Monday Series, September 28, 2009 - June 7, 2010 12:30pm-2:30pm
Class A: ages 6 to 8
Class B: ages 9 to 12
Wednesday Series, September 30, 2009 - June 2, 2010 12:30pm-2:30pm
Class C: ages 9 and up
FRC Member Fee: $25 per class when doing the entire series of 10 classes. Individual classes are $35. Registering students for the entire series only until 9/1/09
Non member Fee: $50per class when doing the entire series of 10 classes. Individual classes are $60. Registering students for the entire series only until 9/1/09
NOTE: Age appropriate students register for the Monday series or the Wednesday series. Students may register for individual classes or the entire series. We do recommend (but not require) that everyone begin with the September program. If you have an interest in the June program please register early as space is limited. Participation in the June presentation requires completion of at least 6 aquarium classes, not including the June program. Additional family and friends attending the June class must pay an admission fee to the facility and MUST be pre-registered.
The FRC discounted adult and nonparticipating sibling admission to the aquarium is $9 per person through the FRC only.
Wristband admissions must be purchased directly through the FRC in time to be mailed to each recipient. Admission without a wristband will be full price at the door.
**Please read the program disclaimer at the bottom of this page.
Monthly billing is available if you are doing the entire series. Billing is done by credit card only, on the first of each month. There is an additional $5.00 per month transaction fee for this service.
All Aquarium School students will need to bring the following to every class:
Exceptional divers, ocean adventurers, amazing survivors: penguins survive in the harshest climate on earth. Take an in-depth look at these appealing creatures, from their origins and evolution to their physiology and survival in an increasingly polluted and exploited environment. Every species is covered, with information about the ways they communicate, their senses of smell and vision, plus their thermoregulation, behavioral adaptations, breeding, and distribution. Powerful and colorful images on almost every page offer a close-up look at their unusual features and the surrounding world.
Monday, October 26, 2009 12:30pm-2:30pm
Registration Deadline: October 12, 2009
Class A: ages 6 to 8
Class B: ages 9 to 12
Wednesday, October 28, 2009 12:30pm-2:30pm
Registration Deadline: October 14, 2009
Class C: ages 9 and up
CONSERVATION
Animal Focus: Fisheries
Aquarium Focus: Conservation
Millions of animals are fished from the ocean
every year for human food, medicine and other
purposes. At the New England Aquarium, we
want to help maintain the right balance in the
ocean, so we work on projects with commercial
fisherman to know what, where, how and when
to fish. We also work with fish sellers and people
like you and me so we make smart seafood
choices at the seafood counter.
This program will offer a helpful introduction to the November class on Sharks.
Career Focus: Aquarium conservation department members stay on top of news in fishing and ocean health. They educate both the public and the fishing industry about the issues that affect the health of our oceans.
Project: Students will explore tools and technology of fishing and think about challenges of fishing such as how to catch one type of fish without catching others or how to figure out how many fish it is safe to catch in order to leave more for another year.
caught by mistake. After being captured by fishermen,
the bycatch is usually released back into the ocean.
To figure out how many of these animals survive,
Aquarium researchers spend time on fishing boats
studying how they cope with the stress of capture.
Hopefully this information can help make a change
in fishing tools and procedures. Currently, the
Aquarium is working with elasmobranchs, a group
made up of sharks, rays and skates.
It would be a helpful background to attend the October class on conservation
and fisheries.
Career Focus: Meet an Aquarium research scientist who studies sharks and other elasmobranchs.
Project: Aquarium staff will lead students in a dissection of a dogfish (a small coastal shark). Each class will dissect 1 or 2 sharks together, depending on the age of the group.
The New England Aquarium is well known for interesting
exhibits that showcase unusual animals. Our exhibits
of jellies, sea dragons and shorebirds were some of
the most complicated to design, but the end result is
a beautiful exhibit that gives our visitors an accurate
snapshot of the aquatic world.
Career Focus: There is a lot involved in designing an exhibit that will keep animals healthy and content. Biologists use math skills to plan the space for the animals. They use engineering skills to install life support systems that keep the water clean, heated and stable. And they juggle all the needs of the different animals.
