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

chris.simoniello@gcoos.org; deirdre.englehart@ucf.edu

Educators participating in the NOAA Climate Stewards Education Project (CSEP) will summarize examples of CSEP sustained professional development and collaborative tools, and challenge participants to complete hands-on activities. Following a brief overview of the CSEP, session attendees will rotate through stations with climate stewardship action projects that are multi-disciplinary in nature and support inquiry-based learning. The activities share the common element of strengthening ocean, climate and atmospheric science education and support Ocean Literacy Principles 3, 4, 5 and 6 and Climate Literacy Principles 2 and 7. Information for session attendees to learn about the NOAA Climate Education Community, with resources including face to face workshops, webinars, book/discussion club meetings, educational resources and professional development opportunities, will also be provided.

brandon.smith@brevardparks.com

The Biggest Reducer was funded through a NOAA grant to help students learn about lunch waste and make positive behavioral changes to reduce their waste production and lower their carbon emissions. The presentation covers concepts of the waste stream, waste reduction, natural resources, carbon footprint, climate change, embodied energy, data collection, engineering, and community level solutions. Classes that previously participated in the program saw a 50% reduction in waste from their school lunches. Following its first year of implementation it has been highly requested and was even published in the 2016 Spring edition of National Earth Science Teachers Association's journal, The Earth Scientist. Presentation attendees will learn the specifics of how the program was designed and how to implement it in their facilities. They will be given access to the resources and full presentation in order to replicate the program within their facilities. The program itself has been implemented in both the formal school setting and informal camp setting. It is ideal for anywhere waste is produced and can be used either as a several week data collection activity where students can clearly visualize the results of their efforts or just a one hour informational presentation to encourage behavioral changes in waste reduction.

@brie_thatcheese

Biodiversity is usually a concept for one to easily understand but growing up in Baltimore City, it is something that is more inconspicuously present. In this presentation we will discuss how we presented the concept of biodiversity to inner city Baltimore youth. Using the inquiry-based, IEEIA Model, we created, adapted, and designed a biodiversity research activity to fit the needs of our program and to the needs of our students. Our students of our weeklong residential summer camp, Week on the Bay, were the researchers in charge of this project. The students were able to collect data first-hand and present their findings in a non-traditional way. Session participants will learn about how we went about doing this research, how it was designed, and how students were engaged as well as how they responded to it to. With this they will be able to implement it into their own classrooms, programs, and engaged their students. Leaving with handouts and resources pertaining to inquiry based learning educators will be prepared to take this back to any student they’re teaching. There will also be hands on activity similar to the one our students used to present their research.

Heather.Sneed@MyFWC.com

This workshop will focus on the Aquatic Species Collecting Certificate which allows educators to collect aquatic organisms with certain restrictions. A Power Point presentation will be used along with actual items and a discussion. The workshop will cover the components of this special activity license, its requirements, best management practices, field sampling techniques, transporting techniques, basic information about keeping organisms, and resources that educators can use for these activities.

Heather.Sneed@MyFWC.com

Participants of this workshop must possess an Aquatic Species Collecting Certificate (or have completed the workshop during this Conference), a trawl net (or access to one), a vessel to pull the net (or access to one). This workshop details the requirements for operating a trawl net in aquatic environments, the restrictions, and the best management practices for conducting this activity. A Power Point presentation will be used to cover these topics and discussion is encouraged.

education@gulfworldmarinepark.com, @gulfworldpcb (Southern)

Educational marine mammal institutions accredited by the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums are an excellent resource for teachers looking to educate and motivate their students. Via field trips, outreach presentations, shared lesson plans and curriculum, we can provide access to the most inspiring animals and expert scientists. Alliance-accredited facilities are dedicated to the highest standards of care for marine mammals and to their conservation in the wild. Let us show you what we have to offer including take-home materials and information.

sowells@duvalschools.org, @scottpsowell

Coral bleaching is a visually dramatic demonstration of the effects of climate change on marine ecosystems. Participants in this session will work through aspects of an inquiry-based lab activity, developed by HHMI BioInteractive, which revolves around graphing and analyzing reef locations and ocean temperature data over a series of years. Generating and interpreting graphical representations of authentic data is an important skill for all students to practice. This presentation will demonstrate how to conduct such an inquiry-based learning experience via HHMI BioInteractive’s coral bleaching activity, which simultaneously teaches science content (e.g., coral bleaching) as well as science processes (e.g., the creation of scientific knowledge via evidence). During the session, participants will spend some time working in small groups to analyze data about coral reefs and ocean temperatures. After they graph and analyze the data, they will then color-code and plot the information onto maps in order to look for global patterns and trends about coral bleaching. Throughout the session, we will be explicitly inserting specific learning moments that focus on the nature of science and scientific inquiry, such as the tentative nature of science, the distinctions between observations and inferences, and the role of imagination in the movement from evidence to scientific explanation. Science education research has demonstrated that in order for students to develop a robust understanding of the nature of science, such principles should a) be explicitly taught, b) be embedded within authentic data collection/analysis, and c) involve a meaningful reflective component. As teachers, we not only want our students to understand the science content, we also want them to have an accurate understanding of what it means to “do” science and to generate such content. Having a more accurate and robust understanding of the work of real scientists can assist students in imagining themselves as scientists, a reflection that must be accomplished as we work toward greater equity within science and science education. At the end of the session, participants will receive all relevant hand-outs, DVDs, and instructional materials related to the lab.

