It's Meeko's time to shine! This week's Wildlife Wednesdays feature put the spotlight on one of your favorite animal ambassadors: Meeko, the albino raccoon! Chief Wildlife Officer Harvey Webster and Animal Programs Coordinator Nicole Episcopo gave us a behind-the-scenes look at enrichment and training for our bushy-tailed friend, and shared fun facts about thie Ohio-native species.
Material Type: Lecture
Roberta Muell, Assistant Curator of Vertabrate Zoology at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, talks about the facinating facts and importance of amphibians.
Material Type: Lecture
Join Director of Astronomy Jason Davis for a tour of the May night skies. Worksheet available for grades 3-4.
Material Type: Activity/Lab, Lecture
On April 24, 1984, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History successfully hatched its first captive-bred eaglet. The years leading up to this milestone saw declining numbers of Bald Eagles in the wild—a consequence of the use of the pesticide DDT, as well as unregulated hunting. But our efforts helped to preserve this majestic species, which is now abundant throughout the state of Ohio and beyond. In this week’s Creature Feature, learn about Bald Eagles from Harvey Webster, the Museum’s Chief Wildlife Officer & Museum Ambassador. Worksheets available for grades PreK-K and 1-2.
Material Type: Activity/Lab, Lecture
Programming Coordinator Nicole Episcopo gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History’s Animal Room. She’ll highlight everything that goes into caring for our beloved animal ambassadors, as well as how our animal experts prepare them for use in classes and programs. Worksheets available for grades PreK-K and 1-2.
Material Type: Activity/Lab, Lecture
Calling all parents! Kids are full of tough-to-answer questions. Maybe you've gotten this line of inquiry: "Why do we walk the way we do? How do four-legged animals walk the way they do? How did people of the past—like Lucy—walk?" Get one step ahead (pun intended!) by watching this Museum Monday video. See demonstrations of the different ways bodies are structured to accommodate locomotion, then share this fun activity with curious minds.
Material Type: Lecture
Director of Natural Areas and Curator of Botany Dr. Jim Bissell explains why it's important for us to care for native plants in Northeast Ohio and gives us a look at the collections of the Botany Department. Worksheet available for grade 5.
Material Type: Activity/Lab, Lecture
Curator & John Otis Hower Chair of Archaeology Dr. Brian Redmond discusses evidence of rare ceremonial activities at an archaeological site in Northern Ohio dated around 300 B.C. Learn more about the first peoples of Ohio with Dr. Redmond’s special encore presentation after the video debuts. Worksheets available for grades 4-5 and 7-9.
Material Type: Activity/Lab, Lecture
Coyotes are remarkable creatures. In the wild, you can find them in almost any habitat throughout North America, including all of Ohio’s 88 counties. But the Museum’s coyotes, Red, Tex, Ember, and Charcoal, were all rescued shortly after birth and are not suitable for the wild. Instead, we’ve built them habitats that mirror their natural environments. Our animal experts work to provide them with daily enrichment to maintain their physical and mental health. In this video, learn about coyote care and go behind the scenes as we celebrate their birthdays with a special enrichment activity. Worksheets available for grades PreK-K and 1-2.
Material Type: Activity/Lab, Lecture
Museum Naturalist Judy Semroc brings some dragonfly and damselfly nymphs into our videoconference studio to take a close look at these amazing aerial hunters. Worksheet available for grades 3-4 and 5-6.
Material Type: Activity/Lab, Lecture
Some people may think dung beetles are gross. After all, they live in and eat animal waste! But Dr. Nicole Gunter, the Museum’s Associate Curator of Invertebrate Zoology, finds them utterly fascinating. In fact, they’re her favorite animal. “Why?” you might ask. Get the scoop in this video. Worksheets available for grades 7-8 and 9-12.
Material Type: Activity/Lab, Lecture
Curator of Invertebrate Zoology Dr. Joe Hannibal gives us a behind-the-scenes tour of the Museum’s invertebrate paleontology collections, from tiny brachiopods to massive millipedes.
Material Type: Lecture
Join Nick Anderson on a tour of the technology that powers a planetarium, and even sneak behind the dome for the ultimate inside peek at astronomical action! Worksheet available for grades 3-4.
Material Type: Activity/Lab, Lecture
Museum craftsmen Carl and David explain how they create casts of Australopithecus afarensis fossils to display in the Museum. Worksheet available for grades 3-4.
Material Type: Activity/Lab, Lecture
In this week’s edition of Scientist Saturdays, we’ll chatter about those hunks of enamel we use to chow down on our food. That’s right—we’re talking teeth! Last week, you learned about the clues hidden in ancient teeth. Now, join the Museum’s Curator of Human Health & Evolutionary Medicine, Dr. Nicole Burt, as she shares what you can learn from your own pearly whites. Worksheets available for grades 7-8 and 9-12.
Material Type: Activity/Lab, Lecture
Everybody loves Lance! But did you know he’s an avid climber? This animal ambassador is full of surprises! Learn all about North American porcupines in this week’s Creature Feature, part of our Wildlife Wednesdays series. Worksheets available for grades PreK-K and 1-2.
Material Type: Activity/Lab, Lecture
You otter know it’s World Otter Day! Celebrate the occasion this Wildlife Wednesday by going behind the scenes of the otter enclosure at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History’s Ralph Perkins II Wildlife Center & Woods Garden—Presented by KeyBank. You’ll learn about otter care techniques as our resident mustelids, Linus, Calvin, and Hobbes, make on-screen appearances! Worksheets available for grades PreK-K and 1-2.
Material Type: Activity/Lab, Lecture
Harvey Webster explores the art and features of the outside campus of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Worksheet available for all ages.
Material Type: Activity/Lab, Lecture
Check out the Museum’s entomology research lab with Associate Curator of Invertebrate Zoology Dr. Nicole Gunter and find out how the Museum protects this huge collection of some of our smallest specimens. Worksheet available for grades 5-6.
Material Type: Activity/Lab, Lecture
How do we know Lucy, the famous Australopithecus afarensis specimen and one of our hominin ancestors, walked upright? Experimental archaeologist Mark Kollecker answers this question as he walks us through the Museum’s Human Origins Gallery. Worksheet available for grades 5-12.
Material Type: Activity/Lab, Lecture
