| CLASSROOM
PROGRAMS
Programs in the classrooms are 30-45
minutes and can be scheduled at 10:00AM, 11:00 AM and Noon. Often,
special programs or times can be scheduled to accommodate your
visit.
Please call Group Reservations at (423) 265-0698 or (800) 262-0695
(ext. 3600) for specific guidelines.
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up for Tributaries, our
annual Teacher Resource Guide including educational updates.
Kindergarten
through 2nd Grade:
- Jellyfish
Dream
Make
reservation online > Aquarium only & Auditorium
Program
Make
reservation online > Aquarium/IMAX Combo & Auditorium
Program
Join JJ, a young child curious about the ocean world, who uses
the power of imagination to transform into a beautiful jellyfish.
JJ travels through the ocean meeting other exciting species
of jellies as well as jelly predators. Students will discover
what a jellyfish is, how and why jellies sting and more. Students
also learn about the ocean habitat that jellyfish need to survive.
Lesson:
Learn about the life of jellyfish, how they swim,
what they eat, how they sting and meet other sea creatures.
Conservation Message: All life on Earth exists
as part of an ecosystem.
Location: Auditorium
- Life
Cycles
Make
reservation online > Aquarium only & Class/Lab
Program
Make
reservation online > Aquarium/IMAX Combo & Class/Lab
Program
Piece together the different stages of individual life cycles
as students discover and compare how animals grow and develop.
Students gain an understanding of metamorphosis and the needs
of all living things as they meet live, crawling creatures.
Finally, students work in teams to complete a puzzle depicting
an animal’s complete life cycle.
Lesson:
Learn about life cycles, animal growth and development
Conservation Message: All life on Earth exists
as part of an ecosystem.
Location: Discovery Classroom, Biology Lab
and Think Tank. The classroom(s) will be assigned to best
meet the size and schedule of your group.
- Animal
Adaptations
Make
reservation online > Aquarium only & Class/Lab
Program
Make
reservation online > Aquarium/IMAX Combo & Class/Lab
Program
We play hide and seek as a fun game, but many animals play hide
and seek to survive! This highly interactive program uses pictures,
props and live animals to introduce students to the many colorful
ways animals blend into their environment. Also, students learn
about some of the problems these same animals face that protective
coloration cannot help. Everyone gets a chance to create their
own camouflaged critter to take home.
Lesson:
Learn about protective coloration of animals and their struggle
for survival.
Conservation Message: All life on Earth exists
as part of an ecosystem.
Location: Discovery Classroom, Biology Lab
and Think Tank. The classroom(s) will be assigned to best
meet the size and schedule of your group.
- Lunch
N’ Learn
Make
reservation online > Aquarium only
Make
reservation online > Aquarium/IMAX Combo
Wish you had time for an education program? Need a warm, dry
place for lunch? Meet both these challenges by joining us for
a “Lunch and Learn” program. You supply the lunch
and we’ll provide the education. Students view a short
(20 min.) video while they eat and then meet one of the education
animals or test their skill in a challenging game.
Program choices for K-2
students are Animal Senses or Penguins
Animal Senses Lesson: Learn about
adaptations of fascinating animals found around the world.
Penguins Lesson: Learn ten remarkable
facts about penguins.
Conservation Message: All life on earth exists
as part of an ecosystem.
Location: Biology Lab, Think Tank and the Discovery
Classroom.
Maximum student group size is 100 (students will be split
between the three classrooms) and the minimum group size
is 10. Seating is available for students and 9 adult chaperones;
additional adults may not have chairs. Lunch and Learn Programs
are scheduled Monday through Friday at 11:00 AM, Noon and
1:00 PM.
For
more information about the program, call (800)
262-0695 (ext. 4050) or e-mail jal@tnaqua.org.
To
schedule your Lunch and Learn program, call
(800) 262-0695 (ext. 3600) and ask for Group Reservations.
