If you’ve spent any time looking for ocean-themed lessons online, you already know the problem. On one end, you find beautiful, cartoon-bright resources that mention sharks and coral reefs but don’t actually teach students how scientists work. On the other end, you find real science — actual research papers, tagging datasets, taxonomic keys — that …
Every summer, Oceanography Camp for Girls (OCG) brings together dozens of young women for three intensive weeks of hands-on marine science at the University of South Florida. This year I once again had the privilege of serving as a science mentor across all three weeks — seining in the field, leading lab rotations, running ecosystem …
There is a particular kind of professional recalibration that happens when a science teacher steps onto a research vessel. Not the novelty of it — after a while, the gear becomes familiar, the salt air becomes background — but the thinking it demands. Being on the water with real instruments, real data, and real organisms forces you to reconnect with science as a process rather than a product, …
This World Oceans Day, I had the privilege to once again join Manatee County Natural Resources for a community celebration that brought together nearly 500 people who care about our local waterways. The energy was contagious! Families, kids, curious adults, and fellow ocean advocates all gathered in one place to learn, connect, and celebrate the …
On May 18, 2026, a small sea turtle crawled up onto Jupiter Beach in Palm Beach County and did something that, as far as researchers know, has never happened before in recorded history: she nested in Florida. Her name is Tini, and she’s an olive ridley sea turtle — a species that, until now, had …
Every year, as the final days of school wind down and the energy in the building shifts into that particular end-of-May chaos of finals, I do something that might look like I’m taking it easy: I put on Finding Nemo. But if you’ve sat in my classroom for a full year of marine science, you know …
One of my favorite things about teaching marine science is watching students find their own voice when it comes to ocean advocacy. This past unit, I offered an extra credit opportunity for students to express what they’d learned through art and the results genuinely blew me away! From paintings to sculptures to digital illustrations, these …
Imagine telling your students that today, they are an anglerfish. Not just learning about anglerfish — actually being one, flashlight in hand, hunting for a mate in the dark, flashing your species-specific bioluminescent signal while hoping the creature across from you speaks your language. The Problem that needs to be Solved Before I get into the chaos and the …
Read more “Deep Sea Speed Dating: A Lesson in Mating in the Deep”
Last weekend, I had the incredible opportunity to attend the Florida Marine Science Educators Association (FMSEA) annual conference, and honestly? It did not disappoint. From hands-on workshops to keynote speakers that left the whole room buzzing, this year’s conference was a reminder of why I love this community so much. Walking into a Whale Let’s …
Read more “FMSEA 2026: Connecting the Dots from Educators to Estuaries”
What does it look like when a high school student steps into the shoes of a marine conservationist? This spring, my Honors Marine Science students found out — and the results were nothing short of remarkable. Every year I look for a project that pushes students beyond memorizing vocabulary and into genuine scientific thinking. This …
Read more “When Students Become Scientists: Conservation in the Classroom”