Real Science Opportunities for Students: Field Trips and In-school Experiences - continuation

Scientists, NGOs, and science educators provide broad opportunities for a large number of students to develop scientific literacy; the express goal is to increase general scientific literacy in the population, with particular attention to the needs of students from First Nations.

Seaquaria in Schools (WestWind SeaLab Supplies): WestWind SeaLab Supplies sponsors the "Seaquaria in Schools" program currently underway in twelve public schools throughout BC. It uses chilled seawater aquaria (Seaquaria) housing local marine ecosystems as a focal tool for environmental education. As students care for and monitor the health of their Seaquarium, the living creatures create a lasting emotional tie and concern for the health of their local environment. Teachers are consulted to incorporate their experience, expertise and ideas into a hands-on approach to the delivery of an integrated curriculum. This includes solidifying the links between classroom learning and experiential outreach programs such as those coordinated by SeaChange Marine Conservation Society. While this approach addresses many prescribed learning outcomes and many of DFO`s marine conservation and stewardship mandates, it also helps create opportunities for the transfer of learning to meaningful local and global stewardship initiatives (e.g. participating in community development plans and Oceans Day events). Mentoring and public displays offer occasions for young people to develop their communication and leadership skills, and finally the program offers food for the hearts, minds and spirits of all students as they are continuously exposed to exceptional cultural, physical and intellectual learning opportunities.

EcoRowing (SeaChange Marine Conservation Society): SeaChange is a non-profit organization in Victoria focused on marine education, conservation and restoration. It works with other environmental educators to provide watershed based experiential and classroom activities to schoolchildren (K–8) within Greater Victoria. The program involves discussion of the natural history and First Nation’s values for exploring the environment; study of the marine environment on the dock, measurements of pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, turbidity and salinity to assess water quality, and samples collection of plankton for further study in the “lab” area with microscopes; wetlands explorations from a First Nations perspective: traditional ecological knowledge is used to explore this environment, as first peoples may have had to do; and participation in a community celebration such as Oceans Day, where displays help to educate the public about the actions and concerns of the schools.