There’s something magical about watching your students explore the outdoors, get their hands dirty in the muck, and finally understand how an estuary works because they’re standing in one. But if you’ve ever tried to book a field trip and found your dream experience booked up—or just not quite right for your curriculum—you’ve probably thought: “What if I just …
This year’s Celebrate Literacy Week, Florida! encouraged educators to build literacy across subjects, and in our high school marine science classroom, we dove headfirst into one of the most iconic ocean-inspired novels of all time: Jaws by Peter Benchley. But instead of focusing on fear, we used this story as a launchpad for science, media literacy, and creative expression. …
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New Orleans is already known for its vibrant culture, rich history, and world-famous cuisine, but this year, it also served as the perfect host city for the 2024 National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) Conference. Science educators from around the country (and the world!) gathered in the Big Easy to exchange ideas, discover the latest teaching …
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 …