3rd through
5th Grade:
- Wonderful
Working Wetlands
Answer
Sheet
Make
reservation online > Aquarium only & Class/Lab
Program
Make
reservation online > Aquarium/IMAX Combo & Class/Lab
Program
Swamps, marshes and bogs are dark, spooky places full of mosquitoes,
mud, snakes and all sorts of creepy things. No one would want
to visit or live there, or would they? Students meet living
inhabitants of three wetland ecosystems and gain an understanding
of the adaptations that allow organisms to survive in these
watery environments. Students work in teams to discover the
connections between animals and plants while playing a food
web game.
Lesson:
Discover the environmental importance and function
of wetland ecosystems.
Conservation Message: Healthy ecosystems
provide us many essential services and benefits.
Location: Discovery Classroom, Biology Lab
and Think Tank. The classroom(s) will be assigned to best
meet the size and schedule of your group.
- Ocean
Characteristics Answer
Sheet
Make
reservation online > Aquarium only & Class/Lab
Program
Make
reservation online > Aquarium/IMAX Combo & Class/Lab
Program
Ninety-seven percent of the water on the earth is found in oceans.
This water forms an integral part of the water cycle that is
vital to all life on earth. To understand the importance of
oceans, their inhabitants and the impact of pollution, we must
first realize the oceans are dynamic bodies of water that are
constantly moving and changing. In a series of lab experiments
designed to demonstrate general ocean characteristics, students
learn about relationships among temperature, salinity, wind,
ocean currents and coral reefs.
Lesson:
Learn how currents, wind, temperature and salinity
help make oceans dynamic bodies of water and how they affect
coral reefs.
Conservation Message: All life on Earth exists
as part of an ecosystem.
Location: Discovery Classroom, Biology Lab
and Think Tank. The classroom(s) will be assigned to best
meet the size and schedule of your group.
- Lunch
N’ Learn
Make
reservation online > Aquarium only
Make
reservation online > Aquarium/IMAX Combo
Wish you had time for an education program? Need a warm, dry
place for lunch? Meet both these challenges by joining us for
a “Lunch and Learn” program. You supply the lunch
and we’ll provide the education. Students view a short
(20 min.) video while they eat and then meet one of the education
animals or test their skill in a challenging game.
Program choices for 3rd-5th
grade students are Reptiles or Penguins
Reptiles Lesson:
Learn about
adaptations of fascinating animals found around the world.
Penguins
Lesson: Learn ten remarkable facts about penguins.
Conservation Message: All life on earth exists
as part of an ecosystem.
Location: Biology Lab, Think Tank and the
Discovery Classroom.
Maximum
student group size is 100 (students will be split between
the three classrooms) and the minimum group size is 10.
Seating is available for students and 9 adult chaperones;
additional adults may not have chairs. Lunch and Learn
Programs are scheduled Monday through Friday at 11:00 AM,
Noon and 1:00 PM.
For
more information about the program, call (800)
262-0695 (ext. 4050) or e-mail jal@tnaqua.org.
To
schedule your Lunch and Learn program, call
(800) 262-0695 (ext. 3600) and ask for Group Reservations.
- Adaptations
from A-Z
A 3rd through 8th Grade special opportunity
Explore the natural world close-up from the comfort of an IMAX
seat as you encounter a variety of animals and habitats. Then
learn what it takes to survive in the natural world as you travel
with an Aquarium staff member through the Aquarium galleries.
The 2.5- to 3-hour guided tour, tailored to your grade level
(3-5 or 6-8), enhances your students’ learning experience.
Note:
This special opportunity is available to groups of up to 125
students Monday through Thursday from September through February.
Limits on group size may apply depending on selected date.
A fee of $11.25 per student includes the IMAX film, Aquarium
admission, guided tour and the teacher information packet
($8.00 per student if not attending an IMAX movie). Reservations
must be made at least two weeks in advance of the tour date.
For further
information about this special opportunity, call (800) 262-0695
and ask for George Bartnik
(ext. 4049). If you are ready to make a reservation,
call (423) 265-0698 or (800) 262-0695 and ask for Group Reservations.
