| Class | Grade Level | Duration | Available as Outreach? | MN Science Standards Addressed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Creature Feature Which animals call the Great Lakes home? Explore the five major groups of vertebrates. Discover what they all have in common and how they are different. Students will swim like a trout, play like an otter or fly like a golden eye while investigating the special features that help these animals survive in their habitat. | K - 5 | 1 Hour Class | Yes | 0.2.1.1.1, 0.4.1.1.1, 0.4.1.1.2, 1.4.1.1.1,1.1.3.1.1,2.2.1.1.1, 2.4.1.1.1 |
| Fantastic Frogs Hop, Jump, Plop! Frogs are fantastic with their slimy skin and watery ways. Eat like a frog, practice your jumping, and learn about their special changing life. | K - 5 | 1 Hour Class | Yes | 0.4.1.1.2, 0.4.1.1.1, 0.2.1.1.1, 1.4.1.1.1, 1.4.3.1.1, 1.4.3.1.2, 2.4.3.1.1 |
| Boats and Bridges Sailboats, tug boats and ore boats travel under the lifting bridge. Discover with a story what happens if the bridge gets stuck. Set sail on the USS GLA for a fun-filled hour where your students are the crew. | K - 5 | 1 Hour Class | No | 1.1.3.2.1, 1.1.3.1.1, 2.1.2.2.1, 2.1.2.2.2, 2.1.2.2.3 |
| Creepy Crawlies Do bugs bug you? Do you shudder at the thought of a slithering snake? Students will learn about animals that creep and crawl and find that they are not so scary! These critters can help people and our world. Students will meet live animals up close and explore similarities, differences and connections to themselves. | K - 5 | 1 Hour Class | Yes | 0.4.1.1.1, 1.4.2.1.2 |
| Snouty Seahorses Head, cornet, eyes and snout...eyes and snout. What is it like to be a seahorse? What do they eat? How do they move? Join us to learn more about the unique lives of seahorses through music, movement, literature, hands-on activities and art. | K - 2 | 1 Hour Class | Yes | 0.4.1.1.1, 1.4.2.1.2 |
| Water's Incredible Journey Where does the water go? Students will become a drop of water and travel through the water cycle on an incredible journey. Learn more about the ways that we use, enjoy and protect water resources in the Great Lakes region. | 3 - 5 | 1 Hour Class | Yes | 2.2.1.2.1, 4.2.1.2.1, 4.2.1.2.2, 4.3.2.3.1, 5.3.4.1.1 |
| Habitat Tracker The Lake Superior watershed is home to an amazing diversity of animals and habitat types. Students will practice their tracking skills while observing the behavior, habitat and physiology of fish native to the St. Louis and Baptism Rivers. Students will then compare these unique local habitats and the fish that call them home. | 3 - 8 | 1 Hour Class | No | 3.1.3.4.1, 3.4.1.1.1, 3.1.1.2.4, 4.2.1.1.1, 5.1.1.2.2, 5.4.1.1.1 |
| Stories in Stone If you know what to listen and look for, rocks can tell all kinds of stories. What are they made of and how did they form? How can you tell them apart? Students will learn to identify local rock samples from the shores of Lake Superior and rock out in our “geo-theater”. | 3 - 12 | 1 Hour Class | Yes | 4.3.1.3.2, 5.3.1.2.1, 5.3.1.2.2, 5.3.4.1.1, 5.3.4.1.2 |
| Herpetology: Slime and Scales Whether they love ‘em or hate ‘em reptiles and amphibians fascinate people. Students will explore the characteristics of “herps”, delve into adaptations and learn about their life cycles. Enjoy hands-on activities and a visit from a live reptile or amphibian. | 3 - 8 | 1 Hour Class | Yes | 3.4.1.1.1, 3.4.1.1.2, 3.4.3.2.1, 3.4.3.2.2, 5.4.1.1.1 |
| Water Olympics How many drops of water can you fit on a penny? This student directed exploration of water includes hands-on experiments that delve into the properties of water such as adhesion, cohesion, and surface tension. | 3 - 8 | 1 Hour Class | Yes | 3.1.1.2.1, 3.1.1.2.3, 3.1.1.2.4, 5.1.1.1.2, 5.1.1.1.3 |
