Tina Miller-Way
Dauphin Island Sea Grant
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Status: Past
Type:
Focus Area(s):
Summary
Educators will teach a variety of programs focusing on coastal ecology natural history environmental issues and STEM activities to P-12 students visiting the 3 environmental learning facilities integrating outdoor and hands-on learning experiences. Vessel-based environmental programs offer a particularly unique and impactful way for students to experience coastal environments. While school district rules determine access to vessel-based experiences for students each center includes this capability for 5-12 students through trips aboard research vessels or smaller boats (R/V Alabama Discovery Miss Peetsy B kayaks).
Project Leaders
Project Date Range: 02-01-2022 to 01-31-2025
Keywords: K-12 education, P-12 education, place-based education, Discovery Hall Programs, Marine Education Center, Environmental Studies Center
Objectives
To increase the environmental literacy of P-12 students by delivering a variety of outdoor and experiential education programs focused on coastal ecology natural history environmental issues and STEM activities at the 3 environmental learning facilities comprising the MASGC Education Team. Engaging and providing instruction in these areas will serve to increase environmental ocean and Gulf of Mexico literacy among P-12 students in Mississippi and Alabama.
Methodology
Educators will teach a variety of programs focusing on coastal ecology natural history environmental issues and STEM activities to P-12 students visiting the 3 environmental learning facilities integrating outdoor and hands-on learning experiences. Vessel-based environmental programs offer a particularly unique and impactful way for students to experience coastal environments. While school district rules determine access to vessel-based experiences for students each center includes this capability for 5-12 students through trips aboard research vessels or smaller boats (R/V Alabama Discovery Miss Peetsy B kayaks). Classes visit local waters – Mobile Bay Mississippi Sound David Bayou and the Gulf of Mexico using nets to sample estuarine and coastal vertebrate and invertebrate animals and plankton discussing organismal life cycles adaptations habitat requirements and other aspects of species biology as well as measuring and discussing abiotic characteristics of the environment.
Rationale
The 3 environmental education centers in the MASGC Education Team will collaborate to offer a variety of student-active field-based and STEM learning experiences during the school year and during summers. Classes vary in duration and topic but all address coastal and marine science. School year classes are explicitly tied to state or regional learning standards Ocean Literacy Principles and Climate Literacy Principles where appropriate. Classes also serve as an avenue for the integration of Sea Grant research results and extension activities into educational experiences. While designed to be less academically focused than school-year programs day and overnight summer ‘camp’ programs offer P-12 students opportunities to learn more about healthy coastal ecosystems sustainable fisheries and aquaculture and resilient communities and economies through hands-on or outdoor activities. A complete list of classes taught and summer programs offered can be found on each facility’s website (Discovery Hall Programs, Environmental Studies Center, Marine Education Center).