Interactive Activity Descriptions
Tropical Odyssey includes several different kinds of interactive activities including puzzles, climbing elements, flip boards, “can-you-see” activities, spinning mechanisms, beanbag toss games, visual inspection activities, and physically challenging activities. Below is a list, which includes a description of each activity.
Sustainability puzzles
Sustainability is a balancing act – Visitors will learn what sustainability means by completing puzzles that show the difference between unsustainable and sustainable activities. After the visitor completes the puzzle they should return the pieces to the bin for the next visitor.
Camouflage mural
Hiding in plain sight – Visitors will discover four different species of butterfly by examining a mural that contains images of butterflies in the various stages of the life cycle. This is a visual activity that does not require touch.
Spin Wheel
It’s a wild life! – Visitors will learn how butterflies serve an important role in the food web when they spin a wheel to find out what eats them.
Spider Web climb
Pretend you’re a predator! – Visitors can pretend to be a butterfly predator by climbing the spider web and sticking their head through the “face” of the spider.
Caterpillar/egg hunt in mural
Choosy adults, picky kids – Visitors will learn about the important connection between caterpillars/butterflies and plants as they try to answer questions placed on flip boards. Once they think they know the answer they flip the doors for the answer. Visitors will discover facts such as “monarch butterflies only lay eggs on milkweed plants."
Caterpillar toss
Picky caterpillars – Visitors will continue to learn about the special relationship between caterpillars and plants when they are challenged to a beanbag toss. Visitors will learn about how much caterpillars eat when they toss corresponding beanbags to the correct caterpillar.
Pupation peek-a-boo
Visitors will learn about the life cycle and more specially the pupation stage when they peek through the face holes and see pictures of the process.Counting chrysalides
Visitors will learn how the butterflies arrive at the Butterfly Pavilion when they participate in a mock shipping experience. Visitors will “fill” butterfly orders by packing replica chrysalises into packing boxes.Complete the loop
Visitors will review information about sustainable business practices such as butterfly farming by “playing” with a magnet wand that guides a butterfly through a “journey” similar to the one they just completed.Zipline
Now it’s time to fly! – Visitors will get to hang from a bar as they “fly” to the Butterfly Pavilion mimicking the butterfly’s flight.
Sustainability Wheel
People, planet, profit: sustainability’s triple bottom line – Bisitors will further enhance their learning by reviewing the sustainable business practices they learned through the exhibit by spinning a wheel and returning through the maze. Click to Print This Page