Project: Educators will lead students on behind-the-
scenes tours. Students will create a poster highlighting
design elements for a particular animal's exhibit.
Students will have the option of creating a 3-d model
of their design at home and presenting it or pictures
The New England Aquarium is home to more than 40,000
animals. That means a lot of mouths to feed and tanks to
clean. Aquarium biologists and a large group of volunteers
take care of these animals. This team is busy 7 days a week,
365 days a year.
Career Focus: Learn about being an Aquarium biologist.
What do they need to know about feeding behaviors of a variety
of animals and keeping them healthy?
Project: During this class, students will see behind-the-scene video footage of a variety of Aquarium animals, and see some of the particulars of how we take care of such a diversity of animals.
Harbor seals and northern fur seals live at the New
England Aquarium. Harbor seals love to play, and you
might see them blowing bubbles against the glass or
swimming through caves under the water. The seals are
also trained to perform a variety of tasks that make it
easier to take care of them, such as getting eye drops,
taking medicine and staying still for a stethoscope or
tooth brushing. In 2006, the New England Aquarium
welcomed three adult female northern fur seals. The
Aquarium’s mammal trainers adapted their skills working
with harbor seals to work with these animals as well.
Career Focus: Many people have dreams of being a
marine mammal trainer. Find out what is involved in the
care, feeding and stimulation of these large animals.
Project: Students will learn some techniques the trainers use when introducing and perfecting a seal behavior. The Aquarium will provide all additional supplies.
year-round production facility for American lobsters
in North America. This facility grows larval and
juvenile lobsters for research. Current research also
focuses on nutrition and its importance to lobster
health and susceptibility to shell disease.
Career Focus: Meet an Aquarium research scientist who raises lobsters in our lab and studies shell disease.
Project: Students will investigate the life cycle and anatomy of lobsters and try their hand at some research techniques. Students will also learn more about lobster fisheries and their impact on the ecosystem.
The Harborside Learning Lab is listed on the left under entry and ticketing. Roll your cursor over it and the location of the room will light up in the lower right corner of the map. But if you get all turned around just go to the info desk in the Aquarium lobby and they'll point you back towards the class.
The all-day rate is now $32 and the validated rate for members is $20. We encourage people to consider some of the other parking options in the area that tend to be less expensive, carpool or (better yet) take Public Transportation.
Join the New England Aquarium:FRC Members ONLY can take 10% off the NEAQ family membership which would grant free admission to the aquarium for the family and provide a rate of $20 for garage parking. Memberships are purchased directly through NEAQ. Members must provide a copy of their valid FRC Membership card for the discount. NOTE: NEAQ Membership does not offer a discount for the FRC Aquarium School program itself.
Due to the nature of working with live wild animals, New England Aquarium cannot guarantee any specific animal or animal encounter due to sudden illness, safety concerns, and overall health and well being of the animals. Our aquarium staff will take all the proper precautions they deem necessary in these situations, including the decision whether or not it is appropriate to conduct any program. New England Aquarium understands that this can cause some conflicts with pre-arranged curriculum and will do everything in their power to work with the FRC in situations that may arise.
Monday, September 28, 2009 12:30pm-2:30pm
Registration Deadline: September 14, 2009
Class A: ages 6 to 8
Class B: ages 9 to 12
Wednesday, September 30, 2009 12:30pm-2:30pm
Registration Deadline: September 16, 2009
Class C: ages 9 and up
INTRODUCTION TO AQUARIUMS
Animal Focus: Tidepool animals
Aquarium Focus: Education
Students will receive an overview of the New England Aquarium and how the Aquarium works to present, promote and protect the world of water. Educators will discuss what it’s like to run an aquarium and explain the role it plays in the region and the world.
Career Focus: The New England Aquarium’s
education department delivers different programs
to many different people. They present the world
of water to every visitor, plus all of the people who
visit for special programs or who invite the
Aquarium to come to them. The Aquarium offers
programs for 1-year-olds, 100-year-olds and
everyone in between, and presents the same
information to different age groups in a fun and
interesting way.
Project: Students will tour Aquarium exhibit with a focus on different education approaches and activities.
