Summer Field Courses

During the summer of 2015 the Huntsman education department will be offering two marine biology field courses.  Early bird discounts available if registered two months in advance of course start date.

 

Introduction to Marine Biology 
July 6 - 10
Students 15 - 18 years of age
This field course is a fun hands‐on introduction to marine biology and Bay of Fundy research projects. Participants will assist with the collection of baseline data for a number of on‐going projects and have an opportunity to work alongside Huntsman scientists.

All Things Marine
July 20 - 24
Teachers, friends and families
There is no better outdoor marine classroom than Canada's own Bay of Fundy.  Join us as we explore this unique and diverse environment. What we catch and collect is what we will study!
Funding ideas for teachers.

Crustacean Aging Workshop

The Huntsman Marine Science Centre is offering a Crustacean Aging Workshop August 25 to 28, 2015. This 4-day hands-on workshop will be led by Dr. Raouf Kilada from the University of New Brunswick, who will demonstrate the new technique for direct age determination in crustaceans. This is the first aging training workshop Dr. Kilada will deliver in Eastern Canada or the Eastern United States.

For more information visit our website.

Homeschool Program - Plankton

Today I introduced the students in the homeschool program to plankton.  We had a chance to look at phytoplankton and zooplankton using the microscopes.  We also looked at the right whale baleen and discussed that these whales eat a type of zooplankton called copepods.  We saw lots of copepods in our plankton samples!  It was wonderful to see that the students did not want to turn off the microscopes at the end of their sessions; they loved plankton! 

Viewing the plankton using microscopes.

Making ocean food chains with the younger students.

A copepod at 40x magnification.

Right whale baleen.

Young Explorer Days

Does your child love the ocean?  Do they want to be a marine biologist when they grow up?  We have the programs for them!

Young Explorer programs are day camps for children aged 7-12 at the Fundy Discovery Aquarium. During the programs we explore the ocean environment by playing fun games, getting hands-on with live animals, making educational crafts and conducting exciting experiments. 

March Break for Young Explorers - 2015 

During the New Brunswick March Break from March 2 to 6.  

Summer Young Explorer Days - 2015 

Every Wednesday during July and August and a week long program from August 10 to 14.

February video of the month - silky cucumber

The silky cucumber (Chiridota laevis) is a smooth, translucent animal with a pinkish or white hue.  They are are sometimes confused for worms because of their shape and size.  Unlike their larger cousin in the area, the orange-footed sea cucumber, they do not have suction cup equipped tube feet running along their bodies.

A common location students find these animals is at Indian Point during extreme low tides.  They will be found under rocks.

In the video we have used a microscope to get a better view of the tentacles surrounding the mouth of the cucumber.