SCHOOL SHELL COLLECTION KITS & SHELL-RELATED VIDEOS
The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum offers a collection of seashells, with an accompanying teacher's guide, for purchase by Schools, Children's Museums, and similar, accredited educational organizations. This shell Collection Kit is intended to be part of the curriculum for classroom instruction in order for it to reach as many children as possible. The collection is suitable for grades 4 through 8, and preferably should be put under the guidance of a science or biology teacher. When displayed, the collection takes up a space of approximately 3x4 ft.
The Shell Collection Kit contains:
- Teacher's Guide
- Student's Shell Identification Guide
- Seashells of the World, a Golden Nature Guide
- Approximately 50 species of marine mollusks
- One set of shell identification labels
Shell Related Videos
The Museum also offers two very informative DVDs for sale. They are a part of THE SECRET LIVES OF SEASHELLS series of highly acclaimed videos featuring mollusks and other interesting sea creatures. These outstanding videos are shown throughout the day at the museum and are considered by many to be the highlight of the museum visit.
MOLLUSKS IN ACTION introduces students to the intricate lives of mollusks. It focuses on the anatomy of gastropods and bivalves, their methods of locomotion, what they eat, and how they protect themselves and reproduce.
TRAILS & TALES OF LIVING SEASHELLS features sea creatures that make trails in the sand. Other segments include: the mouth action of a spiny urchin; the unusual escape response of the nassa mud snail; and the complex bristle movement of sand dollars.
EDUCATION SERIES VOL. 1 is a three-disc set that includes both videos and THE SECRET LIVES OF SEASHELLS TEACHER'S GUIDE. This guide gives background information for educators and for use in the classroom. Adaptable for elementary through entry-level college students, it provides activities that may be modified for specific classes or grade levels. It includes twenty printable photographs, and over seventy additional online resources. The Teacher's Guide is available only in the EDUCATION SERIES VOL.1.
The cost of the Shell Collection Kit is $20.00 ($25.00 U.S. funds to Canada or Mexico, $30.00 U.S. funds to other foreign countries) to cover materials and shipping. Purchase orders must be on school letterhead and accompanied by check.
The two 30-minute videos THE SECRET LIVES OF SEASHELLS and TRAILS & TALES OF LIVING SEASHELLS are available in DVD format for #19.95 each. The EDUCATION SERIES VOL. 1 includes both DVDs plus the extensive Teacher's Guide and is available for $49.95.
Please make checks payable to The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum. Institutions interested in obtaining a school shell collection kit and optional shell-related videos must make a written request on their letterhead. (Please include a street address, not a P.O. Box for UPS shipping.) Mail your request to The Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum, P.O. Box 1580, Sanibel, Florida 33957. Donations to further this program are always welcome and are tax-deductible.
Shell Museum volunteers assemble, pack, and mail the School Shell Collection Kits. There is a limited supply so there may be delays in shipping.
At this time, more than 2,000 schools and museums in the United States, American Samoa, Australia, the Bahamas, Canada, Ecuador, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Honduras, the Marshall Islands, Norway, Russia, South Africa, Spain, and Switzerland have received School Shell Collection Kits.