Monday, October 24, 2016

From the High School Lesson Book - National Aquarium PhotoJournal

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Homeschool Coffee Break helps fuel this blog and our homeschool - thank you!

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com - photos from our recent field trip, and a link up for homeschooling through high school posts

Field trips are just as great for high schoolers as for young students, but for various reasons we have done fewer trips as my kids have gotten older. When we do get a chance to go on a trip that is fun and relates directly to what we're studying, we jump on it! Such was the case last week when a mom in our homeschool group had organized a trip for us to the National Aquarium in Baltimore. The timing was just about perfect for us, as Kennady was just ready to start studying aquatic life in her Biology 101 course. We made sure to watch that chapter of the DVD and look over some of the notes prior to our visit to the aquarium, and this week we'll be following up with further study of aquatic animals, and I'm hoping some related artwork will appear as well.

When you go on a field trip, you have to take lots of pictures, and I tried to do just that. Getting pictures through aquarium glass and water, and of moving creatures presents a challenge, of course, and I use just a simple camera, so don't expect anything spectacular!

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com

The first exhibit you see when you enter the aquarium is the Blacktip Reef. This huge exhibit is visible from many vantage points, and features sharks, fish, and rays, as well as a green sea turtle.

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com

This whale skeleton is suspended above the Blacktip Reef and gives a bit of perspective on how big some seagoing animals are.

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com

There are five levels in this part of the aquarium building (actually, six, since there's also an underwater viewing area), so that first view is Level 1. Next up is the Maryland: Mountains to the Sea exhibit which features animals in the streams, marshes, beaches, and coastal waters of Maryland. Then on Level 3 there is a Living Seashore exhibit which continues showing off Mid-Atlantic shore life. And there's a couple of touchpools that allow visitors to touch horseshoe crabs, whelks, stingrays, skates, and moon jellies.

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com
Atlantic Stingray

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com
Moon Jelly Touchpool
Also seen on Level 3 - Electric eels, Chambered Nautilus, octopus, seahorses, and many other fish.

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com
electric eel
National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com
Longsnout Seahorse
National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com
anemones
Level 4 brings you face to face with marine life of the sea cliffs, kelp forests, Pacific coral reefs, and the Amazon River forest.

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com
Coral Reef
National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com
Coral Reef
National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com
Emerald Tree Boa

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com
This curmudgeonly fellow is a Silver Arowana from the Amazon River Forest.
National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com
I don't remember what kind of fish this guy is, but he seems much more friendly.

Although we saw the puffins, their exhibit is behind glass which is covered with water droplets, making it pretty difficult to get a decent picture. Instead I took pictures of the pictures on the informational display!

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com

At this point, we took our lunch break, so we could eat and get back in time for a dolphin show.

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com
Using the moving walkway as a treadmill. Goof.
The Dolphin Discovery exhibit is in the Pier 4 building of the aquarium complex. We were able to sit in on a regular training and exercise session with the dolphins during an educator talk. There are eight bottlenose dolphins at the aquarium, six females and two males.

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com
Kennady and friends
Also in Pier 4 is a dining area, currently decorated with this jellyfish theme.

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com

So next was the Jellyfish Invasion exhibit, which was fascinating, and I was a little surprised by how much time we all spent there. And how many pictures we took. These are only a few of mine!

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com

If I remember correctly, these are Blue Blubber Jellies.

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.comNational Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com
Moon Jelly

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com
Pacific Sea Nettles

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com
Upside-Down Jellies
National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com
Atlantic Sea Nettle
National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com
Don't remember the species name, but this
jelly glows in the dark!
Back to the Blue Wonders Building, to finish with the topmost level, the Tropical Rain Forest. This waterfall is seen right at the entrance of the aquarium, from the bottom -

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com

and from the top, from the rainforest exhibit.

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com

In the rain forest area, there are frogs, sloths, taramins, tortoises, and several kinds of birds. 

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com
Golden Lion Tamarin
National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com
Yellow-headed Amazon Parrot
The way back down to the main level takes visitors through the Atlantic Coral Reef and Shark Alley.

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com

We found this little guy in the reef, and he really seemed to want attention!

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com
Largetooth Sawfish
And finally, to end our visit, we headed to the Glass Pavilion and the Australia Wild Extremes exhibit.

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com

In addition to Australian fish, like this one (again, I don't remember the species, but it looks pretty much done with everything!), there are plenty of birds and reptiles.

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com
There is an Australian fish named Mouth Almighty. Too funny!
We had a whale of a time on our visit!

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com
Official group photo of Kennady and friends.

National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com
And a silly picture too.
National Aquarium PhotoJournal (From the High School Lesson Book) on Homeschool Coffee Break @ kympossibleblog.blogspot.com
They couldn't talk us into buying Moray Eel
stuffies, but it was fine to pose for a picture.
Thanks for sticking with me all the way to the end of this really long photojournal post! Have you been on any field trips yet this year? And what are you studying in Science? Leave a comment and let me know! Then please link your posts about homeschooling high school here - I'd love to see what you are working on! Also, please visit your neighbors and leave some encouraging comments!

If you're homeschooling through high school, please join my Blog Roll.

This post is linked at Sometimes Wordless Wednesday, hosted by Tots and Me . . . Growing Up Together!


 Don't miss a coffee break! Subscribe to Homeschool Coffee Break by Email!

©2006-2016 Homeschool Coffee Break. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author.http://kympossibleblog.blogspot.com/



5 comments:

Joanne said...

Great photos!! Looks like a fun place to visit.

Lori said...

What a fantastic field trip. I love visiting aquariums. What a treat that it fit right in perfectly with her biology course. - Lori

Carol said...

Looks like lots of fun! Kurt & I went there once, way back before we had kids...looks like they've added even more great exhibits!

Annette said...

It looks like you had such a great time.

Brenda Prince said...

Wow, I never even knew there was a National Aquarium.. Looks like a really cool place to visit :)

Post a Comment

I love comments! It's like visiting over a virtual cup of coffee.