Lionfish were introduced by aquarium hobbyists to waters off the southeast coast of Florida in the 1980s. Over the past ten years, these beautiful, ornate fish have rapidly spread across the entire tropical western Atlantic, from North Carolina to Venezuela, throughout the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. The population sizes in the invaded range commonly exceed those from their native habitats by several orders of magnitude. With a seemingly insatiable appetite for our native fishes, and a lack of local predators and disease to keep them in check, Lionfish can have detrimental effects on the invaded marine ecosystem. In this talk, I will review the history of the invasion, discuss the biology and ecology that has allowed them to be so successful, highlight some damaging impacts they can have, and finish with what scientists are doing to combat the problem.

kstephens@nessf.org, @ness_sea

See if AmeriCorps is the right fit for your organization! Using the NESS SEA AmeriCorps model at New England Science & Sailing in New London, CT, participants will explore how to successfully implement an AmeriCorps program to reach underserved students using STEM-based marine science, sailing and adventure sports. AmeriCorps is a national service program that engages over 75,000 Americans in intensive service each year in communities that need it most. High priority funding areas each year include education and STEM. AmeriCorps programs are widely successful in reaching audiences that are not typically engaged in Ocean Literacy and marine science education. Participants will discuss procedures organizations can take to start an AmeriCorps program in their state and receive documents to aid in the process. The presentation will feature photos and videos of NESS SEA AmeriCorps members in action and testimonials of students that participate in AmeriCorps programs to highlight the benefits and outcomes. The presenter will be leave sufficient time for a Q&A session with participants.

cstrang@berkeley.edu, @CraigStrang2

In recent years, there has been a significant focus on the overlaps between the academic skills highlighted in the Common Core State Standards and the Next Generation Science Standards, particularly on engaging students in academic discourse and argument from evidence. Schools and districts frequently look to universities and informal science education institutions (e.g., aquariums and science museums) to support the professional learning of their teachers around science. There are many models for providing professional learning experiences, and some are far more effective than others. Additionally, as NMEA moves to the next phase of the Ocean Literacy campaign, providing wide-spread professional learning opportunities, it is important for professional learning providers to learn about and discuss a variety of high-quality professional learning models. In this presentation, we will share one particularly effective model for professional learning that can be replicated at other sites. The Marine Activities, Resources & Education (MARE) program at the Lawrence Hall of Science has offered 13 science and literacy practicum-based professional learning academies for elementary and middle school teachers. In this model, teachers participate in: a week-long summer Institute; a two-week summer school teaching practicum using team teaching, coaching, video reflection, and just-in-time workshops; and then follow-up sessions in the ensuing academic year that incorporate additional pedagogical input as needed, video reflection, and planning time. Since teachers are tasked with implementing what they have learned during the institute while team-teaching in the practicum, it is critical to provide them with curriculum materials that support their pedagogical goals. The Ocean Sciences Sequences for Grades 3-5 and Grades 6-8 (OSS) were written to provide such opportunities and also offer students the opportunity to explore exciting and engaging content. During this presentation, we will share an overview of the professional learning model, resources for implementation, and video examples of how teachers are using the OSS materials to support their instructional goals and enhance their pedagogical proficiency in engaging students in academic discourse and engaging in argument from evidence.

cstrang@berkeley.edu, @CraigStrang2; chalver@berkeley.edu; lwhitley@usc.edu; hollandk@greenmtn.edu

There are many examples of Disciplinary Core Ideas in the Next Generation Science Standards that directly match content that is described in "Ocean Literacy: The Essential Principles of Ocean Sciences for Learners of All Ages, Version 2" and "The Ocean Literacy Scope and Sequence for Grades K-12." However, there are also many examples of Disciplinary Core Ideas that do not explicitly mention the ocean, but cannot be fully understood without addressing the ocean component of the idea. The NMEA Ocean Literacy Committee developed an elaborate scoring rubric that describes in details the relationship between the Next Generation Science Standards at each grade level and each of the seven Ocean Literacy principles. This accessible tool allows teachers, school leaders and curriculum developers with critical guidance about when and how ocean concepts should be strategically inserted into the mainstream K-12 science curriculum. This panel will introduce the OL/NGSS Alignment document, explain the scoring system used to align ocean concepts to NGSS, and will discuss how the document can be used to influence state, district and school science implementation plans. The alignment document also provides direct guidance to instructional materials developers about where to include ocean concepts. Finally, this new tool also provides strong justification teachers and informal educators to provide ocean sciences learning experiences that supplement traditional texts that do not adequately address ocean concepts. The session will include discussion with participants about developing strategies for using the alignment document and other Ocean Literacy resources to influence NGSS implementation regionally and nationally. Please join us to launch this next important phase of the growing, grassroots Ocean Literacy Campaign.

