Toronto Waldorf School 2016

This week on the Huntsman campus we have welcomed Grade 11 students from the Toronto Waldorf School.  While here the students have collected specimens from the bay while aboard our research vessel, explored the intertidal zone, gathered data on the invasive green crab, collected marine debris, toured the Huntsman Fundy Discovery Aquarium, completed a kayaking trip in the bay with Eastern Outdoors, learned Canadian history while touring Ministers Island, studied plankton, subtidal invertebrates, seaweeds and echinoderms in the lab, got up close with deep sea organisms at the ARC, and completed behaviour experiments with sea stars, urchins, blood stars, sunstars and barnacles.  It has been a great week of marine biology and history.

Also, we really enjoyed their thank you song!

In the lab observing the animals collected during the boat trip.

This waved whelk was putting on a show!

Exploring the intertidal zone.

Fun at the aquarium touch tank.

Studying the anatomy of sea stars and urchins.

An urchin through the microscope.

Investigating the diversity of seaweeds and marsh plants.

Cleaning up marine debris from Pottery Creek.

The collection included a comforter, a mini disco ball, a tire and a syringe.

The top ten items collected.

On the hunt for the invasive green crab.

Data is gathered on the crabs gender and size before they are marked and released.

Does the size an echinoderm determine how quickly it can flip right side up?

Testing the strength of tube feet.

Touring Van Horne's summer cottage.

Covenhoven has 17 bedrooms and 11 fireplaces.

The beautiful bath house along the shore.

Van Horne had an extensive farm operation that sent food by rail to him in Montreal during the winter months.

Touring the Huntsman's research museum, the ARC.

A cool crab from the deep sea.

The tour finished up with the chance to kiss a shark!

How does temperature effect the feeding rate of barnacles?