2010 ~ February 19-20 Nashville, Tennessee
We took a group of Girl Scouts to Nashville to the Aquarium to be a Marine Biologist for a day, and we spent the night at one of the mom's time shares. We stopped at Dairy Queen in Lawrenceburg for dinner.
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| Dairy Queen in Lawrenceburg |
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| Dairy Queen in Lawrenceburg |
Day 1: Friday, February 19, 2010
At the Time-Share, the girls swam, ate snacks they danced, and played games.
The next day, the girls dissected a squid, went on a scavenger hunt, and listened to a lecture about the fish in the Aquarium.
The next day, the girls dissected a squid, went on a scavenger hunt, and listened to a lecture about the fish in the Aquarium.
We were taken to the Aquarium's back room to see how the fish are cared for and how their food is prepared.
We were shown where the divers enter the aquarium tank. Afterward, everyone was given a quiz; when we finished, we were served a meal. When we finished eating, we divided into groups and took the girls shopping.
Marine Biologist for a day
On February 20-21, 2010, we took eight Girl Scouts to the Nashville Aquarium in Nashville, Tennessee, to be marine biologists for a day.
Day 2: Saturday, February 20, 2010
The girls met at the Aquarium Restaurant at Opry Mills Mall at 8:30 A.M.
The girls were Marine Biologists for a day at the Stingray Reef. Each girl was given a T-shirt and a name tag with "The Nashville Aquarium" inscribed on the front.
Each was given an all-day pass to the Stingray Reef, where they could pet & feed the Stingrays, visit the exhibits, ride the carousel, and receive a 15% discount at the gift shop.
The Marine Biologist asks if anyone was afraid of the snake before we entered the backup room.
If so, to let her know, because she was going to take out a Scarlet Kingsnake to show the girls. Everyone was okay with going into the room.
The biologist brought out a Scarlet Kingsnake, which is very similar to the Coral Snake.
We were told it is found in the southeastern United States. We were then told that it's a tri-color pattern of black, red, and yellow that mimics the venomous coral snake.
She said Just remember that red on yellow can kill a fellow; red on black is a friend of Jack.
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| Scarlet Kingsnake |
The girls petted the Scarlet snake; they could see and feel how smooth and shiny it was, for it had just shed its old skin.
Their next project was to dissect a squid. On each table, for each girl, was a dead squid, a tray, and scissors.
The girls were told that squids are marine cephalopods; there are over 300 species.
The Girls were told about the anatomy of the Squid, how the central body mass is enclosed in the mantle, and how the skin is covered in chromatophores, which enable the Squid to change color and camouflage itself from its prey.
They went through the anatomy of the Squid from the nervous system to the Reproductive system (they were told to cut the ink sac into), and were shown the ovary of the female and the testis of the male. In the digestive system are the stomach, bolus, caecum (for digestion), liver, and rectum. In the Cardiovascular system, the Squid has three hearts.
The head end bears eight arms and two tentacles, each with suckers along the edge.
The girls were divided into pairs and given a paper with questions to answer through a scavenger hunt. They had to read the information on each display to find the answers.
Some of the animals were the tarantula spider, crocodile lizard, Piranha, Coral reef, Rococo Toad Bufo Paracnemis, Stingray, Knight Anole, Emerald tree boa, Potbelly seahorse, clownfish, and sea anemones.
They spent a few minutes petting and feeding the stingrays, and we proceeded to the Aquarium Restaurant, where there was a 200,000-gallon aquarium full of tropical fish.
Their project was to learn about the fish living in the 200,000 aquariums and their environments, and then to go behind the scenes at the Aquarium.
After the lecture on the Aquarium and the behind-the-scenes tour, we were all given an aquarium super fun puzzle, and the questions were:
The Stingray's last means of defense was Barbs.
A group of fish is? School
The natural filter of the ocean? Shellfish
How does a fish breathe? Gills
What do divers use to breathe underwater? Scuba
The back support of Squid? Pen
A cartilaginous fish that people are afraid of? Shark
Fish spend 30 days here before going on exhibit? Quarantine
Saving resources for future generations? Preservation
An endangered animal with plantlike qualities? Coral
Opening located on the underside of the ray's head? Fill-slits
A fish skid? Scales
The top fin of a fish? Dorsal
The real skin coral of the green moray eel? Blue
One category of fish? Bony
An increase in the Earth's temperature caused by pollution? Global warming
Using a limited amount of resources? Conservation
A venomous snail from Indonesia? Cone-snail
Cousin to sharks and rays? Guitarfish
A snakelike fish? Eel
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| Question time |
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| Answering the questions |
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| group picture |
Behind the scenes, we saw the holding tank for the Aquarium, the quarantine system, where the fish's water was prepared, the main pumps, primary sand filters, bio towers, central chillers, and a carbon water filter.
We walked upstairs to the quarantine tank where the fish were. We entered another area where we walked along a narrow walkway overhead, where the lighting, air conditioning, and ventilation were visible, allowing us to see the workings of the Aquarium. This area is where divers enter the Aquarium and where the chemical is introduced.
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| Diver in an Aquarium |
We visited the kitchen where a fresh fool is prepared daily for the fish and then went to the laboratory.
We all got to look into a microscope to see some of the bacteria that might get on the fish.
We were allowed to hold a sand dollar, sea urchin, and starfish. After the question-and-answer time in the lab, we all went to the restroom to wash our hands.
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| Washing our hands |
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| Posing for a group picture |
We all pre-ordered our lunch, so it was ready when we finished being a marine biologist for a day.
Our table was set, so we all sat down. We were given a quiz before lunch.
Lora and I shared a Lettuce Wrap filled with Grilled shrimp basted with lime marinade and served with seasonal vegetables.
After lunch, we divided into three groups and went to Opry Mall. I had Emilee, Brianna, and Ashley. Lora had Madison, Santana, Megan, and Sarah, and the other woman had her daughter, Kaitlyn.
We stopped at Build-a-Bear Workshop, the Rainforest Gift Shop (where the girls put snakes around their necks and I took their pictures). Emilee bought a mood necklace; I bought the girls chocolate candy; Brianna bought chocolate-covered cherries; Emilee and Ashley bought chocolate-covered marshmallows; and I purchased a chocolate-covered pretzel. We stopped at one store where Brianna put on an Irish Green hat and a scarf. I took Brianna's picture, and she took my picture. I was wearing a crown that said, "Kiss me, I am Irish." We tried on a couple more hats, took a few more pictures, and then we walked back to the Aquarium. We went back to the stingray aquarium, rode the carousel, and the girls fed the stingrays.
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| Group picture at the Aquarium |
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| Getting a back rub |
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| Trying on hats |
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| Trying on hats |
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| Stopping at the Rainforest Cafe Gift Shop |
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| Ready to go home |
We waited for Lora; she was still shopping. The other woman said she had to go home. I took Megan, Ashley, Brianna, and Kaitlyn with me, along with Sarah and Emilee.
We all went looking for Lora, Madison, and Santana. We walked around the entire Opry Mall, and we met up with Lora, Madison, and Santana at the Apple Barn.
After a few more stops, we walked to the car and started home. It took forever to get out of the parking lot. We went through the drive-thru at McDonald's in Columbia, TN, bought some hamburgers for supper, and rode home. We arrived home at about 6:30 P.M.
Aquarium !
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