Let’s be honest: even adult scientists groan a little when they see a long, data-heavy research paper. So how do we get high school students not just to read scientific literature, but actually enjoy it—and better yet, write it?
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 …
How It All Started Shark tagging can be highly sensationalized, and most people know the gist of what shark tagging is and a basic idea of why it’s done. Shark Week typically shows at least one show every 2 hours that involves someone tagging a shark for research purposes, giving most people that baseline understanding …
In the beautiful coastal city of Sarasota, Florida, there’s an unwelcome visitor that occasionally sweeps across the emerald waters of the Gulf of Mexico: Red Tide. Known scientifically as Karenia brevis, these microorganisms are single-celled, naturally occurring algae. However, when they bloom in unusually high concentrations, they can have devastating impacts on marine life and …
Read more “The Rising Tide: Understanding Red Tide Algal Blooms in Sarasota, FL”