“Schooling with Shedd” – it’s a slogan that works. I recently visited the John G. Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, my radar set on education detection mode. Of course, wherever I go, so, too, does Agnes Pflumm! She and I loved the "scaly" public entrance to the aquarium:
However, lucky for me,Heather Schneider, Shedd’s Coordinator for School and Outreach Programs, had a FREE education pass waiting for me at a special, no-waiting entrance for teachers. Wow!
I had allowed myself two hours to preview the exhibits before meeting with Heather. It wasn’t nearly enough. The variety of aquatic exhibits was fantastic. I started with the Alaska sea otters. These delightful acrobats bobbed and backstroked and frolicked and preened while an enthusiastic docent taught us watching that these creatures have fur so thick that it has 400,000 to 800,000 hairs per square inch. Little wonder they were hunted nearly to extinction! I learned that their constant fur scratching traps insulating air bubbles in their fur, thus keeping them from freezing to death in the cold Alaska waters.
The Lizard Exhibit was phenomenal. My human eyes stared into the all-seeing reptilian ones of the regal Komodo dragon. He never blinked. In another very special exhibit, Waters of the World, I learned that “it’s lonely being blue iguanas.” Shedd researches are playing a very active role in helping to preserve these, the most endangered lizard species in the world.
Next, it was time to make inquiries as to the condition of Puiji, the beluga whale mom who had just two months before given birth to a 125 pound baby beluga boy. Safely tucked away in the off-limits-to-the-public, 35,000-gallon veterinary pool, Puiji and baby are thriving! Heather explained that everyone at the aquarium felt that they, too, had given birth to this huge, precious baby.
I think what I appreciated most about Shedd was the careful balance they have achieved between WOW and WONDER. I was really impressed with the giant sized coral polyp models and the interactive way they presented facts about coral reproduction, reef formation, and why corals have color.
In another exhibit altogether, I joined an Amazon River family and resident fishes through the dry and wet seasons of that amazing region. To me, this was one of the most engaging exhibits, transporting me into a culture and habitat few of us in North America can imagine. I could easily imagine a teacher integrating science and social studies in an unforgettable way through a close study of Amazon Rising.
Speaking of education, the brochures I received from Heather Schneider were evidence of dedicated, thorough, and thoughtful planning. “Fish Tales ” is an excellent newsletter for teachers about Shedd workshops, summer programs, website (http://www.sheddaquarium.org/), and special exhibits. Shedd’s DISCOVER program connects teachers, families, teens, and members “to the living world while inspiring them to make a difference.” Qualifying high school students who want experience with real marine science have opportunities to do research aboard the R/V Coral Reef II in Florida and the Caribbean. The Schools Programs offer standards-based inquiry K-12 lessons and include dissections, data collection, and even a year-long-for-credit aquatic science course for gifted high school students!
Seventy years ago, John G. Shedd, Chicago businessman and philanthropist, made this astounding facility possible. His family has served the aquarium for four generations. Since 1926, Shedd has had only four directors. Today, they are led by Ted Beattie, who was recently appointed by President Bush to serve on the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy. When we speak of gifts that keep on giving, the Shedd Aquarium ranks at the top!
