On Friday, June 4th, 2010 the ninth grade Biology students, along with Ms. Plasket and Mrs. Porter, went to the Adventure Aquarium in Camden, New Jersey. Students had the opportunity to learn more about sea life through exhibits and hands-on experiences. Several groups went outdoors to see the seal and penguin exhibits. They were amazed to find out that some penguins can survive in warm climates! Ms. Plasket's group thought it was cool to be able to touch a real shark, jellyfish, and stingray. Erika Jones reported that even though the sea cucumber looked pointy it was actually soft. The Aquarium's tanks displayed beautifully colored fish, coral, and anemone. The ninth grade was learning about invertebrate phyla such as Porifera (sponges), Cnidaria (jellyfish, coral, and sea anemone), and Mollusca (clams, snails, octopus, etc.) and got to see them up close. A highlight of the trip was when students could "walk" into a shark tank. One of the tanks had an opening in the center which allows visitors to view the sharks from all angles. You can even look up and see them swimming above your head! You can also see different types of crabs, eels, turtles, and seahorses here. So if you are in the Camden area, make sure you take the time to stop by the Adventure Aquarium for a day of learning and fun.