In thIs Issue: - The Out-of-Door Academy

Out-of-Door Academy
Making a Splash at Mote Marine
The out-of-door Academy lower school and mote marine
laboratory have launched a unique partnership—one that,
upon maturation, could become a model for other schools
and other research facilities.
since its launch, the marine science initiative has been
awash in enthusiasm.
Jim Wharton, director of mote’s center for school and
Public Programs, calls it “exciting.”
The kids say it’s just plain “cool.”
The out-of-door
Academy ls head
of school david V.
mahler deems it
a “real academic
enhancement.”
The out-of-door
Academy marine
science teacher
lisa cheney labels
it a “one-of-a-kind”
program.
And all agree they’ve never experienced anything like it.
in the program, The out-of-door Academy lower school
students are scheduled to periodically visit mote, learning
more about marine science and using their knowledge in
hands-on activities. This, however, is no ordinary field trip
to the aquarium, mahler stresses. it is, instead, “a sustained
relationship” in pursuit of definitive educational and
environmental goals.
What also makes the program different from similar
activities, everyone agrees, is the fact that The out-of-door
Academy students are doing actual research that could add
to the body of knowledge of the sarasota Bay estuary, in
particular, and near-shore research, in general.
“The kids are dealing with real scientists and doing field
studies, collecting samples, learning about the estuary,
etc.,” mahler explains. “They are doing legitimate science.”
in fact, cheney adds, mote is considering the creation of an
“odA science Journal” that would publish the results of the
fieldwork done by the students.
The initiative began last fall, when Pre-K through thirdgrade
students used seine and dip nets to take samples
of the estuary’s water and the plants and “critters” in it,
cheney said. some of those animals were brought back to
the classroom for further study and discussion, she added.
This spring, the effort will continue, when these same
students will again sample the waters, comparing what was
found in the two excursions.
And there’s certainly enough to keep them busy for
quite some time.
According to the sarasota Bay estuary Program, sarasota
Bay is home to more than 1400 different types of native
species of plants and animals. Among common finds and
sightings while netting are sea hares (which are related to
clams and squids), blue crabs, sea horses, sea grass, puffer
fish and a wide variety of sea fowl.
The program eventually will be broadened to students
through the sixth grade, cheney said, with older students
analyzing samples taken by the younger ones, looking, for
instance, at how water quality affects wildlife.
What’s “really exciting” about that division of labor,
Wharton explains, “is the idea that kids can start out in preschool,
and by the sixth grade they could lead a program,
having a feeling of ownership” in all that’s being done.
most importantly, Wharton says: “This program gives kids
an understanding of how science works – not just gathering
scientific information, but using critical thinking to analyze that
information. This development of critical thinking will serve
them the rest of their lives, no matter what fields they pursue.”
The idea for the unique partnership began to take form
during meetings mahler held with local community leaders
upon joining The out-of-door Academy in 2003. The