The Biodiversity Research and Teaching Collections is primarily a research collection. However, we recognize the need for community involvement and currently offer the following opportunities to utilize our resources.

Texas Master Naturalist Program

The Biodiversity Research and Teaching Collections is supported by our local chapter of Texas Master Naturalist who provide countless hours of volunteer time assisting in the collections. Volunteer tasks vary depending on the individuals’ interest and could include assisting in specimen preparation, curation, wildscape maintenance, or document filing. To learn more about this group, please visit their website.

Environmental Education Workshops

The Biodiversity Research and Teaching Collections staff offer fee-based science teacher training in nationally recognized environmental education curricula:

• Project WILD
• Project WILD Aquatic
• Science and Civics
• Flying WILD
• Leopold Education Project

We require a minimum of 25 participants for each workshop. All programs qualify for continuing education credit through the state of Texas. We are able to host workshops at your site or on-site atour facility. To request a workshop, please contact Heather Prestridge.

 

Bring our specimens to your classroom

Now available: exciting educational resources for teachers! Each kit contains preserved biological specimens and activities to enhance your curricula. To reserve a kit please e-mail us at brtc@tamu.edu. Requests for materials must be made at least one week in advance and are subject to availability. We are not able to ship kits, they must be picked up at our facility.

 Texas Wetlands Discovery Trunk

This trunk contains lesson plans, books, posters, videos, Texas Amphibian Watch materials (including frog and toad calls on CD) and field equipment to guide students in their investigations of wetland habitats. The trunk emphasizes hands-on learning both in the classroom and in the field. Suggested activities at different grade levels for a 1- to 3-week study of Texas wetlands are correlated to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills.

 

Urban Mammals Skulls and Tracks

This kit contains common mammal skulls and track molds including: white-tailed deer, coyote, armadillo, opossum, raccoon, feral cat, skunk, rabbit, squirrel, bat, and house mouse. Students will identify the skulls through the use of a dichotomous key, be able to distinguish tracks they leave behind, and have the opportunity to learn more about each mammal through independent research projects.

 

Texas Mammals

This kit contains skins, skulls, and photos of common Texas mammals including: peccary, striped skunk, raccoon, beaver, opossum, and bobcat. Additional materials included in the kit are several copies of Peterson’s 1st Guide to Mammals, Texas Tracking guide, and a Mammal Tracks-Life Size Tracking Guide. This is an excellent kit for use as an introduction to mammal life in Texas.

 

Brazos Valley Reptiles and Amphibians

12 native species of reptiles and amphibians are represented in this trunk, complete with dichotomous key and other activities.