot, plaster tracks and skull
  • Bat skeleton and activity cards
  • Barred Owl wing and talon, whole pellet for viewing and three zips of pellets
  • Audio cassette – Night Creatures
  • Books – Amazing Bats, Night Animals Zoobook, Book of North American Owls
  • Poster – What is a Nocturnal Animal?
  • Information and activity sheets

Explore the World of the Beaver
Learn about the fascinating qualities and lifestyle of this remarkable animal, using a beaver pelt, skull and other objects.

  • Specimens include beaver pelt and skull
  • Plaster casts of fore foot and hind foot
  • Gnawed wood chip and branch
  • Photo card
  • Book:  Beavers – Where Waters Run
  • Information and activity sheets

Insects Everywhere
Learn to recognize some common insects and learn about their lifestyles with the hands-on specimens and activities.

  • 2 large cases of various insect specimens – separate box
  • 6 small clear cases of insect specimens
  • Display of insect metamorphosis
  • Magnifier
  • 50x Illuminated Hand Microscope
  • Books – A Golden Guide to Insects, What is an Insect?, Buzzing a Hive: A Teacher’s Guide
  • Video – Eyewitness Insects
  • Poster – Look at a Bee
  • 11 embossed insects sheets
  • 14 photo laminated description cards
  • Laminated insect small posters
  • 2 rubber replicas – pupa & butterfly
  • Bug Bingo!
  • Information and activity sheets

Nature Detective
The areas around us are teeming with life though most of these creatures go unnoticed. Become attuned to the activities of unseen animals by exploring the various signs they leave behind.

  • Plaster casts of deer, fox, porcupine, raccoon and skunk
  • Rubber track stamps of black bear, eagle, frog, and wolf
  • Rubber scat replicas of fox, porcupine, and raccoon
  • Book – Tracks, Scats & Signs
  • Owl Pellet
  • Ruler, magnifier and paper roll with ink pads
  • Information and activity sheets

Owls in our Backyard
Call an owl, examine a pellet and feel the soft feathers of these night time prowlers. Learn the importance of these special birds through activities and audio materials.

  • Saw-whet Owl Study skin
  • Barred Owl wing and talon
  • Screech Owl talon
  • An “Eight” Hooter Caller
  • Owl pellet (whole) for viewing and owl pellets for dissection (10 ziplocks)
  • Magnifiers (2) and tweezers (2)
  • Audio cassette of continuous loop of owl calls
  • Books – Owls Zoobook, Owls by Day & Night, Quiet Owls, In Good Hands
  • Information and activity sheets

Plants & Trees of New York and Vermont
Become familiar with the structure of plants and trees. Learn to identify a variety of local plants and trees with the use of wood and leaf specimens.

  • Wood specimens (15) include: Black Gum, Elm, Evodia, Hackberry, Hemlock, Hop Hornbeam, Ostrya, Pecan, Persimmon, Red Cedar, Southern Red Oak, Spruce, Tamarack, Walnut and Willow
  • Tree Ring sample
  • Plant specimens of Northern Maidenhair Fern, Red Clover, St. Johnswort, Swamp Rose and Yarrow
  • Tree ID with Leaf & Twig Keys
  • Leaves (6) – White Ash, Red Oak, Beech, Black Cherry, White Oak, Sugar Maple
  • Twigs (7) – White Pine, White Ash, Sugar Maple, Beech, White Oak, Black Cherry, Red Oak
  • Posters (4)
  • Information and activity sheets

Prehistoric Life in Fossils
Can you find the creatures and plants hidden in stone? Learn about life millions of years ago with actual fossils.

  • Case of 13 fossil specimens, 1 large ammonite fossil and display of 12 fossils mounted on cardboard display
  • 8 fossil replicas in individual bags: Dinosaur skin-Lambeosaurus, Dinosaur tooth-Edmontosaurus, Trilobite-Phacops Runa Milleri, Dinosaur footprint-Grallator, Ammonite-Dactyloceras, 1st Bird skull-Archaeopteryx, Tooth-Tyrannosaurus Rex, and Pterosaur skull-Pterodactylus
  • Posters – Fossil & Geologic Time, The Victims & Survivors, Age of Giants, Geologic Time & History of Life
  • Books – A Golden Guide to Fossils, Dig into Fossils
  • CD – Powerpoint presentation – Extinct! with slide notes
  • Information and activity sheets

Skulls & Bones
Compare the skulls and bones of different animals. Learn about animals and their adaptations by looking at a variety of skeletons.

