Animal Lesson #11: 7 Aquariums with Shark Viewing

Whale Shark, photo by Krenda

You are more likely to have lightning strike you or get killed by a tornado than get attacked or killed by a shark.  Yet over 100 million sharks get killed each year.  While the world has over five hundred shark species, only a dozen species are known to attack humans.  Sharks are powerful and graceful, using six senses including electroreception through special sensors.

Whale Shark Georgia Aquarium

A friend of mine at work recommended that I swim with whale shark off the shores of Mexico.  Intrigued, I researched the endangered shark to find out where I could view one in the United States.  Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta holds the record of the first and only place to keep whale sharks outside of Asia.  The book Amazing Places to Take Your Kids by Laura Sutherland recommends the aquarium and recognizes the amazing exhibit, "They roam the waters of a six-million-gallon tank they share with thousands of other fish, including sawfish, giant grouper, stingrays, and hammerhead sharks.  I've been to a lot of aquariums; this exhibit is spectacular.

Whale sharks hold the record of being the largest known fish species.  The largest stretched 41.5 feet and weighed approximately 47,000 pounds.  Originating approximately sixty million years ago, whale sharks are filter feeders.  Only two other filter feeding sharks, megamouth shark and basking shark, exist.

The whale shark gentle nature and sheer size steals the show at the Georgia Aquarium.  As the largest aquarium in the world, you may easily spend a half day at the other exhibits, touch tanks, and the dolphin show.
You may travel to exotic seas, go diving, and have the opportunity to see a whale shark in the wild.  Whale sharks also live off the Bay Island Honduras, Thailand, the Philippines, the Maldives, Western Australia, Belize, and Puerto Rico.  However, for an easy way to see sharks with your family, consider the following aquariums:

Visitors and Whale Shark Georgia Aquarium

1.  Monterey Bay Aquarium, California, adults $49.95 and child (age 3-12) $29.95
second largest aquarium in the world, offers education including "Project White Shark" 15 min. talk about the threatened white shark, and "Kelp Forest Feeding" diver hand feeds sharks and other animals during 15 minute presentation

2.  Shedd Aquarium, Illinois, adults $39.95 and child (age 3-11) $29.95
90 minute behind the scene to see shark mealtime $89.95

3.  Florida Aquarium Tampa, Florida, adults $28.95 and child $23.95 discounted online pricing
Shark Swim experience allows age 9 and up to snorkel with sand tiger sharks for $110 each
Scuba dive with sharks requires certification and $160 fee

4.  Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, Nevada, adult $25, child (4-12) $19
100 sharks including grey reef, blacktip, zebra, sand tiger, sandbar, nurse, and whitetip reef
$650 to dive with sharks

5.  Newport Aquarium, Newport, Kentucky, adults $24.99, child $17.99
Suspended rope bridge takes you inches above sharks, over 12 species including sand tiger, blacktip, California leopard shark, and Port Jackson shark
Private overnight on Mon. Tue. with min. 20 people and $49.99 per person

6.  Florida Keys Aquarium, Florida, adults $20, child (4-12) $15
Predator Reef Tank includes nurse, blacktip, sandbar, blacknose, and bonethead shark,
Big Shark Bay Encounter offers Pet and feed nurse shark $18

 I've also been to the Shedd and Newport Aquarium and recommend these aquariums too.

Social Sciences & Economics: 5 Free Places to Learn About Money

 Economics, a branch of social science, studies human behavior and scare means.  This article dedicated to my friend working in the Congressional Budget Office in DC.

Kids can learn about goods and resources every time we go shopping and discuss income and expenses.  There's so much more to discuss.  Economist study business climate, the labor market, drivers in fluctuations in oil prices, inflation, and foreign exchange.  President Wilson signed the Federal Reserve Act in 1913.  The US needed a system to stabilize markets, promote financial stability, and setting monetary policy.  Consumers needed confidence and protection and federal banks could ensure banks remained compliant with consumer protection laws.  Bank mergers and acquisitions could be reviewed at the federal level.  The economist and government helped identify solutions to the stock market crash of 1929 and 1987 and financial crisis of 2007-2008.

History, economics, politics, and business can come together in stories.  In 1933, President Franklin Roosevelt needed to rebuild confidence in banking and Congress passed the Emergency Banking Act.  It allowed twelve Federal Reserve Banks to issue additional currency.  Later, the 1933 Banking Act formed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

If you want to bring the concepts alive, consider visiting a money museum.  Please note you'll need to pass security and show government-issue photo id for such government run money museums.  We took the kids to the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City The Money Museum (1 Memorial Drive, open 9:30-4PM).  When you enter, you'll see the Harry S. Truman Coin Collection containing over 500 historic coins.  The exhibit includes a $40 million wall with $40 million stacked up.  See a gold bar worth nearly $500K (depends on the timing).  Kids also learn about counterfeit at an exhibit explaining security features designed in currency.  At the end, the employees gave each kid a small bag of shredded cash.  That may have created the most excitement.

Here's five more free entrance places to learn about the economy and banking:

1. Federal Reserve Bank of New York, New York, NY (44 Maiden Lane), M-F 1 & 2PM one hour tours, limited space for public tours and registration opens 30 days prior to requested date, no strollers, no late entrance, security screening first 

2. Atlanta Money Museum, Atlanta, GA (1000 Peachtree Street NE), M-F 9AM-4PM self-guided tours, M-F guided tours at 9:30 AM, 11AM, and 1PM, vie of the banks' automated vault and cash processing area, see robotic transportation, see where dollars are counted, sorted, and shredded daily

3.  Chicago Fed's Money Museum, Chicago, IL (Federal Reserve Bank on 230 South LaSalle St), M-F 8:30-5PM, 45 minute self guided tour, 30 minute guided tour M-F 1PM

4.  Detroit Branch Visitors Center, Detroit, MI (1600 East Warren Avenue), M-Thur. 9AM-4PM, one hour tours

5.  The Denver Money Museum, Denver, CO, (1020 16th St), free, kids can use crayons to design currency, learn the history of the Federal Reserve

Art Lesson #7: From UK to US, Art Light-Based Installations Bring Joy

The UK artist Bruce Munro has created many solo exhibitions in the United States.  Visit his website to see his latest exhibitions.  When interviewed, Munro discusses how life is about telling stories.  Bruce tells his stories in immersive large-scale light-based installations as a way to express ideas and feelings and communicate connection.  He wishes his art to bring a feeling of joy and measures success as making others smile.  I certainly smiled and felt joy seeing his art at the "Forest of Light" exhibition at the Atlanta Garden. 

From my parking spot, I walked through Piedmont Park and enjoyed the sights and sounds of music and laughter at the local festival.  I wanted to arrive early to the light event, seeing it both in daylight and darkness.  Considering the exhibition included six pieces, I had a lot of ground to cover. 

I was mesmerized by his piece utilizing lights in clear plastic soda bottles.  Arranged as circular towers, the light took height.  The lights would change from one primary color to another.  To add to the magic, you could see the Atlanta skyline from a distance.

The garden canopy, my favorite piece, consisted of 30,000 flower-like stems that lit up on the ground.  The light moved and made the garden feel like a fairy-tale.  The frosted glass orbs and fiber optic lights pulsated and made me want to stay in the garden.  I'd walk back and forth, across the bridges to keep myself immersed in the lighted space. 

Bruce Monro began as a painter.  He recognized painting as being about light and light as a way to discovery.  Many public gardens will bring exhibits to their grounds to display art.  I encourage you to discover these special exhibitions.  Check out your local garden events pages and immerse yourself in a joyful place.