Natural History Museum - Friday, February1, 2008
Name: ________________________________
Chaperone: ______________
Partner: ____________________
Period: _______________
Group Members: __________________________
__________________________
_________________________
__________________________
_________________________
__________________________
_________________________
__________________________
Agenda – Friday, February 1, 2008
Go to 1st period and tell your teacher you need to leave at 7:50
7:50 – 8:00am
sign in with your teacher in the patio near the umbrellas in front of the student
cafeteria  get into groups & pick up your lunch
**8:10 am**
the bus leaves for the California Science Center
8:45 – 9:00
check in the science center
9:00 – 11:00 (~2hrs) Tour A  even # groups
Tour B  odd # groups
11:00 – 11:45
lunch  Please remain in or around the museum. You may have lunch in the
ground floor of the museum, in front of the museum, or at the rose garden (north of the museum).
11:45 - 1:30 (~2hrs) Tour A  odd # groups
Tour B  even # groups
** 1:35**
2:00 pm
walk quickly to the bus. The bus will leave at 1:40!
Arrive at school and go home.
Tour A – Level 1 (~ 2 hours)
Hall of African Mammals
Hall or North American Mammals
Miscellaneous Displays
*Hall of Cenozoic Fossils & *Mesozoic Fossils
*Hall of American History
*Hall of Ancient Latin America
*Hall of Gems & Minerals
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Stay in your group with your chaperone
No Ipods, MP3 players, cell phones, etc.
Bring a clipboard/folder, paper, & pens
Eat breakfast and bring a lunch
Tour B - Level 2 (~ 2 hours)
Marine Life
Hall of Chaparral
Bird Hall
Marsh/Birds/Rain Forest
*Hall of North American Mammals
*Director’s Gallery
*If time permits
No running, yelling, or disruptive behavior
Cameras are OK in designated areas
No food or drink in the museum
Pack light
Please do your best to manage your time. Most halls should be completed in 15-20 minutes. If you have additional
time, your group may return to a hall. Your group may visit the halls in any order. Do your best to avoid being in
the halls with other groups.
Tour A Assignment – Level 1
HALL OF NORTH AMERICAN MAMMALS
1. Observe the grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) habitat. This animal is considerably
big, what could possible satisfy this animal’s diet? ____________________
2. Where is the harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) found? _________________
What is included in the harbor seal diet? ______________________
3. Moose (Alces alces) are the largest living member of the ______ family.
They have been known to charge __________________.
4. What factors could have led to the extinction of the cougar/mountain lion (Cougar concolor)
in the eastern US and Canada? ______________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
5. What are the main predators of the steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus)? ________
______________________________________________________________
6. How do you explain the plain bison’s existence in North America? ____________
________________________________________________________________
7. Describe the habitat of the ringtail (Basariscuss astutus). ______________________
_______________________________________________________________
8. The caribou (Rangifer tarandus) are the only members of the deer family in which
_______________, is the characteristic shared by both males and females.
9. The coyote (Canis latrans) has taken over most areas inhabited formerly by wolves. How can
you explain this takeover based on the habitat? _____________________
________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________.
10. What adaptations allow the mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus) survive such cold and dry
environment as shown in this diorama? ____________________________
________________________________________________________________.
11. By observing the habitat for the collared peccary (Pecari tajacu), predict what this animal
eats. _____________________________________________. What is another name for
this animal? ________________________________.
12. After observing all the habitats of the North American mammals, what are some of the
common characteristics shared by all of these animals? ___________________
_______________________________________________________________.
HALL OF AFRICAN MAMMALS
13. Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibious). What is its closest living
relative? ______________________________.
14. Describe the horns of the Sitatunga (Tragelaphus spekei). ___________
______________________________. What would be the use of
such horns? ____________________________________________.
What physical adaptation allows the sitatunga to live in swamps and be very good swimmers?
____________________________________________________________.
15. What is the status of the chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes)? ____________________
____________________________. Life span: ____________ Genetic similarity to
humans______________.
16. Describe the function of the (Okapia johnstoni) okapi’s foot-long blur tongue.
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
17. What behavioral adaptations allow the bongo (tragelaphus euryceros) to be a social animal?
__________________________________________
18. What physical characteristics allow the ratel or honey bager (Mellivora capensis) to find food?
What is its food? __________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
19. What is causing a reduction of elephant (Loxodonta afrinaca) numbers? ___________
_________________________________________________________________.
20. Why is a giraffe’s (Giraffa camelopardalis) blood pressure so high? _______________
________________________________________________________________.
21. Observe the habitat of the guereza (Colobus guereza). What would be the use of its long fur?
______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
22. Describe the horns of the greater kudu (tragelaphus strpsiceros). __________
__________________________________. What would be the use of the horns?
__________________________________________________________
23. By looking at the habitat of the sable antelope (Hippotragus niger), predict why this species is
endangered. ______________________________________________
_______________________. Describe the horns and give a possible use of these horns.
________________________________________________________.
24. Why would the Arabian oryx (Oryx leucoryx) resemble a unicorn? _____________
_________________________________________________________________.
MISCELLANEOUS DISPLAYS
25. What year was the Megamouth shark discovered? ______________________
26. What yeas wan the Coelacanth first discovered? ____________Why
was it able to go undiscovered for so long?
