Shark Week Resurfaces at the GSC

The Greensboro Science Center (GSC) has announced the return of its annual Shark Week celebration. This year boasts a timely theme, the Shark Olympics.

Shark Week activities will take place July 12–17 from 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. daily. Activities and take-and-make crafts are free with general admission or GSC membership.

“Humans are innately fascinated by sharks, and they occupy many facets of our lives – from popular songs to new scientific discoveries. Shark Week is a way to get to know the facts about sharks and dispel many of the fears we have about them while having a bit of fun at the same time. This event is also a way to celebrate the importance and diversity of life in our amazing oceans. By dispelling myths and making sharks a bit more lovable, we hope to encourage everyone to contribute to shark conservation,” said Alison Manka, School and Aquarium Programs Manager.

At the Shark Olympics, guests will learn which shark takes the gold for competitive eating, high jump, freestyle swimming and more!

Schedule of Events:

July 12 – Munch, Munch Monday

Sharks are jaw-some predators, but most are also picky eaters. Find out which shark will take the gold for competitive eating, then make your own paper plate shark puppet to keep!

July 13 – Toothful Tuesday

Test your shark smarts with a round of “Myth or Tooth” trivia. Find out which shark will take the gold for strange myths, make your own shark fish catcher to keep and learn how you can take a bite out of plastic pollution!

July 14 – Wonders Wednesday

Explore sharks’ amazing superpowers! Events include the high jump, long-distance swimming and the 50-meter freestyle. Plus, make your own clothespin chomping shark to celebrate the day.

July 15: Thoughtful Thursday

Take a moment to consider conservation on this Thoughtful Thursday. Discover why we need sharks, and what we can do to help them. Events include fantastic fins and helper sharks. Make your own shark fin hat to take home.

July 16 – Freaky Friday

Learn about some of the strangest sharks in the sea, and make your own unusual shark mask to keep! Events include shark I Spy and Is It Real?

July 17 – Supreme Saturday

For this final day of Shark Week celebration, sharks will compete to find out who is the biggest, the fastest, the oldest and much more! Make a shark trivia-teller to swim home with you.

The GSC would like to extend a special thanks to Fins Car Wash for their generous support of Shark Week.

Science Café – Conserving Nature’s Keystone: The Gopher Tortoise

On Thursday, March 5, 2020, the Greensboro Science Center (GSC) is hosting a free Science Café in its Science Advancement through Innovative Learning (SAIL) Center. Dr. Christopher L. Jenkins, CEO of The Orianne Society, will present Conserving Nature’s Keystone: The Gopher Tortoise. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. and the talk begins at 6:30 p.m. This event is free to attend.

The gopher tortoise is a prehistoric animal that still roams the Coastal Plain of the Southeast, but populations have declined to the point of endangered species status. These animals are critical to the success of the ecosystem as their burrows are used as a habitat for more than 300 other species. Without gopher tortoises, many of these species’ populations would decline as well.

About the Presenter
Dr. Jenkins is the founding Chief Executive Officer of The Orianne Society. He also was the founding chairman of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Viper Specialist Group and the Georgia Chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers. He has served in leadership roles in Partners for Reptiles and Amphibian Conservation and Gopher Tortoise Council. Dr. Jenkins has also worked with Wildlife Conservation Society, United States Forest Service, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, University of Massachusetts, University of British Columbia, and National Geographic. Dr. Jenkins received a B.S. and M.S. from the University of Massachusetts in wildlife biology and wildlife conservation, respectively. He received his Ph.D. in biological sciences from Idaho State University.

About The Orianne Society
Established in 2008, The Orianne Society is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to the conservation of rare and imperiled reptiles and amphibians. Orianne promotes the conservation of these species through scientific research that informs on-the-ground conservation actions and managing habitats to promote robust reptile and amphibian populations. Currently, Orianne administers three large-scale conservation initiatives across the eastern United States, focusing on key landscapes that support high diversity and rare species: the Longleaf Savannas, Appalachian Highlands, and Great Northern Forests.

Pajama Jam Tickets On Sale Now

Tickets are now on sale for the Greensboro Science Center’s (GSC) annual family-friendly conservation fundraiser, Pajama Jam. The event will take place on Saturday, March 30, 2019. This after-hours pajama party designed for families with children ages 12 and younger features crafts, games, live music by Big Bang Boom, face painting, and refreshments courtesy of Chick-fil-A. Attendees are encouraged to wear family-friendly pajamas to the event.

Two ticket options are available for Pajama Jam:

Regular Ticket(includes event activities and light refreshments – nuggets, fruit and a cookie – from 6:00pm – 9:00pm)

GSC Member (ages 1+): $10

Non-Member (ages 1+): $12

Under Age 1: FREE

VIP Experience(includes seated dinner – sandwich, fruit and a cookie – with the Chick-fil-A cows from 5:30pm – 6:00pm, plus event activities and light refreshments from 6:00pm – 9:00pm)

GSC Member (ages 1+): $13

Non-Member (ages 1+): $15

Under Age 1: FREE

VIP Experience is limited to 100 guests.

Proceeds from Pajama Jam support the GSC’s conservation fund, which aim to preserve species and habitats through on-site programs, community awareness, field studies and fundraising for local and global conservation efforts.