Due to limited resources, box unit sets are currently provided only to public school systems or clusters of local schools.
However, teachers, private schools and parents may wish to purchase individual activities or entire thematic units.
For Tennessee school systems
To enroll in the Biology in a Box program, a public school system’s Superintendent or Curriculum Coordinator must send a letter of interest to the Project Director, Dr. Elisabeth Derryberry 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 public 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 public school system will be arranged. The Box Keeper will lend the units to schools who request them within the public 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 public 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 several thousand dollars will be donated to the joining public school system, there is a mandatory in-service program that will be provided by two teacher facilitators. The public school system will need to pay the cost of this in-service: $300 in facilitator fees and mileage costs to and from the public school system.
Elisabeth Derryberry
Biology in a Box Project Director
Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
University of Tennessee
569 Dabney Hall
1416 Circle Drive
Knoxville, TN 37996-1610
E-mail: liz@utk.edu
Telephone: (865) 974-3065
Fax: (865) 974-3067
For learning centers, museums, private schools and out of state school systems
Please contact Project Director, Dr. Elisabeth Derryberry, to discuss options for obtaining Biology in a Box materials.