@SeaWorld; srussell92@comcast.net, @seandrussell

cassie@neracoos.org, @seastymiest

An unprecedented view of nutrient levels in coastal waters is now available to coastal managers, scientists, and policy makers thanks to new advances in technology. In partnership with Seabird Scientific, high-tech nutrient sensors measuring nitrate, phosphate, and ammonium are being deployed around the world. These sensors provide the ability to monitor the components thought to be most associated with algae blooms and other water-quality events, rather than simply tracking the effects of such events as they unfold. This data may ultimately lead to prediction and mitigation of harmful events. The Northeastern Regional Association of Coastal Ocean Observing Systems (NERACOOS) and its partners have begun the deployment of automated nutrient sensors on buoys in the Gulf of Maine and estuaries including Great Bay and Long Island Sound. In Florida, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University operates a network of automated buoys monitoring water quality and nutrients in the Indian River Lagoon and St. Lucie Estuary. This session will highlight data being collected in these regions and how you can access the information, and use it in your educational setting. The unique data collected by these observatories will help inform the science and management community of critical issues like coastal eutrophication, harmful algal blooms, and ocean and coastal acidification. We will explore these valuable connections to science and research, but also show you how to access, download, and graph the data in the classroom and at home. We will also share ideas about how to incorporate the data into existing lesson plans at a range of education levels. Participants will walk away with helpful resources and a shared understanding of the value in using real ocean information in their educational settings.

kauaipatty@Yahoo.com, @PattySul

Our ocean is an unsafe place to live. Every year animals including whales, seals, turtles and birds, are killed by ‘ghost’ fishing gear. This is a global problem. World Animal Protection estimates that ghost gear kills over 136,000 marine animals every year. Researchers at Duke University and the University of St. Andrews in Scotland estimate a global annual average of nearly 308,000 deaths per year, nearly 1,000 per day of whales, dolphins and porpoises. Ghost fishing gear often travels long distances from its point of origin and accumulates in hotspots around oceanic currents. Even remote Antarctic habitats are not free from this pollution, every ocean and sea on earth is affected. The materials used to make fishing gear cause long-lasting dangers. The plastics used are very durable, some persisting in the oceans for up to 600 years. Some are almost invisible in the water, and they are extremely strong and resistant to biting and chewing by entangled animals so they cannot escape. Source: WAP World Cetacean Alliance WCA has joined forces with World Animal Protection WAP and the Global Ghost Gear Initiative GGGI, WAP has a launched a website to collect information about ghost gear worldwide. The ultimate goal of WAP is to identify hotspots and provide funding for cleanups. EVERYONE CAN WRITE ABOUT WHALES, presented at the 2012 NMEA Conference in Boston, MA has been updated to incorporate Common Core and Net Effect campaign. ECWAW has been piloted in Connecticut, Hawaii and United Arab Emirates classrooms and can improve written expression on high stakes tests. During the presentation, learners will participate in a brief, harmless exercise which simulates entanglement, and be presented with auditory, visual, multimodal representations of endangered whales. Learners will then compose a coherent piece of writing (dependent upon age, grade, ability) incorporating all they have learned during the presentation. This presentation is an abridged, mini lesson based on the curriculum and Net Effect campaign.

Would a student rather learn chemistry by reading a textbook in a classroom or measuring pH and other water quality parameters while sailing on the Great Lakes? If a teacher could choose between a worksheet showing sketches of macroinvertebrates or taking students to dig through lake-bottom leaf litter to capture and identify their own set of critters, which activity would make a more lasting impact? Hear successful strategies from one urban educator and her Sea Grant mentor/co-conspirator for building authentic, exhilarating, place-based teaching and learning --- tips for funding field trips and student projects (including grant-writing), networking with others engaged in advancing ocean and Great Lakes literacy, and more! You too can develop a team like the one that brought science to life for urban middle schoolers in the Detroit area.

thomas.leslie@brevardschools.org

Have you ever thought about making the switch from an informal marine educator position to becoming a classroom teacher? It's not as hard as you think! Maybe you’ve spent a few years (or more) working in a zoo, aquarium or museum setting and are craving something more. Maybe you want to make more of an impact on young people or you just want to try a new career path. Either way, the experience you gained as an informal educator can pay off big time in a high school classroom! As someone who recently made the leap from informal education management to high school marine science teacher, I speak from experience. This real-world experience is extremely valuable in today’s science classroom. My students love hearing about my experiences on the beach with nesting sea turtles or diving with sharks in Mexico. In their words, I’m a “real scientist” and not “just a teacher.” Those goofy team-building activities you did in summer camp? Those make great icebreakers in the beginning of the school year! You can use real-time data-sets from shark and sea turtle tracking in an engaging and challenging semester-long research project that gets students thinking like actual scientists. From the confusing world of school districts and certification requirements to classroom management techniques and lesson planning. I’ll share my tips and tricks for surviving your first year in the classroom (and have fun while you’re doing it!). Lesson plans and activities will be demonstrated and available for participants to take home.