Session Descriptions--nmea 2016 Sessions are listed alphabetically by primary presenter’s last name. Allen

Sessions are listed alphabetically by primary presenter’s last name.

kallen@marinelife.org

The mission of Loggerhead Marinelife Center (LMC), a sea turtle research and rehabilitation facility in Juno Beach, Florida, is to promote conservation of ocean ecosystems with a special focus on threatened and endangered sea turtles. To help accomplish this goal, LMC offers 32 education programs at the facility, which boasts 240,000 visitors annually. Year to date, 52,810 students and adults have participated in education programming. With over 86,000 homeschoolers in the state of Florida, it is important to offer strong science programming. For years, LMC has offered field trips and outreaches to homeschool co-ops and families, but with logistical restraints, the reach was limited. As a result, LMC has launched a Homeschool Workshop Series that caters exclusively to homeschoolers in the region. Comprised of 6 modules, this workshop series aims to engage the entire family in authentic STEAM education. Designed for students ages 6-13, each two-hour workshop engages the student, siblings, and parent(s) in hands-on science education. The modules focus on the topics of sea turtles, water quality, marine debris, coastal ecosystems, field experiences, and science in art. Each module has a classroom, field trip, lab, and assessment component; to work on team building and social skills, each consists of activities that are done individually (by the student), in teams (with other students), as well as with family members. In this hands-on workshop, we will highlight activities and labs from each module, including scientific observation, sea turtle anatomy, veterinary science, water quality testing, marine debris investigations, species identification, and land art. Participants will create a diatom mosaic out of beach debris; takeaways include STEAM lessons focusing on sea turtle biology, coastal ecosystems, and marine debris. In addition, we will discuss logistics and lessons learned in implementing homeschool programming.

andrake@swampscott.k12.ma.us

@CTSEast
Bioprospecting: Ocean's Pharmacy

Bioprospecting is the search for beneficial compounds in living organisms. The ideal would be to find the gold that would yield a compound for commercialization. Bioprospecting is not new, Alexander Fleming accidentally bioprospected when he discovered penicillin. Shamans and medicine men have long studied local plants for medicinal uses and drug companies today are searching the tropical rain forest, deep in the oceans, and volcanic vents, to name a few places, for the next miracle drug. There are a multitude of problems associated with bioprospecting. For instance, when green fluorescent protein was first discovered, the Aeqorea victoria jelly fish was harvested and the protein extracted from the organism. Imagine how many jelly fish would be needed today if molecular biologists had not isolated the genetic sequence for the protein. When prospecting organisms for new compounds, how many need to be collected? How will that affect the local ecosystem? How effective will the compound be once it is removed from its natural environment? Not only does the sacrifice of life pose a problem but so does the question of who owns the rights to the compounds discovered in remote areas. If a compound is discovered in on remote tropical oceans, should the indigenous people be compensated for the discovery and if so, what is fair compensation? Ideally, researchers would go into an area, collect samples, and take them back to the lab for further study. Using molecular techniques they could then, hopefully, identify a novel compound that could then be used commercially. The compound could be an enzyme that removes stains better than anything currently on the market, could be a new drug for heart patients, could be a cure for cancer, or could be a dietary supplement that helps people maintain a healthy weight. The possibilities are endless. How can your students learn more about bioprospecting and molecular techniques associated with it? One of the first kits the Explorer program marketed was The Secrets of the Rain Forest. By changing the story line from a protein extracted from leaves as a drug to cure cancer to bioprospecting, the kit becomes more true to science. Green fluorescent protein (GFP) is often used as a tracer or a visual marker. By linking a possible gene of interest to GFP in a plasmid, one can easily tell which bacteria have taken in the plasmid with the gene. However, before the gene of interest is linked to GFP, a lot of work has to take place. Researchers first must identify the proteins that may be of interest, the DNA sequence has to be identified and modified, and then the sequence is incorporated into a plasmid with the GFP gene at the end of its sequence. Bacteria can then be transformed and bacteria that up take the plasmid can be cloned and the protein produced. The protein then has to be purified for commercialization and packaged.

Andrews, Sherri Tuesday, 4:00 pm, Palani A

@CTSEast
Student Lionfish Project

Lionfish are a beautiful ornamental aquarium fish indigenous to the Indo-Pacific oceans. Accidently released into the Western Atlantic (east coast US) decades ago it has become a voracious invasive species with no natural predators. Lionfish have greatly impacted biodiversity in coral ecosystems from North Carolina to the Caribbean and beyond. The purpose of this project is to utilize Bio-Rad’s Fish Barcoding kit to engage students in collecting and analyzing data about the lionfish diet at different sites in the US and Caribbean. This data will be shared in a central data base that students and teaches can access to analyze the data.