- Behind
the Scenes Tours
For grades 3rd through 12th
How do we recreate habitats in the Aquarium? Food, water, shelter
and space are stressed as students in grades 3 - 12 discover
what goes on “behind the scenes” (BTS) in a specially
designed tour. From the kitchen to the filtration room, the
BTS tour highlights what it takes to convince over 10,000 plants
and animals that the Aquarium is their habitat. The 60- to 75-minute
BTS tours are offered on weekdays September through March between
the hours of 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM. Group size is limited to
15 participants per tour and we can offer up to two tours at
the same time. BTS tours are available for a fee of $5.00 per
student. Reservations must be made at least two weeks
in advance of the tour date.
6th Grade through 8th Grade:
- Lunch
N’ Learn
Make
reservation online > Aquarium only
Make
reservation online > Aquarium/IMAX Combo
Wish you had time for an education program? Need a warm, dry
place for lunch? Meet both these challenges by joining us for
a “Lunch and Learn” program. You supply the lunch
and we’ll provide the education. Students view a short
(20 min.) video while they eat and then meet one of the education
animals or test their skill in a challenging game.
Program choices for
6th-8th
grade students are Biodiversity or Penguins
Biodiversity Lesson: Learn about adaptations of fascinating
animals found around the world.
Penguin
Lesson: Learn ten remarkable facts about penguins.
Conservation Message: All life on earth exists
as part of an ecosystem.
Location: Biology Lab, Think Tank and the
Discovery Classroom.
Maximum
student group size is 100 (students will be split between
the three classrooms) and the minimum group size is 10.
Seating is available for students and 9 adult chaperones;
additional adults may not have chairs. Lunch and Learn
Programs are scheduled Monday through Friday at 11:00 AM,
Noon and 1:00 PM.
For
more information about the program, call (800)
262-0695 (ext. 4050) or e-mail jal@tnaqua.org.
To
schedule your Lunch and Learn program, call
(800) 262-0695 (ext. 3600) and ask for Group Reservations.
- Adaptations
from A-Z
A 3rd through 8th Grade special opportunity
Explore the natural world close-up from the comfort of an IMAX
seat as you encounter a variety of animals and habitats. Then
learn what it takes to survive in the natural world as you travel
with an Aquarium staff member through the Aquarium galleries.
The 2½- to 3-hour guided tour,
tailored to your grade level (3-5 or 6-8), enhances your students’
learning experience.
Note:
This special opportunity is available to groups of up to 125
students Monday through Thursday from September through February.
Limits on group size may apply depending on selected date.
A fee of $11.25 per student includes the IMAX film, Aquarium
admission, guided tour and the teacher information packet
($8.00 per student if not attending an IMAX movie). Reservations
must be made at least two weeks in advance of the tour date.
For further
information about this special opportunity, call (800) 262-0695
and ask for George Bartnik
(ext. 4049). If you are ready to make a reservation,
call (423) 265-0698 or (800) 262-0695 and ask for Group Reservations.
- Behind
the Scenes Tours
For grades 3rd through 12th
How do we recreate habitats in the Aquarium? Food, water, shelter
and space are stressed as students in grades 3 - 12 discover
what goes on “behind the scenes” (BTS) in a specially
designed tour. From the kitchen to the filtration room, the
BTS tour highlights what it takes to convince over 10,000 plants
and animals that the Aquarium is their habitat. The 60- to 75-minute
BTS tours are offered on weekdays September through March between
the hours of 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM. Group size is limited to
15 participants per tour and we can offer up to two tours at
the same time. BTS tours are available for a fee of $5.00 per
student. Reservations must be made at least two weeks in advance
of the tour date.
9th
Grade through 12th Grade:
- Seahorse
Rescue Mission
Answer
Sheet
Make
reservation online > Aquarium only & Class/Lab
Program
Make
reservation online > Aquarium/IMAX Combo & Class/Lab
Program
Seahorse populations are declining and we need your help! Students
complete background research and conduct chemical water tests
as they determine the source of the pollution. Can your group
save the seahorses?
Lesson:
Learn how to test water for basic impurities. Discuss
effects on animal populations.
Conservation Message: We have the responsibility
to act, to be good stewards and to leave a healthy ecosystem
for our families and future generations.
Location: Discovery Classroom, Biology Lab
and Think Tank. The classroom(s) will be assigned to best
meet the size and schedule of your group.
