Education Programs for Grades 5 - 12, College, and Adult Groups

PRESENTATIONS

Introduction to the Georgia Coast (all ages / 50 student max.)1 hr. A great start to every coastal experience, this introduction provides an overview of the physical and biological processes which shape the Georgia coast and the organisms living there. (QCC Objectives pdf file)

Introduction to Fish (all ages / 50 student max.) ~ 1 hr. This class is usually a precursor to one of the fish labs or an aquarium tour. Students learn key characteristics of bony and cartilaginous fish. Discussions focus on diversity, anatomy, movement, feeding, and protection of fish species. (QCC Objectives pdf file)

Coastal Reptiles (all ages / 50 students max.) ~ 1 hr. Gators, snakes, turtles, and lizards, OH MY! Students develop a greater understanding of some of the most amazing vertebrates found along the Georgia coast. (Live animals available on a limited basis).

Whale Tales (all ages / 50 student max.) 1 hr. The order Cetacea includes some of the largest and most intelligent animals on earth. Learn about this fascinating group of mammals, some of the history of the whaling industry, and listen to some of the traditional songs the sailors sang on the high seas.

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LABORATORY EXPERIENCES

Invertebrate Lab (5th grade - adult / 25 student max.) ~ 1.5 hrs. Students explore benthic (bottom-dwelling) and sessile (attached) organisms that they collect from our docks on the Skidaway River. Students identify the organisms with the help of dissecting microscopes, and learn about their lifestyles. Discussions revolve around interrelationships between this fouling community, plankton, and nekton. (QCC Objectives pdf file)

Plankton Lab (5th grade - adult / 25 student max.)~ 1.5 hrs. Discover the variety and importance of these drifting organisms! A plankton sample is collected from the Skidaway River and brought into the lab for study and identification using compound microscopes. Students practice microscope and lab techniques and identify these organisms using basic taxonomic keys. This lab is a great introduction or follow-up to a study of the food web. (QCC Objectives pdf file)

Hypothesis Testing (8th grade - adult / 15 student max.) for 3-4 hrs. Students are guided through the process of developing a hypothesis, conducting an ex-periment, and analyzing the results as a class. Experimental animals are not harmed. This class is excellent preparation for developing science projects. Live animals used for this class are chosen by the instructor and depend on the availability of specific organisms.

Fish Taxonomy Lab (5th grade - adult / 25 student max.) 1 hr. Students identify several species of alcohol-preserved fish using a dichotomous key and learn about basic fish morphology and the importance of taxonomic identification. This lab must be preceded by an ÒIntro to FishÓ discussion. (QCC Objectives pdf file)

Fish Dissection Lab (9th grade - adult / 15 student max. requires 2 supervisors) 1.5 hrs. Students use dissecting kits to examine fish specimens. This class usually follows a trawling excursion. Students learn about the external and internal anatomy of fish. This lab must be preceded by an "Intro to Fish" discussion. (QCC Objectives pdf file)

Water Quality Lab (9th grade - adult / 10 student max.) This lab illustrates methods employed for evaluating physical and chemical properties of estuarine and marine waters. Students measure dissolved oxygen, salinity, and temperature of water samples, and learn how general estuarine water quality affects marine life.

FIELD STUDIES ........(All field studies are weather-dependent)

Trawling (5th grade - adult / 22 person max.) ~ 3 hrs.Explore one method of scientific sampling aboard the R/V Sea Dawg as an otter trawl net is deployed to gather bottom-dwelling organisms in our estuary. Students learn about the natural history and commercial importance of many vertebrate and invertebrate species, while having the opportunity to see and touch live animals.

..Maritime Forest Walk (all ages / 50 student max.) ~ 1 hr. Hike through time on our nature trail in the maritime forest. Improve observation skills and learn about coastal climax forests under the shade of live oaks and Spanish moss.

Salt Marsh Study (all ages / 50 student max.) ~ 2-3 hrs. Begin with an introductory presentation about the wonders of a coastal Georgia salt marsh. Then move outside and experience one of the most productive ecosystems on earth firsthand! Observe plants and animals and learn about their adaptations. Identify the necessary conditions for salt marsh productivity and the marsh's roles in the larger coastal system. This program can take the form of an exploratory walk/talk or (for older students) a more formal transect study of marsh zones. Groups opting for the transect must provide their own transportation to and from a local marsh and must schedule time for data analysis following the transect. (QCC Objectives pdf file)

Study of a Developed Barrier Island (all ages / 50 student max.) ~ 4 hrs. As a developed island connected to the mainland for nearly a century, Tybee Island offers an excellent opportunity to study human impact on natural island processes. In warmer months, this can be coupled with beach seining to sample vertebrates and invertebrates of the surf zone.