Arnold, Emily Tuesday, 1:30 pm, Oceans 4

emilyarnold@ucsd.edu

Beach Science is a new NGSS-aligned, three-part experiential learning program that engages underserved 6th grade students in critical thinking while increasing their understanding of the nature of scientific investigation and the role of the ocean in Earth’s systems. In addition, students learn about ocean science career pathways through interactions with Scripps Institution of Oceanography students. This new program also supports the creation of a new postdoctoral position for a Scripps graduate to provide training in informal ocean science education. As part of the program, Birch Aquarium instructors visit 6th grade classrooms twice, with students taking part in a research-based Beach Day field trip to Scripps Pier, Beach, and Birch Aquarium in between classroom visits. During the Beach Day field trip, students take part in authentic scientific research and data collection to investigate the phenomenon of El Nina through sea surface temperature readings, beach profile monitoring, and longshore water movement patterns. Students then take their information back to the classroom, where Birch Aquarium Instructors help them make sense of their data in the greater context of El Niño. To make the curriculum more impactful, Birch Aquarium staff created supporting videos and classroom teacher-led lessons to bridge the learning during the classroom visits and Beach Day field trip, thus bringing formal and informal science education together. In this session, take part in hands-on activities that demonstrate student-learning of the causes and effects of water movement in the ocean, while learning about the impacts of bridging informal and formal education and providing underserved students with access to authentic data and ocean scientists.

dbader@lbaop.org

The Visualizing Change project, funded by NOAA, connects learners to why climate change matters to all of us, to mechanisms that drive it, and to ways people can work to address it. These scripted programs combine data visualizations with well-tested metaphoric language that points to community-level solutions. Visualizations were developed for a variety of platforms, including flat-panel and spherical display systems. The programs are supported by a series of trainings, hosted at partner institutions (National Aquarium in Baltimore, New England Aquarium, Buttonwood Park Zoo, Seattle Aquarium, Exploratorium, and the Aquarium of the Pacific). In this sneak-preview session, members of the team will share a “visual narrative” that incorporates global data sets into a brief, interactive presentation framed with values and oriented with a brief explanation of the mechanism of global change. Those components lead toward discussion of solutions to global scale issues of our time. We will share an example and facilitate discussion about the theory involved in the program and how that theory may be applicable to participants’ situations. We will also show participants how they can access these “visual narratives” and supporting information that educators may need to use these programs in their institutions.

john.baek@noaa.gov, @johnybaek; philippo@hawaii.edu

There are many reasons an educator may need to conduct an evaluation. Frequently, there is a need to prove that their product or program works to their supervisor or funder. And while it will be important for people to "prove" a program works, much can be learned from knowing what is not working. Knowing this allows you to use the evaluation findings to make improvements. Conducting sound and meaningful evaluation involves a balance of time, money, funder requirements, and evaluation skill level. Having a solid evaluation plan in place can make the difference between a grant being funded or passed over in favor of others with superior evaluation plans using standardized tools. Funding for Ocean Literacy efforts is extremely competitive--moving beyond a brief participant evaluation survey is crucial to success and continuation of projects. Addressing these issues is not just about evaluation, it is about making smart evaluation decisions that can contribute to the success of your program or project. This panel will focus on moving beyond the basics of evaluation and on to how to plan and conduct evaluations in real-world conditions. We will provide a practical "now what do I do?!" perspective. What are the most important things to know with a limited background in evaluation? Working with an evaluation professional in the early stage of the development of the product or program is ideal, but how might limited funds be best spent? What data and evidence can you collect and what should be left to the unbiased professional? Each panelist will provide an overview of their perspective of conducting an evaluation. The panelists have a variety of experience from work as university researchers, as external evaluators on contract, and with internal evaluation coaching. This diversity of perspectives will provide the audience with an overview of ways in which evaluations are conducted and advised. Panelists will provide practical advice on the following questions: 1) What can I do on my own in terms of evaluation without introducing too much bias? 2) Why do I need to hire an evaluator anyway? 3) What are the most important things I should be aware of when I have to do most of the evaluation myself? 4) If I have to hire one, what should I look for in an evaluator? 5) How early do I need to bring the evaluator on board? 6) Do I really need to make a logic model? 7) Qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods study design, and what do these mean? The audience will have an opportunity to have in-depth conversations and share and discuss their evaluation needs, desires, and challenges. Attendees will leave with ideas to implement and people they can contact to further help with their evaluations.

dick@educationalpassages.com; dlevin2@washcoll.edu, @dougdageologist

Learn how your students can use miniature GPS-tracked autonomous sailboats or ocean drifters to study the world’s oceans by attaching and collecting data from on-board sensors. During this presentation, you will learn how your students can prepare their own drifter or sailboat and direct its launch into the world ocean circulation. This is a hands-on, active learning program, geared towards students from middle school through college level and is about adding sensors and other accessories to mini boats and drifters; thus allowing students to set up their own research platform. We will discuss surface water temperature sensors, but students could think about other sensors and accessories such as cameras, solar panels, electronic steering and hydrophones to monitor whale/fish sounds and study fish migration.

