Beyond the Classroom: Resources for Continued Science Learning

The Nature in the Classroom and Leaves of Change lessons are designed to inspire curiosity and fascination for the natural world. It is our hope that students using our kits will desire to continue learning, discovering and asking questions about the world around them. Visiting the museum is an ideal "next step" for encouraging this desire to learn. During a trip at the museum, students will have the opportunity to see some of our more exotic specimens, learn how a specimen is prepared, and gain a better understanding and appreciation for museums and museum collections.

For questions, email us at slatermuseum@pugetsound.edu.

Citizen Science Projects
Anyone can be a scientist. With the help of Citizen Science Projects like the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's "Project FeederWatch" or the National Phenology Network's "Nature's Notebook," our daily observations of the natural world become valuable data sets that contribute to novel scientific research around the country. All you have to do is observe!

• Tahoma Audubon Society, Community Science
• The Washington State Nature Mapping Program
• The Great Sunflower Project, Backyard Bee Count
• National Phenology Network, Nature’s Notebook
• Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Project Feeder Watch
  • Celebrate Urban Birds
  • NestWatch
  • NestCams
• The Great Backyard Bird Count
• The WildLab iPhone Bird and Marine Wildlife Watch
• Astronomy Citizen Science Projects
• Citizen Science Database
• More Citizen Science Projects

Continue to Explore, Learn and Discover
More information for curious minds:

• Puget Sound Museum of Natural History, browse all collections or wing image collection
• Burke Museum of Natural History, browse collections
  • Drawing Wild Washington
• Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, species fact sheets
• Seattle Audubon Society BirdWeb guide to birds of Washington
• The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds guide
• Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Alaska's Species Information (invertebrates and vertebrates)
  • A Teacher’s Guide to Skulls of Alaskan Mammals, additional tooth/skull lessons
• Smithsonian Hominid Mystery Skull, interactive identification game
• DiscoverLife.org, free online tools to identify species with over 1 million species pages
• BugGuide.net, All About Bugs!

Local Opportunities
Get involved in your local community with nature walks, classes, camps, adventure, exploration and more!

• Metro Parks Tacoma Nature Center and Agents of Discovery app
• Tahoma Audubon Society
  
  • Moments in Nature
• Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium Education Programs
• W.W. Seymour Botanical Conservatory, check-out their Plant Tours
• Fort Steilacoom Park Discovery Trail
• Tacoma Urban Forestry Project