Young Explorer Week 2018

Last week was the Young Explorer Marine Biology week at the Fundy Discovery Aquarium. Each day was a new theme to explore.

Monday's theme was the ocean. The group learned about the intertidal zone, watched a video about the Bay of Fundy tides, did an experiment to see that water temperature can create currents in the ocean, made tin foil boats and explored sand using a microscope, vinegar and a magnet.

Exploring the beach for creatures.

We found green crabs of all different sizes.

Making a craft to show where different animals live in the intertidal zone. What animals live high on the beach?

Experiment to see how different temperatures of water create currents.

How many pennies can your boat hold? The highest number was over 70 pennies!

Looking at sand under the microscope.

We tested the sand with vinegar and with magnets.

Tuesday's theme was marine debris. We did a beach cleanup with many of the group working together to remove a large piece of wire from the beach, created art using marine debris, did an experiment to test the density of different plastics, played marine debris bingo and got tangled in trash using elastics.

Searching for marine debris.

Using marine debris to create art.

Wednesday's theme was sea stars. You can find pictures here.

Thursday's theme was the Deep Sea. We discussed the challenges of living in the deep sea and looked at a few preserved specimens of deep sea fish, made a deep sea lander, created glow-in-the-dark art while discussing bioluminescence, learned about the special equipment used to dive and played a game using glow-in-the-dark lantern fish.

Making a deep sea lander.

Testing the deep sea lander. It works!

We found green crab on the beach and discussed that they are an invasive species.

Learning about bioluminescence in the deep sea. 

Learning about dive equipment.

Friday's theme was fish. We explored the beach, did a herring dissection, fed the herring bits to the animals in the touch tank, made an angler fish craft, and played sardines.

Lobster banding in action.

Last day on the beach and we found a live blue mussel.

Squid eggs.

A sand shrimp with eggs.

Herring dissection.

Feeding the dissected fish to the touch tank.

Making angler fish.