Welcome to the
Enhanced Whale Watch Expedition!
Embark on a thrilling educational voyage with your students as marine biologists on our Enhanced Whale Watching cruise! Set sail for discovery and exploration during this two-hour marine adventure, hosted in collaboration with our partners at Newport Landing. Your young scientists will participate in five different monitoring projects centered around the diverse wildlife of the Crystal Cove State Marine Conservation Area to see how the local ecosystem is changing over time.
Equipped with expedition backpacks, binoculars, and field notebooks, students will identify marine mammals, monitor coastal birds, collect and study plankton, and learn about the ecological roles of marine mammals. They’ll actively record data, identify and count active marine life, and explore marine artifacts onboard. This Next Generation Science Standards aligned program includes pre- and post-trip in-class lesson plans to engage and prepare your students to join our community for a fun and educational day on the water as they help gather data to inform how to continue to protect our delicate marine ecosystems.
Please visit our field trip page for information on booking an in-person trip.
How to Join
The Enhanced Whale Watch curriculum is available for free for everyone! If you are a teacher or homeschool educator and would like to join the Enhanced Whale Watch Expedition for the 2024-2025 school year, please complete this survey and let us know.
If you have any questions about the program, feel free to contact Alyssa Aldaz, Education Manager, by emailing alyssa@crystalcove.org.
Enhanced Whale Watch Expedition Curriculum
Teacher & Educator Resources
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- Teacher Guide (PDF)
Activity 1: Marine Mammal and Bird Identification Training
- Activity 1 Lesson Guide (PDF)
Activity 2: Plankton Classification
- Activity 2 Lesson Guide (PDF)
Activity 3: Seal and Sea Lion Meet and Greet
- Activity 3 Lesson Guide (PDF)
Activity 4: Gray Whale Adaptations
- Activity 4 Lesson Guide (PDF)