A traveling trunk offers your students the gift of hands-on learning about a different place or time. It includes an assortment of lesson plans and a chest full of objects to help you immerse your students in the history, culture, or science of the place from which it came. Many National Parks have traveling trunk programs. Death Valley's program focuses on life in the 1930s, based on the history and technology behind Scotty's Castle during the Great Depression. Inside the trunk you'll find objects like clothes, music, games, images, books, and manipulatives tied to lessons in history, science, language arts, and other subjects. The trunk lessons can be adapted to 4th through 8th grade classrooms, and are based on California and Nevada state standards, but are available to teachers throughout the United States. Local classrooms who participate in the trunk program are encouraged to schedule living history tours with costumed park rangers at Scotty's Castle.

Death Valley's traveling trunk program is in the final stages of development, and should be available for wide distribution beginning Fall 2011. If you are interested in testing out the trunk program prior to then, email us, or contact us at the address or phone number below.

To contact us:
Education Specialist
Death Valley National Park
PO Box 579
Death Valley, CA 92328
(760) 786-3226