| Jiminy Crayfish! Where do crayfish call home? Discover this and the distinguishing characteristics of a crustacean. Students will also explore the impact invasive species and people can have on delicate crayfish habitat. Live animal encounter included. | 3 - 8 | 1 Hour Class | No | 3.1.3.4.1, 3.4.1.1.1., 3.4.1.1.2, 4.2.1.1.1, 5.4.1.1.1 |
| Lake Lab - Ecology Life in the lake is tough. Discover adaptations and migrations that enable local life to thrive. On a quest for a glimpse at life in the lake, students will participate in a harbor ecosystem. Students will collect and analyze plankton and benthic samples using scientific equipment. (Activities will be adapted during the winter.) | 3 - 12 | 1 Hour Class | Yes | 6.1.3.4.1.7, 7.1.1.1.1, 7.1.1.1.2, 7.1.1.2.3, 7.1.1.2.4, 7.4.2.1.2, 7.4.2.2.2, 8.1.3.4.2, 8.2.1.2.1, 8.2.1.2.4 |
| Lake Lab - Limnology How warm is too warm? Is there enough oxygen to support life? How does the pH of the lake compare to milk? Students will explore water samples to learn more about the chemical and physical properties required for life. Get a a behind-the-scenes glimpse at water quality at aquarium, collect and analyze water samples from the Duluth Harbor and connect the dots between the physical, chemical and biological lake. (Activities will be adapted during the winter.) | 3 - 12 | 1 Hour Class | No | |
| Aquatic Invaders Our waters are under invasion! Is there enough room for them? What happens when they arrive? Students will get a closer look at the introduction, impacts and spread of regional invasive species. | 3 -12 | 1 Hour Class | Yes | |
| Masters of Disguise Looks can be deceiving. Students will practice as predators looking for a meal and explore first-hand the many ways animals use color, camouflage and behaviors to their advantage in the Masters of Disguise exhibit. | 3 - 8 | 1 Hour Class | No | |
| Birds Birds at an Aquarium? That’s right. Birds are an important part of an aquatic ecosystem. Students will compare and contrast bird bodies, take a closer look at migration and go on an indoor birding adventure in our on-site aviary. | 6 - 8 | 1 Hour Class | No | 7.4.4.1.2, 7.4.3.2.4 |
| Behind the Scenes Tour What keeps Great Lakes Aquarium fish tanks looking so clean? How do we feed all these animals? Follow a drop of water through the Aquarium life-support system to understand the process of keeping the 103,000 gallons of water clean. Visit the kitchen where otter and fish food is prepared as well as our animal hospital. Note: Because of the limited access to non-public areas, this class has size and scheduling restrictions. | 3 - 12 | 1 Hour Class | No | 6.1.2.1.1, 6.1.2.1.2, 6.1.2.1.3, 6.1.2.1.4 |
| Brighton Beach Lake Superior has a dramatic geologic history all right here at the surface at Duluth’s Brighton Beach. Students will learn to spot and sort rocks by type, then find evidence of each stage in the region’s earth history right there in the rocks! From ancient mountain ranges to sheets of ice, the story is all there if students just learn how to look. Come explore these stories of fire and ice on the shore of Lake Superior! | 3 -12 | 2 Hour Field Class | No | 8.3.1.1.3, 8.3.1.2.1, 8.3.1.2.2, 8.3.1.3.2, 8.3.1.3.3 |
| Dune Ecology Wind, water and sand create a unique habitat on Lake Superior’s southern shore. Join us for an in-the-field look at this delicate and beautiful ecosystem. | 6 - 12 | 2 Hour Field Class | No | 9.3.4.1.2 |
Field Trip + Class
Just Add Water – The Blog
- Snuggle anyone? June 17, 2013Who doesn't like to snuggle?Well, truthfully, Anang doesn't. She would much rather sleep alone in a large pile of soft blankies. But, Zhoosh would love to cuddle up with Anang once in a while.Otters are very social animals. They often groom each other, play with each other, and sleep with each other. But, otters also have strong personalities, and […]