Discovery Labs: 6th-8th
Squid Dissection
Students learn about the unique adaptations of squid through a hands-on guided dissection. They explore the external and internal anatomy of these animals and learn about their importance to California’s marine fisheries.
Plankton
Students learn about the importance of plankton as global oxygen producers and essential organisms in marine food webs.They explore the physical properties of the ocean and its inhabitants by designing their own plankton models to test in a float or sink experiment.
Water Chemistry
Students become water quality scientists as they test for pH, temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and nutrients in water samples collected from various bodies of water. Students predict what factors may influence these variables and learn how important the ocean’s chemical balance is to support marine life.
Ocean Stewardship
Students use models and experiments to understand how pollution makes its way into our oceans and what happens to marine debris. Other activities include beach cleanups at Avila Beach to determine which kinds of pollution are most prevalent.
*This program can be extended to 90 minutes to include an Avila Beach cleanup for a double program fee.
The Marine Life Monitoring Program consists of a 2 hour exploration of the rocky intertidal. During this program, students learn about the different intertidal zones and the various adaptations of the animals that live in these zones. Following basic field sampling procedures, they investigate species diversity and abundance in the rocky intertidal environment and learn about the importance of long-term monitoring.
Please contact education@centralcoastaquarium.com with questions or specific program needs, including Spanish programming.