Study of a Natural Barrier Island [6th grade - adult / 28 person max. on Sea Dawg ~ 7 hrs. (22 if a trawl is included), 15 person max. on each Carolina Skiff (2 available)] Take a boat ride to the Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge or another barrier island. Hike through the maritime forest and explore one of the most pristine, undeveloped beaches on the U.S. east coast. This trip emphasizes the changing nature of the barrier island environment and the adaptations of organisms to this environment. Carolina Skiffs are available for transportation during warmer months and in good weather.

..Studies at Sea is a full day program (45 minute orientation, 45 minute shore-based plankton lab and 4 hours on RV Sea Dawg) that provides a unique opportunity for groups to experience and actively participate in field research and data collection from the estuary to the ocean on board the 43’ RV Sea Dawg.  The program is designed for students and groups from grades 7 through adult to use all their senses to experience, collect and document flora and fauna by trawling, plankton tows, water quality sampling plus using the lab facilities on board the RV Sea Dawg. Collected data and images are put into digital format for use and analysis by the group at their home facility at a time and in a manner that best fits their curriculum. Consequently, the usability of the experience continues far beyond the day spent collecting the data and specimens onboard  RV Sea Dawg. The program is suitable and adaptable for all disciplines. You can link to the Studies at Sea website for more detailed information by clicking > HERE. <

Oyster Populations
Oysters are considered to be a keystone species and good indicators of the health of estuaries. Students take a closer look at why oyster populations have declined during the last century using hands-on and inquiry-based activities that compare the role of sedimentation, overharvesting, water quality and disease on oyster populations. Students perform water quality tests, collect data, create graphs and draw conclusions as to why oyster populations have been impacted.

Dermo Detectives
Students determine the prevalence of Dermo, the common name for an oyster disease caused by the protozoan parasite, Perkinsus marinus in oysters collected locally. Students learn what Dermo is, how it affects oysters, and test for Dermo using an assay procedure that involves oyster dissections and microscope observations.

Oysters – the Fanatic Filterers
Oysters are able to filter 2.5 gallons of water per hour removing plankton, sediment and pollutants! This hands-on program provides students an opportunity to collect and identify various species of phytoplankton consumed by oysters using plankton nets and microscopes, and to conduct a filtering demonstration to determine the filtering rates of living oysters.

Oyster Reef Habitat Exploration
Oyster reefs provide essential habitat for a variety of creatures including fish and crabs. Students explore the function of the oyster reef as critical habitat, providing shelter for fish and invertebrates and providing food for the community. This hands-on, in the field approach provides students with a better understanding of what types of organisms use an oyster reef as they collect organisms from an existing reef to construct food webs and determine species diversity.

The Amazing Oysters and Water Quality
Did you know that an adult oyster can filter up to 60 gallons of water per day? Through filtration, oyster reefs can improve water quality by removing pollutants and controlling algal blooms. Using sampling equipment, students collect and analyze various water quality parameters (salinity, temperature, sedimentation, dissolved oxygen) at a nearby-restored reef.

All About Whelks and Oysters
By using two of coastal Georgia’s most famous shellfish (oysters and whelks) comparisons are made between the classes Bivalvia and Gastropoda. Differences in general anatomy and life history are explored through dissections of each species’ reproductive and digestive systems.

Guided Oyster Disease Study
Disease has caused major oyster population decline in the United States over the last 20 years. Students are introduced to a disease that affects oyster populations in Georgia, called MSX (Haplosporidium nelsoni). This class begins with a guided tour of a working histology laboratory to learn how slides are prepared. Students will use these prepared slides in a hands on microscopic exercise to determine the prevalence and intensity of MSX in local oysters populations.

Oyster Restoration in Georgia
This class introduces the history of the Georgia oyster industry followed by a discussion on why our populations are declining. Students will visit a restored oyster reef and get an overview of oyster restoration processes currently being conducted in the area. Each stage of the process involved will be discussed from the collection and bagging of shell, to the planting and monitoring of reefs. Students will have the opportunity to participate in the restoration program and earn community service hours by assiting with the bagging of shell.