LINK TO VIRTUAL BIOLOGY IN A BOX PROJECTS

ATTENTION TEACHERS IN BIOLOGY IN A BOX PARTNER SYSTEMS!

Biology in a Box

A Science Education Outreach Project

Biology in a Box is a fun and challenging way for entire schools to enhance their life sciences curriculum at all grade levels, and to encourage student interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) disciplines. The program employs a hands-on, inquiry-based approach to teach the wonders of the living world, as well as introducing the scientific methods and math skills we use to understand that world. 

Each thematic unit has exercises that are designed to enrich science curriculum content for students from the elementary grades through high school. The goal of each unit is to pique the interest of even low-ability students on a particular biological theme. The more advanced activities in a thematic unit, furthermore, have been designed as curriculum enrichment for very bright students who need a challenge.

The Biology in a Box program is especially valuable to teachers in schools that have limited resources for extra materials. The materials needed for completion of the exercises, presented in each thematic trunk, are totally reusable and are generally not commercially available. It is also an excellent program for schools with a limited science faculty, since no prior knowledge of the subject matter is needed for a teacher to explore a box theme with his or her students.

Though the majority of the school systems currently provided with Biology in a Box units are in the state of Tennessee, our current partnership with NIMBioS has allowed us the opportunity to expand to a broader national audience. Our units can now be found in school systems in several adjacent states, including Kentucky, Georgia, North Carolina and Virginia. Additionally, the content of our exercises, materials lists, etc. can be found on this website, making the ideas and concepts covered by our units accessible to a global audience.

Get Involved!

To find out if units are currently available for your school, please check the list of current 'Box Keepers' HERE.  The list is arranged alphabetically by county.  If your school system currently has one or more Box Keepers listed, simply contact a Box Keeper in your area to arrange a pickup or delivery of the unit(s) which you desire to use in the classroom.

Enrolling in the Biology in a Box Program

For Tennessee school systems:

To enroll in the Biology in a Box program, a school system’s Superintendent or Curriculum Coordinator must send a letter of interest to the Project Director, Dr. Susan Riechert by email, fax, or by U.S. mail, using the contact information below. The letter should include the name and contact information for a 'Box Keeper,' who will serve as the primary liaison between the school system and the University of Tennessee, and will take responsibility for circulating boxes among teachers. Once the letter is approved, delivery of a set of thematic units to the school system will be arranged. The Box Keeper will lend the units to schools who request them within the school system, and will interact with UT to obtain any replacement materials for the boxes, as well as agree to provide the Biology in a Box team with data regarding usage of the units within the school system. As data become available on box usage patterns, additional copies of the units may be provided. Note that while a set of thematic units valued at $6,000 will be donated to the joining school system, there is a mandatory in-service program that will be provided by two teacher facilitators. The school system will need to pay the cost of this in-service: $300 in facilitator fees and mileage costs to and from the school system.

For learning centers, museums, and out of state school systems:

Please contact Production Manager, J.R. Jones, to discuss options for obtaining Biology in a Box materials.

Explore the links on the left of this page to learn more about the Biology in a Box program.
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Permission to copy, use and disseminate the materials provided herein is hereby granted for educational, non profit uses. All other rights reserved.