Museum Morning!

For the American Museum of Natural History on May 19 We will gather in the lobby by 9:35 and check attendance.

Please

don't be late!!

We will walk along CPW to the museum. We will enter at the Planetarium entrance, I will collect and distribute the necessary passes (please be patient), and we will proceed to the the fourth floor and investigate... the fossils! There is a short film to watch in the orientation center; make sure you see the whole thing. It will help to orient you. You might then proceed to begin exploring at the first evolutionary branching point and the Hall of Vertebrate Origins (frogs, salamanders, turtles, lizards, crocodiles). From there the evolutionary path leads to Saurichian Dinosaurs (maniraptors, birds), Ornithischian Dinosaurs, Halls of Mammals, etc. (marsupials, armadillos, primates, bats, rodents, carnivores, ungulates, whales, horses, rhinoceros, manatees and more.) Your organism is part of a group that shares common ancestors. Find the group most related to your organism. Answer These Questions 1. Explain as completely as possible about the earliest ancestors of the class and order your animal belongs to; be sure to include information about their characteristics, the time they lived, and the fossil record. You should find a considerable
amount of information at the museum - but you may have to supplement that from

reading and online.

2. What makes your organism special, unique in its group?

On to the Hall of Biodiversity (first floor)! Watch the short films. Be sure to visit the Wall of Life. Check out the Resource Area. 3. Give three reasons that maintaining biodiversity is important to us.

4. What are five causes for the biodiversity crisis? Can you see reasons for hope?

Now walk through the NY State environmental display, past the Native American canoe model, and into the Hall of Human Origins. 5. How are DNA and fossils used to reveal details of

evolution? What do they tell us about our relationship to our ancestors (be specific)?

6. What is uniquely human?

Upload your answers into Moodle! We have brought you here with the full knowledge that you are all way too sophisticated and cynical to find this remotely interesting. Please do not embarrass us with any overt displays of enthusiasm or enjoyment.