There are brief "animal spotlights" in the Oceanarium on the 30s (9:30, 10:30, and so on), although there may be hours without one, especially on less busy day. Each features one animal, not announced in advance, typically either dolphins, beluga whales, sea lions, or penguins.
Getting seats towards the front often requires arriving 10-15 minutes early, which feels excessive for a 10 minute show, so I often make due with whatever seats I can get. Dolphins, which are by far the best spotlight, are pretty good from any seat, but for penguins or sea lions it's helpful to have a seat where you can get a good view of the middle of the walkway in front. Unfortunately, you typically won't know which animal will be featured until just before (though if you spot an animal in the large tank just before the show, that's animal is probably the focus).
Animal spotlights are not a must-see, but they're a decent chance to sit for a while and relax.
If you have been to Shedd before, you may remember the Aquatic Presentation (dolphin and whale show). These Animal Spotlights have permanently replaced those.
TOPICS AND EXHIBITS