Education Access Program
A fully complimentary virtual or on-site experience, the Education Access Program reinvents the traditional field trip. Students will discover the ways and reasons animals communicate during this multi-touchpoint program.
Bringing education access for young learners in Chicago
Our Education Access Program provides interactive, digital curriculum resources that fully support classroom engagements with Shedd educators over the course of multiple days. Through live footage, photos, videos and in-person experiences with animals, students will explore animal communication and how scientists study sound in nature. Students will develop a solution to a real-world problem involving dolphins and sound.
You will be provided with materials and guides to facilitate other lessons with your classroom. All components align with Chicago Public School's Amplify Science curriculum and Next Generation Science Standards, with a focus on sound waves, animal communication and scientific investigation.
Learn more about our education offerings
Shedd Aquarium's Education Access Program supports students and educators
The 2022-2023 school year Education Access Program is available to 4th and 5th grade classrooms for our selected partner schools. It includes:
- An interactive digital notebook for each student
-
Teacher lesson plans including:
- a guide for initial Shedd virtual connection
- a lesson plan for a educator-facilitated sound wave activity
- a guide for the Shedd virtual field trip
- lesson plan for educator-facilitated extension activity
- Free, self-guided field trip to Shedd Aquarium including reimbursable bus funding
- Two virtual or one virtual and one on-site connection with Shedd Aquarium
- an initial Shedd virtual connection
- a virtual or onsite field trip with Shedd (bus reimbursement included)
- Materials for two
teacher-facilitated lessons
- a sound wave lesson
- a Great Lakes conservation extension lesson
All materials are Google Classroom/Slides-compatible. These virtual lessons are held via Zoom.
For more information on this program, please contact [email protected].
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“As an extension of our mission, engaging partnerships like this connect young learners across Chicago to animals, foster a deeper appreciation for nature and explore their personal role and connection to the natural world”
Lisa Junkin Lopez, vice president of learning and community at Shedd
These student and teacher programs were funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education. However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.