Bayside Middle – Ocean Discovery

Over the past week we have welcomed nine classes of Grade 6 students from Bayside Middle School to the Huntsman to take part in the Ocean Discovery Program.  The students that attended today are the last ones for the fall session and with them we have seen over the 1000 students since Year 7 of the program began in October.  Wow, that’s a lot of students! 
 
As part of the hands-on Ocean Discovery Program the Bayside students used microscopes to view plankton for the first time, conducted a classification and observation lab using local marine invertebrates, such as rock crabs, Acadian hermit crabs, scallops, and sea urchins, and had lunch around the two touch pools in the aquarium, where the sea stars and skates created lots of excitement.  Depending on the weather some of the classes also went to the beach to explore, while others stayed in the aquarium and had a chance to view the seals, fish, and lobsters in the lower level.
 
Below are some pictures from the visits.    

Texture and movement were some of the characteristics

used to describe this sea star.

Using an inventive way to measure the rock crab!

Students being introduced to plankton in the lab.

Viewing phytoplankton and zooplankton.

Students love the crabs in the touch pool!

One of the students found this big moon snail in the touch pool.

Slimy!

The skate touch pool was popular.

Some of the students found a live sea urchin during their

beach exploration.

Homeschoolers – Day 2

This morning we had the second session of our homeschoolers program at the aquarium.  In the lab the Kindergarten – grade 2 students learned about the life cycle of seals during our Super Seals program, the grade 3-5 students learned about camouflage in the marine environment during the Hiding in Plain Sight program, and the middle and high school students used the microscopes to view plankton collected from Passamaquoddy Bay. 
 
While not in the lab the students watched the movie Seasonal Seas in the theatre and conducted a scavenger hunts around the aquarium (how many hermit crabs did you find in the touch pool?).
 
It was a great morning and I look forward to seeing everyone in the New Year at our January session!   

Harbour seal life cycle wheel made by the K-2 group.

The Grade 3-5 students looked at camouflage techniques in fish.

 

The middle and high school students studied

the amazing world of plankton.

 

Many students viewed copepods in their plankton sample.

Harry Miller Middle – Ocean Discovery

For the past three days grade 6 students from Harry Miller Middle School have been visiting the Huntsman to take part in the Ocean Discovery Program.  While on campus the students viewed phytoplankton and zooplankton using microscopes, observed marine invertebrates such as rock crabs, hermit crabs, and scallops, explored the animals in the touch tanks, conducted a behaviour experiment with echinoderms, and had a presentation in the theatre about the amazing life of lobsters.
 
It was a great three days of discovery and fun!

Drawing and describing a blood star.

Measuring a Cancer irroratus.

Enjoying the touch tank even though the water is cold!

There are sea stars of many sizes in the touch tank.

Plankton bingo!

How long did your sea star take to flip over?

Lobsters are cool!

No School, Camp’s Cool! – Nov. 29

Today, while schools were closed for parent-teacher interviews, we held a No School, Camp’s Cool Program at the Aquarium.  The theme for the day was Ocean Holiday Crafts.  The students worked on a tic-tac-toe game made with clam shells, holiday glitter decorations made with scallop shells, and greeting cards featuring animals with holiday themed names, such as the anglefish and the chocolate chip sea star.  We also played games and had time around the touch tanks. 
 
The next program, Seabirds, will be held on January 6.  For more information call 529-1200.

Tic-tac-toe game set with clam shells.

Scallop glitter decorations.

Holiday card with ocean animals.

Three slimy moon snails!

A seastar with a mutation was found in the touch tank.

River Valley Middle – Ocean Discovery

Despite the rain and wind students from River Valley Middle School arrived at the Huntsman excited and ready to experience marine biology.  While on campus the students were introduced to the microscopic world of phytoplankton and zooplankton, worked hands-on with live marine invertebrates such as hermit crabs, rock crabs, and scallops, ate lunch around the touch pools, and learned about lobsters during a presentation with Genny in the theatre. 
 
Below are some pictures from their great visit.

