Sea Lab Science Friday: STEM: The Ocean Version

Come and join us for a Friday of marine science!  Discovery Hall Programs offers a day of ‘drop-in’ classes once a month for homeschool students, for parents looking for enrichment activities for their children, for students who can join us after a day of virtual learning, or just for folks who love to learn about all things marine science.

On one Friday of each month, DHP hosts three different field classes that are each approximately two hours long.  There are two different themes that will rotate – Ocean Animal Biology and Ocean STEM. Learners can participate in one, two, or three of the classes offered during Science Friday.  Some of the classes are appropriate for all ages, while younger students will benefit from working with an accompanying adult for others.

Sea Lab Science Friday is $10 per participant per class. Please register at bit.ly/SeaLabScienceFridays.

Ocean Drifters - 9:30-11:30 am

There’s motion in the ocean! And it’s important!  Ocean currents determine the distribution of ocean animals, suspended and dissolved materials as well as heat and energy. Drifters are a type of technology that scientists use to study ocean currents. Come build with us as we design, build, and test our own mini-drifter using our engineering skills.  We’ll also track a full-size ocean drifter using satellites and an app and discuss the significance of nearshore currents in barrier island dynamics.

What to wear and bring: comfortable shoes that can get wet and sandy, a hat to shade the sun while outside, sunscreen, a water bottle, and your creativity.

Suitable for ages 10 and up, or for all ages with an accompanying adult.

Trash(in) the Ocean - 1:00-3:00 pm

Marine debris is a huge problem that impacts marine life everywhere. Join us to learn more about marine debris and microplastics.  We’ll play the role of a beach-dwelling animal and understand how hard trash is to avoid.  We’ll explore how scientists collect and analyze data by collecting our own and comparing it to that collected across the world as we take part in a citizen science project using NOAA’s Marine Debris Tracker app.

What to wear and bring: a device (if you can), comfortable shoes that can get wet and sandy, a hat to shade the sun while outside, sunscreen, a water bottle, and your sense of stewardship.

Suitable for ages 10 and up, or for all ages with an accompanying adult.

ROVing the Gulf - 3:00-5:00 pm

Do you like to build things and then see if they work? If so, then this class is for you! Scientists, ocean engineers, and explorers use remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) as they visit, study, and work in the ocean, especially in the deep sea.  In this class, we’ll learn more about ROVs, buoyancy, and hydrodynamics and then team up to build and drive a ROV in the Sea Lab pool.

What to wear and bring: a hat to shade the sun while outside, sunscreen, a water bottle, and your building skills.

Suitable for ages 10 and up, or for all ages with an accompanying adult.