Raising funds for anything can be a challenge but raising funds for a group of less than 30 people or a class that has no school district funding can be daunting. Having funds is vital for supporting the hands-on experiences that get students involved and excited about the marine world. Being able to be creative …
The world continues to spin and change no matter what we do, so why do we as educators keep the same curriculum and strategies throughout the year? Why don’t we more regularly focus on the now, on the current (pun intended) events that make students interested and engaged in the material? My goal as an …
Welcome to Boston, home of some amazing science educators and home base of the 2024 National Marine Educators Association Conference! For my second year at this conference, I was so excited to get to see the friends I made last year and experience the beauty that is Boston Harbor! Much like last year, I was …
As a teacher, I get the opportunity to participate in many different professional learning opportunities, most of them are focused on programs to use in the classroom, the 5E’s, or occasionally an organization that offers resources for teachers to use like the Everglades Foundation. This year, through a grant funded by the Guy Harvey Foundation, …
In the quest to inspire young minds and foster a deeper understanding of marine science, inviting guest speakers to a marine science club can be a transformative experience. By bringing in experts from various fields, students gain unique insights, firsthand knowledge, and an appreciation for the vast world beneath the waves. I have used my …
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In the realm of marine science education, dissections have long stood as a cornerstone of hands-on learning. They offer students an invaluable opportunity to explore the anatomy, physiology, and intricate workings of marine organisms, providing a depth of understanding that textbooks and lectures alone can’t achieve. I have long found that dissections be a necessary …
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Can you remember the last field trip you went on in school? Not counting college or competitions, the last one I went on was in 7th grade, and that one wasn’t even for my class, I just happened to hop along for the ride! Field trips are that piece of schooling that we look fondly …
Engaging students in the ideas behind the types of coral reefs, their zonation, and the processes that make them so special can be challenging. The Building a Coral-Reef activity is a great way to ensure students learn the concepts needed and remember the processes that are acting on coral reefs. And it doesn’t hurt that …
Read more “Discovering the World of Coral Reefs with a Building a Coral-Reef Activity”
Every year for every momentous moment in our lives, we check for one reservation before all others. For nearly eight years now, my husband and I have been waiting until the Georgia Aquarium’s Journey with Gentle Giants Dive opened up at just the right time so we could dive with whale sharks together. This year, …
“What is an estuary?” I make a point of asking my students this every year in mid-September and typically get a room full of blank stares and some really weird answers. I’ve gotten “where the sewage water is” to “deep, deep, deep, deep sea” and everything in between, but mostly just lots of blank stares. …