Tennessee Aquarium

Otters and penguins and sharks, oh my! Forget meeting the Wizard of Oz, school children around Chattanooga will get the chance to meet hundreds of sea creatures at the Tennessee Aquarium this spring.

East Tennessee parents looking for a way to make Spring Break educational for their out-of-school children need to look no further than the Tennessee Aquarium, which will offer a special “Keeper Kids” program over spring break.

The Keeper Kids program introduces “budding young scientists” (or just curious kids) to the world of biology in a real and attainable way by presenting two special experiences.

Recruited to help actual aquarium biologists with daily tasks, Keeper Kids participants will enjoy following the River Journey or the Ocean Journey itineraries by shadowing a staffer who is assigned to one of these two sections of the aquarium.

But if you think the experience will be merely a “look, don’t touch” event, you would be wrong. Playing upon a 2009 CNBC study, which ranked biologist fourth on a top jobs list, the aquarium wants youngsters to get hands-on insight into this watery world.

By going behind the scenes school children and their families will learn to care for penguins, otters, butterflies and fish. Students will receive a report form to fill out and a list of their “duties” upon arrival. They may then sign up for one of the two aquarium experiences (entrance is granted on a first-come, first-serve basis).

In Ocean Journey, students will have the chance to: play with butterflies, feed birds, prep stingray food, make animal enrichment items, meet the scuba divers and do a gear check, as well as feed the animals.

 

Similarly, in River Journey, students will feed otters, trout, turtles and other animals from the Gulf and Lake Nickajack, assist the aquarium’s veterinarian, observe animal training sessions, prepare dietary supplements and explore all the infrastructure that helps the aquarium to run correctly.

 

The special Keeper Kids events are free with the price of admission and run March 13-21 and April 3-11.

 

- by Christine Foster, Chattanooga Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)

Christine Foster

Christine is a freelance writer currently living in North Atlanta. She has worked as a reporter for numerous newspaper, magazine and online media companies, including the Florida Keys Keynoter and The Sunday Paper in Atlanta. When she's not working Christine enjoys baking and antiquing.