Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration

This interactive Jeopardy-style game will introduce your students to the many amazing adaptations of amphibians.  Participants will answer questions and perform challenges to discover more about amphibians and the roles they play in our ecosystems.
CT State Science Standard Addressed:  4.2

Shark attack! Everyone knows that sharks attack people (about 100 reports are submitted each year), but did you know that people kill more than 60 million sharks in that same time frame? Sharks are in trouble. Of the roughly 400 shark species, 80 are threatened or endangered, mostly thanks to overhunting and the effects of pollution. In this class, students learn about the many fascinating shark species, the challenges they must overcome for survival, and the conservation efforts that are underway to protect them.
CT State Science Standard Addressed: 4.2

How do whales find their way in the pitch-dark ocean?  How do they know that a flounder is hiding just under the sand on the sea floor?  The answer is echolocation – the unique ability to “see” using sound.  In this class, students participate in a variety of engaging hands-on activities to discover how these animals produce sound and how it helps them survive.
CT State Science Standard Addressed:  5.1

The Endangered Species Act protects species that are endangered or threatened, and calls for the conservation of the ecosystems on which they depend. What animals face this dilemma and why? Through a fun and interactive game, students will learn the many reasons some species are facing becoming endangered and what we can do to help protect them.
CT State Science Standard Addressed: 4.2

Kids may know about sharks, a predator that sits at the top of the ocean food chain. But how many know about plankton and the often microscopic plants and animals that make up the food chain’s base? Both are critical to life in the ocean and would not exist if it weren’t for the other. In this class, students will explore the links of the ocean food web and find out who eats whom, how they do it, and why.
CT State Science Standard Addressed: 4.2

Students become scientists as they examine live marine invertebrates in an attempt to classify them into groups. What you see is not always what you get. Some animals may look completely different, but are classified together because of characteristics that your students will discover for themselves.