___________________________________________
27. Where was the oarfish first found? ____________
28. On your way to the Cenozoic fossils, you will find fossils in amber. What organisms were
trapped in the amber? __________________________________________
________________________________________________________________.
****You may observe the following three halls without responding to any questions.
 HALL OF MESOZOIC FOSSILS
 HALL OF CENOZOIC FOSSILS
 HALL OF GEMS & MINERALS
Tour B Assignment – Level 2
MARINE LIFE
1. List and describe and/or draw 3 tools used to sample life in the sea.
a. _______________________________________
b. ________________________________________
c. ________________________________________
2. The following are three factors that make life possible in the sea.
Write a definition or a description that you are not familiar with.
a. Salinity ____________________________________________________________
b. Oxygen _______________________________________________________
c. Temperature ____________________________________________________
3. Draw the diversity pie in the
4. Draw and label three organisms found in the Panorama of Marine Animals.
Marine Terrain Diorama
5. What factors determine the circulation of the waters in the ocean? ___________________
_________________________________________________________________
6. Draw the picture between the descriptions of “circulation” & “currents”.
***Keep observing the marine dioramas
7. What are characteristics of an estuary? _________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
8. Describe the reproduction of the grunion fish. _________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
9. When you go to the beach you are unable to see lots of organisms because they are
microscopic. Name a few _________________________________________
__________________________
10. What is a piling and what is its function? _____________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
11. Describe the condition of a rocky intertidal. _____________________________________
What physical characteristics would an organism need to have to be able to live in such a
place? ______________________________________________________________
12. What are some marine ways of staying alive? ______________________________
___________________________________________________________________
***About reefs
13. What is a reef? ________________________________________________________
14. What is a very important physical characteristic of animals that live in a reef? ___________
_______________________________________________________________________
15. What kind of reproduction need to occur in a reef? _____________________________
Why is it necessary this way? ___________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
***Sea turtles
16. Describe in pictures and words the nesting process of the sea turtle.
17. What is the end result of sea turtles laying many eggs and sibling young turtles, waiting until
everyone has escape from the shell before journeying into the sea? ________________
_____________________________________________________________________
***The Abyss
18. What is the abyss? And what are some conditions necessary for this environment?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
19. What are light producing organs found in organisms in the abyss? ____________________
20. What is necessary to produce light in the abyss? _______________________________
_______________________________________________________
21. What are the functions of bioluminescence in the abyss? _________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
***Algae
22. Draw and label the picture of algae reproduction.
23. What are some algae products that we use? _____________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
HALL OF CHAPARRAL
24. Describe a six-month chaparral after a fire and a mature chaparral.
BIRDS HALL
25. Observe the bird house in the center and list 4 of the southern California
birds: _____________________________________________________
26. Observe the famous birds display and learn some interesting facts.
a. Which bird has the longest beak? ____________________
b. Which bird has the largest egg? ____________ smallest egg?
________________
c. Which bird has the longest wings? _____________________________
27. Take a closer look display. What is the difference between a bird bone and a mammal bone
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
28. Can you guess in which habitat each of us lives?
Bird & special characteristics
a. Tree climber – sharp claws for a strong grip
b. Percher – feet with opposing toes to wrap around
branches
c. Swimmer – wide flat feet to swim
d. Lily pad walker – long toes to spread weight over
wide area
e. Ground runner – broad hard soles with lots of cushion
Place
MARSH/BIRDS/RAIN FOREST
29. As you cross the marsh, what kind of birds do you see living there?
____________________________________________________
30. As you enter the birds hall, on your left there is a balance to find out your bone weight.
How many pounds of bone do you have in your body? ____________
31. Making sense. Write 3 surprising facts about bird senses.
a. _________________________________________________________________
b. _________________________________________________________________
c. _________________________________________________________________
32. Can you fill their bills (beaks)?
Bird & special BILL characteristics
Food
a. Flycatcher – wide with some bristles
b. Merganser – long with serrated edges &
hooked point for grabbing
c. Cardinal – thick conical for crushing
d. Owl – sharp hooked for tearing
e. Woodpecker – long and narrow
33. For birds, the low energy foods are _______________ and the high energy foods are _____
______________________________________________________.
34. ___________________ are an excellent example of birds that need high energy foods.
35. Write 5 facts of bird migration.
a. __________________________________________________________________
b. __________________________________________________________________
c. __________________________________________________________________
d. __________________________________________________________________
e. __________________________________________________________________
36. Birds did it first. What is it? _______________________
37. Match the bird and its structure with the mode of transportation that resembles it.
Mode of Transportation & special characteristics
Bird that did it first
a. Submarine - streamline shape, moves efficiently,
remains underwater for a long time
b. Glider plane – long thin wings, needs a steady
break to stay afloat for miles
c. Amphibious plane – propeller for forward thrust,
land on water or on land
d. Propeller airplane – small, light weight, short
flights, good maneuverability
e. Helicopter – propeller on top for vertical lift, sharp
turns & hover
***Color Patterns & Signals
38. Birds have a number of beautiful colors and patterns used for _________________
____________________________________________________.
39. What are the two ways in which birds get their colors? ____________________________
***Home sweet home … nest display
40. Describe the raven’s nest and explain why such nest may be necessary. ________________
________________________________________________________________________
41. Name the birds that formed the two tube-like nests. Why do they need their nest this shape?
______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
***Condorminium
42. Write at least three facts about the American condor. ____________________________
__________________________________________________
43. What has caused the near extinction of condors? ___________
__________________________________________________
44. List a few ways in which birds influence our lives today: ______
_________________________________________________.
45. After examining the habitats of a variety of birds, you found out that some birds have
become extinct, other are near extinction, and many are endangered. List some ways you
can help birds survive _____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
**HALL OF NORTH AMERICAN MAMMALS - 2nd floor exhibit may be toured at your
leisure – no need to answer questions.