  • Specimens include skulls of Bullfrog, Cat and Muskrat
  • Animal bones of Cat, Fish, Frog, Fowl and Rat
  • Leg Bone of a Moose (yearling cow)
  • Skeletal diagrams of Cat, Pigeon, Frog, Perch, Rat and Human
  • Information and activity sheets

Seashore Life
Examine a variety of beautiful and distinctive shells which are homes for sea creatures. This kit can be used as a model for classification activities or for discovery and identification of ocean life.

  • This kit is two large carry cases.
  • Case A:
    Killdeer Study skin
    Ring-billed Gull wing and tail
    Specimens include: Sand Dollar, Whelk shell and Whelk egg case
  • 11 individual sea organisms include: Barnacle, Blue Mussel, Atlantic Surf Clam, Sea Urchin (broken), Periwinkle, Skate Egg Case, Sponges, Scallop, Starfish, Cowry and Coral
  • 17 individual cases containing various shells
  • Books – A Golden Guide to Seashells of the World, and American Nature Guide to Seashells
  • Video – Shark Chronicles
  • Audio cassette – Humpback Whales, seabird songs and calls
  • Information and activity sheets
  • Case B:
    Assortment of 23 identified shells with photo ID’s

Rock or Mineral?
With real rocks and minerals to examine, discover how geologists tell the difference between rocks and minerals. Materials include a testing kit.

  • Fluorescent Mineral Kit – 6 rock samples & ultraviolet lamp
  • Mineral Magnetism Kit – 5 mineral samples & 2 small magnets
  • Vinegar Test Kit – 5 mineral samples, 2 porcelain streak tiles, and container of vinegar
  • “What are rocks?” Kit – 6 rock samples & 4 mineral samples
  • Mineral Cleavage Kit – 6 mineral samples & cloth
  • Our Lives with Rocks & Minerals Kit – 12 rocks & minerals & 11 human-made objects
  • Mineral Color & Luster Kit – 12 mineral samples
  • Mineral Hardness Kit – 8 mineral samples, penny, tiles, glass plates, nails, and magnifier
  • Mineral Crystal Systems Kit – 6 cardboard patterns, 3 mineral samples in a separate bag
  • Mineral Streak Kit – 8 mineral samples & 8 tiles
  • Mystery Mineral Kits – 5 kits each containing 5 mineral samples
  • Bag of 11 minerals
  • Information and activity sheets
  • Books: A Golden Guide to Rocks & Minerals, Dig Into Rocks, The Peterson Field Guide to Rocks & Minerals, The Rock-Hound’s Book, and Secrets In Stones
  • The toughest part of this kit is ensuring that the proper rocks and minerals are place back in the correct kit.

Those Scaly Reptiles
Are snakes slimy? Can turtles come out of their shells? Find out more about reptiles using specimens, activities and more.

  • Specimens include: Painted Turtle shell, Snapping Turtle shell, Boa Constrictor shed skin, Iguana shed skin and spikes, Snake scat, and Turtle Egg shell preserved in a jar.
  • Book – Golden Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians
  • Video – World of Discovery-Realm of the Serpent, Eye Witness-Reptiles
  • Poster
  • Rubber snake
  • Information and activity sheets

Pond Life
Investigate the amazing hidden world of life in a pond. Learn about the interrelationships among pond organisms.

  • Snapping Turtle skull
  • Belted Kingfisher study skin
  • Books – Golden Guide to the Pond, Watch Me Grow (Frog)
  • Slides of 8 various pond life for microscope viewing
  • Audio cassette of Sounds at the Pond
  • Puzzle – The Pond
  • Information and activity sheets

What is a Mammal?
Learn the answers to questions about these animals with fur: how do they feed their young? Can a mammal lay an egg? Discover what makes mammals so special.

  • Specimens include: White-tail Deer skull, dog skull, Long-tailed Weasel study skin, Flying Squirrel study skin, Grey Squirrel pelt, Mink pelt, African Porcupine quill
  • Plaster tracks of Flying Squirrel, Mink, Grey Squirrel, Bobcat, Red Fox and White-tail Deer
  • Books – Golden Guide to Mammals, Peterson First Guide to Mammals
  • Pamphlets – Mammals of New York, Squirrels of New York
  • Poster – What is a Mammal
  • Information, activity sheets and quill activity