New Orleans Program, Vol. 1 - National Science Teachers Association

Conference Program
Field Trips
Humanity homes, and Harry Connick’s Musician’s Village. Our
second stop is the Green Building Resource Center, where you
can pick up more information on sustainable architecture. (www.
globalgreen.org) (Limit: 30)
Behind the Scenes at Audubon Aquarium of the Americas
$35
F-8 Friday, March 20 12:45–4:15 PM
Looming large against the Mississippi River is the extraordinary
Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, one of the top museums of
its kind in the U.S. Nearly 600 species—5,000 sea life creatures—
live happily in this state-of-the-art facility where visitors can get
an upclose look at these fascinating creatures of the ocean. The
Caribbean Reef Tunnel, for example, is 30 feet long and allows
the visitor a view of Caribbean sea life viewed only by divers. The
half-million-gallon Gulf of Mexico exhibit teems with fully grown
sharks and undersea life that thrive around the barnacled pilings of
a simulated oil rig.
Come get a behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of
Audubon Aquarium of the Americas. Take a guided tour and get a
sneak peek at the staff areas behind the Caribbean Tunnel and the
Gulf of Mexico shark tank. We’ll also get a look at what it takes
to feed all of the animals and meet a special aquarium resident!
Bring your cameras and comfortable walking shoes for this rare
opportunity. Some behind-the-scenes areas are not handicapped
accessible, but participants with limited mobility should be able
to enjoy most of the tour. (Limit: 40)
Martello Castle and the MRGO with WETMAAP $33
F-9 Friday, March 20 1:00–5:00 PM
WETMAAP project directors Larry Handley and Catherine
Lockwood will be our instructors for this field trip to Martello
Castle and other wetland sites. Our trip begins with activities using
maps, aerial photography, and satellite imagery. We will then
travel by bus to areas east of New Orleans that were impacted by
Hurricane Katrina. We will explore the effects of the Mississippi
River Gulf Outlet (MRGO) on the eastern coastal marshes in
the vicinity of Shell Beach, Delacroix, Lake Borgne, and Martello
Castle, and using the existing procedures and techniques
of the WETMAAP project (Wetland Education Through Maps
and Aerial Photography), we will interpret and assess wetland
change.
94
SOLD OUT
All participants will receive the materials for WETMAAP’s
Martello Castle site, including aerial photography, topographic
maps, satellite images, exercises, and geographic content information.
Visit the WETMAAP website (www.wetmaap.org) for more
information on project activities. (Limit: 20)
Bayou Regional FIRST Robotics Competition $20
F-10 Friday, March 20 1:00–5:15 PM
S-3 Saturday, March 21 8:30 AM–12:45 PM
You are invited to attend the Bayou Regional FIRST Robotics
Competition. FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science
and Technology) is a not-for-profit charity with a mission
to motivate young people to pursue careers in STEM through
a series of robotic competitions for grades K–12 students. The
FIRST Robotics Competition is for high school students, and it
is anticipated that 55 teams from throughout the country will
participate. We will also see demonstrations of the FIRST Lego
League program, which is for middle school students, and get a
short introduction to all of FIRST’s programs.
The rest of the afternoon will be spent meeting the competing
students and their mentors, walking through the pits where they
are working on their robots, and watching the competition. This
is a high-spirited competition that is guaranteed to amaze you—
President George H.W. Bush described it as the World Wrestling
Federation for kids with brains. Since you will be around students
who are working on 120-pound robots, please do not wear sandals
or open-toed shoes. Snack bars are available. (www.bayouregional.org;
www.usfirst.org) (Limit: 54)
Bringing Nature, Technology, and Students Together at
Mandeville’s Constructed Wetlands $34
S-1 Saturday, March 21 8:00 AM–12:30 PM
Joining technology with natural processes, the City of Mandeville’s
constructed wetlands perform the dual function of cleaning
the city’s wastewater and providing an attractive habitat for
the many birds, reptiles, and mammals that visit it. Come learn
how man’s ingenuity, nature’s resources, and students’ curiosity
come together to create exciting learning opportunities.
Sample some of the environmental science field trip offerings,
conduct water quality tests in a cypress/tupelo swamp, and observe
animals that call Mandeville’s constructed wetland “home”
as you learn how technology joins hands with nature to make a
difference in Mandeville. Bring your binoculars! (Limit: 40)