K-12 Education

During this field lab, students learn the importance of seagrass ecosystems.  Students seine the seagrass bed along Seahorse Key’s back beach, examine and identify marine organisms, and discuss their structural features.  The relationships among water quality, habitat, species diversity, and ecosystem health underlie this module.

During this field lab, students monitor water quality, collect marine animals, and learn about seagrass beds. Through short trawls sampling seagrass habitat, marine specimens are collected. Students closely examine and identify representative organisms. The relationships among water quality, habitat, species diversity, and ecosystem health underlie this module. Remember to study an animal’s features and you will learn how they interact with their surroundings.

Students will dissect a fish with a Biologist! Our staff will work side-by-side with the children introducing them to the biology of a fish, showing them the location of vital organs and their functions. Students will practice their skill by pulling Otoliths, and discussing how to read the "Annuli" to tell the age of the fish.

From phytoplankton to sharks, all organisms need energy! During this module, students will take part in a Food Web Activity using yarn and "name tags" of marine organisms. They will make connections using the string to analyze the feeding relationships among them, as well as discuss the various diversities and functions in our ocean.

Scavenger Hunt: Mangroves and salt marshes provide habitat for numerous marine animals and protection for our shoreline. During this module, we explore these systems to develop a greater understanding of their form and function. Oyster beds serve an important role in many estuarine systems. In this activity, we will also discuss Sea-Level Rise and the cause and effect relationship with Global Warming.