Thanks to the support of the Tampa Bay Estuary Program Mini Grant, our students had the opportunity to step beyond the classroom and into the field aboard the research vessel R.V. Hogarth. This experience transformed abstract concepts into real-world science, giving students direct exposure to the tools, techniques, and professionals working to understand and protect Tampa …
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Christmas time means lots of things to different people, but to us it means it’s FISHMAS! And this year we celebrated in style at the Christmas in Cortez Festival put on by our friends at the Florida Maritime Museum! Set in the heart of historic Cortez the festival was full of Christmas cheer, local agencies, …
Getting girls interested in fish, sediment, plants, and all things slimy and dirty! One thing I adore about USF’s Oceanography camp for girls is that I get the opportunity to show a group of amazing young women some of the tasks scientists use in the field as research tactics. This year I co-lead my favorite …
Marine science isn’t just about data charts and dissections—it’s also about expression, innovation, and using what makes you you to make a difference. That’s exactly what happens every year at the end of my marine science class, my students were challenged to bring their individual talents into the world of ocean advocacy. Through an extra …
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?
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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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 …