Working on a classification activity.

Drawing and describing a deep-sea scallop (Placopecten magellanicus).

Viewing the amazing world of plankton.

Fun at the touch pools.

Learning about lobsters.

Large lobster claw and a one-year old lobster specimen.

Homeschoolers – Day 1

Today we had a number of homeschoolers visit the aquarium for the morning. The students were divided into three groups based on their grade level and each group conducted an age appropriate activity in the lab.  When not in the lab the students watched a movie in the theatre about the deep sea, watched the seal feeding, and explored the aquarium. 
 
While in the lab the Kindergarten to Grade 2 students worked on a program called Sensational Animals where we explored our sense of touch using the live animals.  The students touched sea stars, sea peaches, sand dollars, sea urchins, an anemone, a skate egg case, a sea cucumber, and a moon snail.  Some of the animals were rough and prickly, some were soft and smooth, and the moon snail was just slimy!  Then the students made a textured craft depicting the ocean floor to take home.
 
The Grade 3-5 students explored how animals survive in the deep sea.  We played 3D Ocean Bingo to learn about the different levels of the ocean, discussed why it is difficult to live in the deep ocean and adaptations that animals have to survive in that harsh environment (teeth so big you can’t even close your mouth or you would poke out your eyes!), and then made a glow in the dark picture to depict bioluminescence in deep ocean creatures.
 
Students in the Grade 6-8 group bundled up and headed out to the beach with me to explore what creatures call this place home.  We discussed why it is difficult to live in the intertidal zone and how animals cope when the tide goes out.  While on the beach we found lots of periwinkles and some sideswimmers hiding under the rocks and seaweed.                    
 
It was a good morning and we look forward to having the homeschoolers back in a couple of weeks for more fun programs!

Mini touch tank for the K-2 students.

Exploring bioluminescence through art.

Having fun in the touch tank!

Who put that hole in the periwinkle shell?

Forest Hills School – Ocean Discovery

We had a great group of grade 6 students from Forest Hills School visit us today to take part in the Ocean Discovery Program.  While here the students studied plankton (and learned that Plankton from SpongeBob is a copepod!), observed arthropods, such as rock crabs and hermit crabs, ate lunch around the touch tank, tested to see if size affects the flipping rate of sea stars and sea urchins, and learned about lobsters.  It was a great day filled with excitement and learning!

Determining the size of rock crab.

Drawing and identifying a blood star.

Using the microscope to view plankton.

Scallop in the touch tank...watch out or you might get wet!

Slimy moon snail!

Prickly sea urchin!

Sea star flipping experiment.

Barnhill Memorial – Ocean Discovery

We’ve had Grade 6 students from Barnhill Memorial School visiting the Huntsman this week to take part in the Ocean Discovery Program.  While on campus the students explored the intertidal zone, got up close to marine invertebrates, such as rock crabs, Acadian hermit crabs, sea urchins, and scallops, had lunch around the touch tank, and used the microscopes to view plankton collected from Passamaquoddy Bay.  It was three days filled with excitement and shouts of amazement and surprise!  Hands-on learning at its best!       

Finding sideswimmers under the seaweed.

Sketching a sea cucumber.

 

The students learned to identify if a rock crab is male or female.

Playing plankton bingo.

The view through the microscope...how many species can you ID? 

Forest Hills School – Ocean Discovery

Grade 6 students from Forest Hills School arrived on campus this morning to take part in the Ocean Discovery Program.  While here the students worked with live marine invertebrates, such as hermit crabs, rock crabs, and scallops, viewed phytoplankton and zooplankton using microscopes, had lunch around the touch tank, and conducted a behaviour experiment with sea stars and sea urchins.  It was a great day and we look forward to see the rest of the grade 6 students from Forest Hills next week.

Drawing a rock crab.

Working with a blood star.

Rock crab - boy or girl?

Sea star in the touch tank.

The touch tank was a big hit!

Using the microscopes in the plankton lab.

Playing plankton bingo.

Sea star flipping experiment...almost done!