-
Behind
the Scenes Tours
For grades 3rd through 12th
How do we recreate habitats in the Aquarium? Food, water,
shelter and space are stressed as students in grades 3 - 12
discover what goes on “behind the scenes” (BTS)
in a specially designed tour. From the kitchen to the filtration
room, the BTS tour highlights what it takes to convince over
10,000 plants and animals that the Aquarium is their habitat.
The 60- to 75-minute BTS tours are offered on weekdays September
through March between the hours of 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM. Group
size is limited to 15 participants per tour and we can offer
up to two tours at the same time. BTS tours are available
for a fee of $5.00 per student. Reservations must be made
at least two weeks in advance of the tour date.
Classroom
Descriptions:
Our classrooms
are located in the Tennessee Aquarium and the IMAX 3D Theater
Center.
Ocean
Journey Building
The
Tennessee Aquarium’s newest exhibit takes a whole new building!
Ocean Journey showcases the Secret Reef exhibit (over 1/2 million
gallons) which highlights the extraordinary habitat of the Flower
Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary – the northernmost
coral reef in the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way from the ocean
surface and through corals on the ocean floor, visitors discover
the tremendous variety of life - from 9-foot sharks to 4-inch
bluehead wrasse - found in this specialized habitat. Other amazing
experiences include an opportunity to feel the unique texture
of sharks and stingrays, to observe remarkable animals that have
no bones and to watch tropical butterflies flutter through the
Butterfly Garden, occasionally landing on an excited visitor.
Through this part of the Aquarium journey, visitors get a taste
of life in the sub-tropical/tropical regions of our world.
River
Journey Building
The
Tennessee Aquarium’s River Journey (the world’s first
major institution dedicated to freshwater ecosystems) focuses
primarily on the Tennessee River and related systems. The River
Journey experience follows a drop of water through a variety of
freshwater habitats as it makes its way from the river’s
source in the Appalachian high country, through its midstream
and finally arriving in the Delta country of Louisiana. Along
the way, visitors pass through exciting living environments that
accurately recreate the habitats of the fish, birds, amphibians,
reptiles, mammals and arthropods that call the river home. A stop
at the Sturgeon Encounter touch tank enables visitors to discover
local conservation efforts focused on the lake sturgeon while
becoming intimately familiar with these primitive, scaleless fish.
Exhibits
are continually changing and being upgraded. New and different
animals are added and natural/seasonal behaviors such as nest
building and rearing young can be observed.
IMAX®
Center
Practically
next door to the Aquarium, the massive six-story IMAX 3D Theater
combines breathtaking crystal clear 3D and 2D images with state-of-the-art
six channel IMAX® digital sound for an experience unlike any
other. The spacious 400-seat theater is a fun way to explore interesting
topics and places you’ve never visited. While you’re
waiting for film seating, explore the habitats featured in the
Great Hall graphic panels with the Know Your Planet brochure,
available in the Great Hall.
Discovery
Classroom, Biology Lab, Think Tank
Students
in grades K - 12 have the opportunity to experience learning in
an exciting way by participating in hands-on, minds-on programs
in our three classrooms. Games and live animals add to the younger
students’ knowledge and understanding of the world in which
we live. Microscopes and chemical test kits allow older students
to carry out detailed simulations to understand and solve real
life problems. The Discovery Classroom is located in the lower
level of the River Journey building. Both the Biology Lab and
the Think Tank are located in the IMAX® Center.
Maximum
for Biology Lab and Think Tank: 25 students per classroom
Maximum for Discovery Classroom: 36 students
Minimum for each classroom: 10 students
Larger
groups can be accommodated by using multiple classrooms.
Auditorium
The
younger students visit with a larger than life costumed character
while older students become part of the act, bringing to life
the plants and animals of the world’s many ecosystems while
discovering some of the many aspects of conservation. Slide presentations,
sound effects, drama and interactive discussions all make up this
unique experience for students in grades K - 8 in the 185-seat
Auditorium located in the lower level of the River Journey Building.
Maximum:
185 students/chaperones. Minimum: 50 students.
Room capacities
cannot exceed those listed. Extra adults may have to wait outside
the classrooms/auditorium.
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