Hola friends~
Nothing too glamorous happened at the aquarium this week, mostly just the same old stuff. I worked on my project a bit. I wrote a research paper about global climate change and its effects on coral reefs and fish populations and health. It was kinda boring.
I had a little girl basically interview me today about what exactly marine science is. She wants to study it! Little fourth or fifth grader, more than likely. Pretty cute.
Lots of babies at the aquarium.
That's really it.
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Monday, June 16, 2014
This week...
This week has been SO ANNOYING. I don't know if I'm just getting tired of answering the same questions or what, but it's getting old! I have discovered my least favorite question: "So what does it do?" Seriously, it eats and digests and that's pretty much it.
It's funny how little people know about animals sometimes. There are things that I really think of as being general knowledge, and I am learning every day that I shouldn't. I don't mind so much when it comes from kids, as that's how they learn and they've had no previous experience with science, but when adults have crazy misconceptions about science, it really frustrates me! I don't care so much that the person doesn't know, but it irritates me much more that somewhere along the line, a science teacher straight-up failed this person, and probably lots of others.
For example, I had a few people at the invertebrate touch tank. It's freeing cold water with really colorful sea anemones, sea cucumbers, sea urchins, and sea stars, all from the coast of Alaska down to California. I have to tell everyone: "You can touch any animals on the top self with two fingers, but if you touch the anemones, don't poke them right in the center". The dad that was at the tank held his son over the edge to touch the anemone, and to remind him to only touch the tentacles, he said: "Only touch the feathers."
......FEATHERS.
It's funny how little people know about animals sometimes. There are things that I really think of as being general knowledge, and I am learning every day that I shouldn't. I don't mind so much when it comes from kids, as that's how they learn and they've had no previous experience with science, but when adults have crazy misconceptions about science, it really frustrates me! I don't care so much that the person doesn't know, but it irritates me much more that somewhere along the line, a science teacher straight-up failed this person, and probably lots of others.
For example, I had a few people at the invertebrate touch tank. It's freeing cold water with really colorful sea anemones, sea cucumbers, sea urchins, and sea stars, all from the coast of Alaska down to California. I have to tell everyone: "You can touch any animals on the top self with two fingers, but if you touch the anemones, don't poke them right in the center". The dad that was at the tank held his son over the edge to touch the anemone, and to remind him to only touch the tentacles, he said: "Only touch the feathers."
......FEATHERS.
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
#weekfive
Hey everybody!
So this week at the aquarium was pretty fun. I am the new favorite intern, and for good reason... my parents had a BBQ party and had 5 or 6 unopened desserts that people left at our house, including multiple Publix cookies packs and cakes. So since everyone in my family is dieting, I brought the desserts in to get rid of them. AKA I'm pretty popular now!
As far as educating goes, this week was very standard. Nothing extra-special happened, it was all pretty every-day type stuff. I have found it reallllllly difficult to make time for getting pictures of me doing my internship. We are borderline short-staffed, and people pretty much switch exhibit to exhibit without much time at all between, and I can't ask a guest to take my picture, so I'm kind of stuck for right now!
We also spent time talking about my project this week... we are narrowing down the ideas, and I will write my abstract after I decide what to do at the end of the work day!
So this week at the aquarium was pretty fun. I am the new favorite intern, and for good reason... my parents had a BBQ party and had 5 or 6 unopened desserts that people left at our house, including multiple Publix cookies packs and cakes. So since everyone in my family is dieting, I brought the desserts in to get rid of them. AKA I'm pretty popular now!
As far as educating goes, this week was very standard. Nothing extra-special happened, it was all pretty every-day type stuff. I have found it reallllllly difficult to make time for getting pictures of me doing my internship. We are borderline short-staffed, and people pretty much switch exhibit to exhibit without much time at all between, and I can't ask a guest to take my picture, so I'm kind of stuck for right now!
We also spent time talking about my project this week... we are narrowing down the ideas, and I will write my abstract after I decide what to do at the end of the work day!
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
Week 3
Week 3
This week I trained on the exhibits. There are no other interns yet, so it's just me and the hired staff! It's pretty interesting. I think that there are definitely pros and cons to working in education versus husbandry. I miss the hands-on work that I got last year, but the public speaking experience is a nice trade-off.
I hope that I will be trained on everything soon so my days are a little more varied! I started training on the shark exhibit, which would be fun. Also, there is a dolphin boat that we take guests out on, so I'd like to do that.
This week I trained on the exhibits. There are no other interns yet, so it's just me and the hired staff! It's pretty interesting. I think that there are definitely pros and cons to working in education versus husbandry. I miss the hands-on work that I got last year, but the public speaking experience is a nice trade-off.
I hope that I will be trained on everything soon so my days are a little more varied! I started training on the shark exhibit, which would be fun. Also, there is a dolphin boat that we take guests out on, so I'd like to do that.
Week 4
This week was fun! I am trained on all three touch tanks now, so my days are a little bit more interesting. I spend equal time working t the invertebrate touch tank, the horse shoe crabs, and sting rays. I am now confident using a microphone! Never thought I would say that.
I find that I am learning a lot more information about the organisms I'm dealing with working in education compared to husbandry. It makes sense I suppose because teaching is the best way to learn. I've been trying to think of project ideas, but I am having a hard time coming up with something good. I think I might talk with my boss about any ideas she might have. Maybe there is something they need done... most stations have a fact binder, which was my original idea, so now I don't know what to do.
On Monday, when I was working at the stingray touch tank (which is the largest of the three), I had a child dunk his entire face in the water. That was interesting.
I find that I am learning a lot more information about the organisms I'm dealing with working in education compared to husbandry. It makes sense I suppose because teaching is the best way to learn. I've been trying to think of project ideas, but I am having a hard time coming up with something good. I think I might talk with my boss about any ideas she might have. Maybe there is something they need done... most stations have a fact binder, which was my original idea, so now I don't know what to do.
On Monday, when I was working at the stingray touch tank (which is the largest of the three), I had a child dunk his entire face in the water. That was interesting.
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