New Enhanced Whale Watching Cruise Adds Educational Value for Thousands of Elementary Students
New Enhanced Whale Watching Cruise Adds Educational Value for Thousands of Elementary Students
Last month, a group of 5th grade students from Harbor View Elementary took part in Crystal Cove Alliance’s latest educational program, the Enhanced Whale Watching Cruise. This one-of-a-kind STEM experience, developed and run in partnership with Newport Landing Sportfishing, was created to enhance the traditional whale watch experience by immersing students in authentic on-the-water science.
The two-hour cruise takes students into Crystal Cove’s Marine Protected Area, where student-led research teams engage in different monitoring projects – such as marine mammal monitoring and plankton identification. Team backpacks filled with field equipment and five onboard exhibits turn each trip into a scientific exploration.
No stranger to CCA’s ocean programs, science teacher Megan Vick has witnessed the program’s evolution from its humble beginnings to what it is today. “This new cruise provides students with a more interactive learning environment,” says Megan. “It brings awareness to this beautiful ecosystem off of our coast… an experience that will hopefully allow the students to develop into stewards of the ocean.”
Over 20,000 elementary students per year participate in traditional whale watching programs out of Newport Landing Sportfishing and Davy’s Locker. By adding educational value without increasing the price, CCA is helping to lower the barriers for all students to receive excellent science and environmental education.
The Enhanced Whale Watching Cruise is open for school group bookings for 2015-2016. For more information, please visit Newport Landing’s website