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Find Out MoreMaryland Loaner Lab Middle School Kits
The Maryland Loaner Lab (MDLL) middle school kits are specifically designed to support the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). We currently offer six different kits for middle school students in grades 6–8.
Program Details
How it Works
Interested in borrowing a Maryland Loaner Lab kit? Here's what to do: (1) choose a kit from our catalog; (2) make a reservation; (3) we ship the kit to you free of charge; (4) you and your students use the kit for 14 days, and (5) you ship the kit back to us with a pre-paid FedEx shipping label.
Teachers are eligible to borrow kits after they have attended a one-time Maryland Loaner Lab training session. Once eligible, kits are free and scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Choose Your Kit
Our kits include a teacher's manual that provides set-up instructions, student worksheets, return shipping instructions and labels, and a return equipment checklist. Each kit is described in the table below.
Kits contain enough materials to serve all of your students, including over multiple class periods. Your kit will include enough equipment (such as micropipettes) to accommodate one class period at a time, with enough reagents (such as DNA samples) to serve your total number of students.
Reserve Your Kit
Reserve a kit using the online Maryland Loaner Lab Request Form. Kits may be requested up to 10 months in advance. Kits are on-loan for 14 days. They are available to individual teachers for use in their own classroom.
Unpack Your Kit
You received your kit, now what? Immediately put red cold bags in the refrigerator. Use the checklist to make sure you have all items listed. Also, check for any broken materials or equipment. Notify us at mdll@towson.edu immediately if there are any problems.
Return Your Kit
Time to return your kit? Start by cleaning and drying all equipment before packing. Neatly package all items back into the box as they were received. Complete the enclosed return checklist and note if items are missing or broken. Tape and put both shipping labels on the outside of the box as directed.
Kits are shipped to and from schools via FedEx at no cost. Two labels (return address and FedEx tracking) for return shipping are included in each kit. To return the kit, teachers schedule a FedEx pick-up using the directions provided or drop-off the kit at any FedEx location.
MDLL Middle School Kits
Below is a description of each of our MDLL high school kits, including links to teacher's manuals, PowerPoint's, and student handouts.
| mdll kit | description | teacher resources |
|---|---|---|
| Berries...with a side of DNA? (DNA Extraction) | Students explore the role and function of DNA in living organisms by extracting DNA from fruit. | |
| It's a Gassy World! | Students design and conduct an investigation to measure the ocean's ability to absorb carbon dioxide at different temperatures. | |
| Looking Backwards, Looking Forward | Students act as paleoclimatologists as they gather and interpret data to infer Maryland's climate over the past 12,500 years. | |
| Mystery of Crooked Cell Structured | Using gel electrophoresis, students determine whether a patient carries the gene that causes sickle cell anemia. | |
| Mystery Tubes | This black box activity allows students to explore the nature of science as they work to figure out how the mystery tubes are constructed. | |
| Ocean Acidification | Students answer the driving question "How might increasing levels of CO2 affect oysters in Maryland?" by planning and carrying out an investigation and using models. |
New! MDLL Minis Kits
Introducing the newest member of the Maryland Loaner Lab family! MDLL Minis are short classroom activities that focus on building students' lab skills.
| MDLL Kit | description | teacher resources |
|---|---|---|
| Roy Gee Biv Micropipette Challenge | Students practice proper micropipetting technique in this fun and colorful challenge! |
Cancel Your Kit
Please let us know in advance if you need to cancel your reserved kit by emailing us at mdll@towson.edu. Early cancellation will help us give other teachers the opportunity to book a kit.
Questions or concerns?
Email us at mdll@towson.edu.