Virtual Field Trips: Live from Behind the Scenes

Join us for a routine animal examination in Shedd’s state-of-the-art animal hospital. Students observe alongside Shedd’s veterinary staff as they interpret X-rays, vital signs and behavior to assess an animal’s health. Students can ask members of our veterinary team questions and hear about the unique challenges that come with caring for such a diverse collection.

This program is offered for grade K-8 classes on select Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10 a.m. based on availability.

Grades K-5
Key concepts: adaptations, life cycles, animal rehabilitation, veterinary science and health technology
Skills:  data collection, observation, recognizing patterns, data analysis

Grades 6-8
Key concepts:  adaptations, physiology, anatomy, life cycles, animal rehabilitation, veterinary science and health technology
Skills: data collection, observation, recognizing patterns, interpreting data, using data to construct arguments

Standards:
K-5 Standards: NGSS 2-LS4-1, 3-LS3-2, Common Core: ELA-Literacy- SL.K-5.1
6-8 Standards: NGSS MS-LS1-5, Common Core: ELA-Literacy- RST.6-8.2

Shedd Aquarium is a long way from the chilly waters of the Southern Hemisphere. So how does Shedd provide a habitat for Magellanic and rockhopper penguins that meets their specific needs? Join us inside the penguin habitat to observe these animals up close and learn some of the surprising ways in which Shedd staffers care for these charismatic birds.

This program is offered for grade K-8 classes on select Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. based on availability.

Grades K-5
Key concepts: adaptations, habitats, enrichment, engineering, behavior, biological needs
Skills: observation, data collection, collaboration and communication, problem solving

Grades 6-8
Key concepts:  adaptations, habitats, physiology, behavior, engineering, biological needs, enrichment
Skills:  data collection, data synthesis and analysis, collaboration and communication, designing solutions

Standards
K-5 Standards: NGSS 2-LS4-1, 3-LS3-1, K-2-ETS1-2, Common Core: ELA-Literacy- SL.K-5.1
6-8 Standards: NGSS MS-LS1-4, Common Core: ELA-Literacy- RST.6-8.2

Get up close and personal with some of our most popular Wild Reef residents: sharks! Witness how Shedd staff members feed these animals, design an identifiable tag for different shark species and even calculate how much food our sandbar sharks eat! Explore the Wild Reef habitat from behind the scenes and inside the shark habitat during this exciting program.

This program is offered for grade K-8 classes on select Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10 a.m. based on availability.

Grades K-5
Key concepts: biodiversity, animal behavior, adaptations, conservation, life cycle
Skills: observation, data collection, problem solving, simple fractions, design

Grades 6-8
Key concepts: biodiversity, animal behavior, adaptations, conservation, life cycle
Skills: observation, data collection, problem solving, multiplication and fractions, design

Standards
K-5 Standards: NGSS K-LS1-1, 2-LS4-1, 4-LS1-1, K-2-ETS1-2, Common Core: ELA-Literacy- SL.K-5.1
6-8 Standards: NGSS MS-LS2-2, Common Core: ELA-Literacy- RST.6-8.2