Supporting Youth and Educators in Classrooms and Beyond: Fall Learning Offerings at Shedd Aquarium

Shedd Aquarium is offering a variety of new and legacy learning programs this fall, with opportunities for all educators and learners to connect with the aquatic animal world. As a local leader in curiosity-sparking learning, these offerings serve as one of the ways the aquarium continues to invest in local communities and partnerships as part of larger Centennial Commitment goals, which include strengthening science learning, increasing environmental literacy and empowering futures for youth with equity and inclusion as the central pillars.

With onsite, virtual, in-classroom and in-nature options, Shedd has created aquatic science content to seamlessly bring students eye-to-eye with animals and to integrate into curricula and classrooms. Whether it is a virtual field trip to explore with animals and learn from experts at the aquarium, free workshops for teens to investigate complex STEAM topics or professional development for educators, the aquarium supports learners and educators at all levels in their exploration of the natural world.

AT THE AQUARIUM

Shedd Scouts: Marine Biologist Patch

Participants will visit animals at Shedd while practicing research techniques that marine biologists use to answer questions about animals and their habitats. During these special workshops designed for Scouts, participants will meet animals, get hands-on with games and activities, and explore the unique careers of marine biologists. Every Scout will leave with a one-of-a-kind Shedd Aquarium Marine Biologist patch.

• 2-hour program; $35 per participant ($30 for members)
• Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023
• This program is designed for Scouts in grades 2–5

Teen Workshops

Teens can connect with animals, their peers and Shedd staff during Teen Workshops. Participants will have ample opportunities to learn about local and global conservation and explore careers at Shedd. These free workshops help teens discover new interests, engage in STEAM topics and investigate the aquatic world. Topics for this fall’s workshops include Aquatic Mythology and Folklore, Solving Ocean Mysteries and Underwater Photography.

• 2.5-hour workshops; Free; registration required
• Dates dependent on workshop selection
• 14-18 years old or currently enrolled in high school

Science Educator Conference

Educators can come together to practice innovative science teaching strategies that will connect their classroom to Shedd's animals, exhibits and science resources. Plus, they will meet other local educators, take behind-the-scenes tours and become a part of Shedd’s learning community, where they will find resources custom-made for learners.

• Full-day conference; $60 per educator; parking, lunch and raffles provided
• Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023
• Grades Pre-K-12 Educators

Educator Workshop: Integrating Science Fiction in Science Education

This impelling educator workshop explores the fascinating intersection of science and science fiction. From “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” to “Waterworld,” modern science fiction has long captivated our imaginations and sparked curiosity. As a genre, it allows us to speculate about our future while holding a mirror to present challenges. By bringing sci-fi into the classroom, educators can encourage students to engage with science critically and creatively.

• 3-hour workshop; $35 per educator
• Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023
• Grades 3-12 Educators

Educator Workshop: Magnifying Plankton in the Science Classroom

Tiny plants and animals called plankton are integral to aquatic ecosystems. Plankton creates the foundation of health and welfare for many species, so why are they often overlooked in the science classroom? This virtual educator workshop will explore lessons about plankton, energy transfer and the food web, share high-quality resources for students, provide insight from plankton experts and more.

• 1.5-hour workshop; $25 per educator
• Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023
• Grades 3-12 Educators

IN THE CLASSROOM

Learn with Animals

Educators can spark student curiosity by inviting an animal visitor to the classroom. In these programs, either a turtle or a snake alongside animal care staff will join the class to share more about related STEM topics, such as engineering and design principles or interdependent relationships in ecosystems. These science explorations alongside animals will also support students’ awareness of key conservation challenges connected to the species and the animal’s unique adaptations.

• 45-minutes
• Tuesdays-Fridays
• Grade levels available: K-2, 3-5, 6-8
• · As we launch these new programs, we are offering a limited number of free spaces to classrooms in fall 2023. A full suite of programming will be available for registration in the spring.

Environmental Science

These in-classroom programs remove barriers for students to look nature in the eye. Led by Shedd educators, this is a terrific way for students to ask questions and expand their knowledge of our shared blue planet. Topics include the complex relationships within our ocean’s coral reefs, in which students get to see a coral skeleton in person and use a high-tech, color-changing coral model to mimic coral bleaching, and local freshwater mussels, in which students can dig for mussels in a replicated stream bed and explore the process of analyzing and interpreting energy dynamics. Students will get hands-on with science as they delve into either of the programs about these animals and the STEM concepts their unique adaptations and traits relate to.

• 45-minutes
• Tuesdays-Fridays
• · Grade levels available: K-2, 3-5, 6-8
• As we launch these new programs, we are offering a limited number of free spaces to classrooms in fall 2023. A full suite of programming will be available for registration in the spring.

Virtual Field Trips

Educators and students can learn more about rays, penguins, sharks and more virtually from the classroom. These programs feature information about animal behavior, habitats, adaptations, ecosystems and anatomy. Virtual Field Trip topics for fall include Life in the Tropics, Penguins and Sharks.

• 50-minutes; $95-$125 for one group
• Dates dependent on program selection
• Grade levels available: K-2, 3-5, and 6-8

OUT IN NATURE

Teen Nature Days

Teens can also act for animals and the environment by participating in our Teen Nature Days. Participants will explore local beaches, waterways and forest preserves while helping to restore and protect them. Dates for this fall include a habitat restoration day and a trip to the Garfield Park Conservatory to dive into different ecosystems.

• Free; registration required
• Dates dependent on program selection
• 14-18 years old or currently enrolled in high school

Nature Field Trips

Nature Field Trips are an engaging and new-this-year program to connect students to the beauty, significance and heritage of local natural spaces around Chicagoland. This program aims to foster a sense of place among students while highlighting the importance of observing key seasonal markers in nature. By immersing students in a safe, natural environment and supporting them with hands-on instruction, they will strengthen their positive social-environmental identity rooted in the unique ecosystem of the Great Lakes region. Program locations include Washington Park, Humboldt Park and Bemis Woods Forest Preserve.

• 1.5-2-hour Guided-Field Trips
• Tuesdays-Fridays (Through Nov. 3)
• Grade levels available: K-2, 3-5, 6-8
• · As we launch these new programs, we are offering a limited number of free spaces to classrooms in fall 2023. A full suite of programming will be available for registration in the spring.

VISUALS: Photographs are available for download: https://personal.filesanywhere.com/fs/v.aspx?v=8e6e678a5c6075a76e9e.

Credit: © Shedd Aquarium