Many years ago the Tallahassee Junior Museum decided it had grown up ---and changed its name to the Tallahassee Museum. http://www.tallahasseemuseum.org/ Many of us, though, have never been able to make that name change and continue to call it the Junior Museum, or the Junior Mu-Zoo, which reflects all the live animals that reside there.
Two weeks ago, my class had geared up to take our first field trip there, only to be thoroughly rained out before we could go. Thanks to the miracles of meteorology, we were able to cancel the day before. It was a good decision. It poured all day.
So on Thursday, we loaded up the school bus with 51 kindergartners and were followed by an entourage of parents and had a picture perfect day at the Junior Museum. I have never taken a better group of kids anywhere.
Here are just a few of the animals we saw.
I told my class the story of when our younger son was working out there in high school as part of an externship. He accidentally dropped the museum keys into the alligator water. After trolling with a magnet, he finally had to give up on retrieving them. This alligator is huge.
This bear was cooperative, while the other stayed dozing at a distance.
The Florida panther was acting very kitty-like.
This doe was crazy. She was running around and jumping. She stood up on her hind-legs. She ran into the water over and over. I said she must have Lyme disease!
And just in time for our Thanksgiving lessons, the wild turkeys were showing off their fancy feathers. A female was behind the male, looking the other direction.
Punk turkey, with attitude:
And check out his ear!
The largest of the red flesh is the wattle. The flesh that droops over the beak is the snood. His beard can be seen in the other picture. It is the little collection of feathers that sticks out of his chest.
On field trips, I rarely take pictures other than those of the children that I email to their parents. But these critters were so obliging, that I could not pass up the opportunity. And with seven other adults to help me mind the flock, it was nice to feel I could fire off a few shots.
2 comments:
I still call it the Tallahasee Junior Museum, too. Showing my age, I guess. It is always a must see for me when I go to the capital after sitting for hours in grants hearings to learn there is just not enough money to go around. It never fails to give me a lift. The best time I ever had there was at an evening reception. I had my kids with me and becuase it was dusk, there was a lot of activity. They loved it and so did I. Found your blog from a link at FC's. I have been enjoying it. You like to do a lot of the same things I do.
I love how the bear is sticking his tongue out.
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