Tuesday, 2:30 pm, Oceans 4

dick@educationalpassages.com; raquel.costa@emepc.mam.gov.pt; cassie@neracoos.org, @seastymiest

Bringing the Ocean into Your Classroom

Bringing the Ocean into Your Classroom Learn how your students can use miniature GPS monitored autonomous sailboats or ocean drifters to study the world’s oceans. During this presentation, you will learn how your students can prepare their own drifter or sailboat and direct its launch into the world ocean circulation. This is a hands-on, active learning program that brings a sustained connection with the ocean, winds, currents, and brings map reading skills, geography, earth science and international relations into the classroom. These devices will be part of an overarching tool kit that ties to lesson plans and provides a foundation for discussion that kick starts global environmental literacy and will also contribute to Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

jball@neracoos.org; cassie@neracoos.org, @seastymiest

The U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) provides unique information to people who live and work on the water to improve safety, enhance the economy and to protect the environment. As the world, and particularly our oceans, continue to change around us, we depend on systems such as U.S. IOOS to provide the backbone for better understanding. The entire coastline of the United States is monitored by IOOS and its eleven regional associations. Interacting with local ocean information promotes a personal connection and can increase engagement with your students. Each of the eleven regions offer an array of (free!) long term and real time ocean data and information, including but not limited to: animal tracking, water temperature, pH, salinity, wave height and period, forecasts, and meteorological conditions. How do you make the connection? There are countless ways to discuss what this means with your students. One way is by adopting a buoy so your students discuss what’s happening (and has happened) in the ocean, and why. These discussions may lead to topics such as ocean currents, precipitation, animal migration, ocean acidification, harmful algal blooms, and storm forecasts. Making these connections is an important component in preparing students to become the next generation of ocean stewards. During the session, we will discuss and explore the premise behind adopt a buoy using participant computers. The group will review historical and current observations in their region and how they can be related to their students. Handouts will be made available that outline the services and data available through each of the eleven regional associations, as well as how to access this information. We will also share how to reach out to local contacts within each region.

kbhull@mote.org

Marine megafauna play an important role in the trophic ecology of our coastal habitats in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. Kim will highlight the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program’s long term study of one of these megafauna, the bottlenose dolphin, in southwest Florida from their biology and behavior to the conservation issues they face. The biology and behavior of many of the ray species in our coastal waters is much less studied and Kim will present some of the recent research findings about these interesting mesopredators that fly through the sea.

chris_beers@nps.gov

This session hopes to share easy ways of communicating climate change in the classroom. A powerpoint presentation will start with a brief overview the National Park Service, its history, mission and centennial initiatives, emphasizing that climate communication is a critical need. The participants will be introduced to 3 south Florida National Parks, Biscayne, Dry Tortugas and the Everglades and how they (and local communities) are specifically threatened each by sea level rise, ocean acidification and salt water intrusion. The speaker will then present and demonstrate 3 learning activities that illustrate each of the effects on marine resources in the parks. The speaker will provide all materials necessary for the demonstration. Sharing strategies of easily repeatable, inexpensive and relevant lessons and activities will hopefully inspire teachers to do replicate in their classes. Afterwards, other coastal and marine national park sites and educational resources will be highlighted, Including virtual web chat visits.

jboothby@saintstephens.org

Whether you can take a field trip to a marine habitat or not, have your students experience the sea grass beds, coral reef, mangrove forests, and the sandy beach. This make and take session designed for elementary teachers will provide supplies to make some models to take back with you. A power point will provide pictures and graphics of students in action, the step by step processes, and finished products. Models are created with easy to access and/or recyclable materials. See how the process of making models provides the opportunity for students to talk the vocabulary and process the relationships between marine animals and their habitat.

nautilus.ed@me.com

There has been close collaboration between marine (ocean) educators in the USA and Australian for many years now. The 7 ocean literacy principles are gradually being adopted by some marine (ocean) educators in Australia. While this is not yet a coordinated approach to ocean literacy in this nation, a few keen Aussies are delivering innovative programs that would be transferrable to a range of ocean educators in other settings. This workshop explores one such undergraduate education program with the aim of encouraging similar program development elsewhere in the world. This program began as a marine (ocean) education unit for undergraduate education and resource management students at the Peninsula Campus of Monash University in 1997. At that time it was offered as an intensive two-week summer school. Located between two large bays, Western Port and Port Phillip, the Peninsula Campus and offered easy access to a range of coastal and marine habitats and from the start the unit focused on offering undergraduates direct experience of these local habitats. It was also set-up to actively engage students in place-based learning. Over the years the unit has evolved and a number of lecturers have coordinated and reworked unit. Most recently the unit has moved from the summer school setting to a more traditional semester long offering and has been redesigned to follow the 7 ocean literacy principles. One key element of this workshop will focus on the way in which this unit is based in local schools and the way in which undergraduate students (Monash Teachers) work with students at these schools. The workshop will be designed to show how the key elements of could be transferred to other undergraduate or postgraduate settings. One positive outcome of this unit was that new Monash graduates were commencing their teaching careers well versed in the 7 ocean literacy principles and equipped with a working knowledge of local coastal and marine habitats. Time will be set aside to discuss ways in which the same outcome could be achieved in other settings (locations).