Science by the Sea is an educational organization in North Carolina. It supports academic and general audiences. It also helps research institutions and has a large impact in various industries. These include;
· Education
· Communication
· Outreach
The institution offers many lessons for its students. There is a marine biological laboratory that helps with physical learning. Some of the topics taught during lessons are;
1. Atmosphere
There are two distinct topics that are covered in the Atmosphere lessons. These are;
· The Ocean and Weather: El Nino and La Nina
Here, students are able to explore the weather phenomena known as El Nino and La Nina. They are taught about the effects of these phenomena and how they occur. Students are able to study maps of the regions these phenomena occur. They then discuss the importance of predicting such phenomena accurately.
· Upwelling: Cold One Day, Warm Another?
Information is gathered from the US Army Corps of Engineers Field Research Facility. It includes water temperature and wind vector data. Students in this lesson are able to explore nearshore upwelling trends.
2. Biology
These lessons explore all life in the area. It includes the following topics;
· Animal Behavior
This allows students to become citizen scientists. They look into migratory patterns in marine life. They also compare long-term and short-term differences in Sea Surface Temperature (SST).
· Antarctic Ecosystems
Antarctica has animals that have adapted to the extreme climatic conditions. These include penguins, fish, whales, and seals. Scientists visit the region to study the ecosystem and physical oceanography. Students in this lesson learn about the studies conducted. They also learn more about the ecosystem.
· Aquatic Food Web
This lesson includes Diatom Adventures. The activity is vital for introductory and review material. It is for standards in different topics. These include nutrition, microbiology and ecosystems.
3. Chemistry or Properties of Matter
Students are able to combine art and science in this lesson. They discover what pressure does when ocean depths increase. The students make Styrofoam cups. This is by using foam and air in the marine biological laboratory. The cups have enough insulation. They are then secured to marine equipment and lowered to 500 meters below sea level. When air is forced out of the cups, pressure increases.
4. Forces or Motion
5. Geologic History
This involves two lessons;
· Bringing Geologic Time Down to Scale: Students calculate the timeline of geologic periods. They base it on a specific scale.
· Microfossils in Blake’s Nose: Students gain access to online data to generate graphs. The information shows distribution changes of microfossils in the water.
6. Hydrosphere
Lessons on the hydrosphere include;
· Virtual Research Cruise
· Aquatic Food Web
· Depth and Pressure
· El Nino and La Nina
· Remote Sensing and Tracking Oceanic Predators
· Upwelling
7. Lithosphere
The lessons on the Lithosphere include Earth’s Geologic History. Students are guided to create a geologic timeline. The lesson incorporates math skills and a geologic time chart.
8. Microbiology
There are various guiding principles for the institution. These include;
1. Essential Standards for North Carolina Science
2. Next Generation Science Standards
3. Ocean Literacy Principles
4. Teaching Climate Science Position Statement
PUPCYCLE is an acronym for Phytoplankton Upwelling Cycle. Researchers from the various universities take part in the activity. The institutions include;
· University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill
· University of British Columbia (Canada)
· Humboldt University (California)
Pupcycle Day involves researching relationships between phytoplankton and coastal upwelling. It is a yearly event that has different themes focused on the main topic. Researchers and scientists go on board the Research Vessel Oceanus. They take part in experiments in specific regions of the Pacific Ocean. The event takes place over two weeks. An itinerary of the whole event is often provided before the expedition sets off.
Science by the Sea allows you to explore the world through them. The blog offers information on various marine life in the oceans. The blog focuses on featured aquatic life, including;
1Sea-ing Stars – Sea Star
The scientific name for this starfish is Asterias forbesii.
After the sea has settled from winter storms, the beach is often flooded with marine life. Science by the Sea offers information on these Sea Stars. They have no blood or brain and reproduce both sexually and externally. They are fascinating creatures. You can find more information on the Science by the Sea blog of wonders.
2. My Bonnet Comes from the Ocean – Scotch Bonnet
Scotch Bonnets have 2-4 inch shells. They are gastropods which means they belong to the same family as snails and slugs. You will learn interesting facts about them. Things like they secrete sulfuric acid to weaken their prey.
3. Giant Tuns Weigh Much Less – Giant Tun
The scientific name of giant tuns is Tonna galea. There has been extensive research on the development of their embryonic systems. This is in an effort to reproduce them in the marine biological laboratory.
They have an extended foot that they use to crawl along the seafloor. While crawling, they emit a greenish-white light in the form of luminescence.
Giant Tuns are found across the Atlantic Ocean on a wide scale. They are an extremely rare species and completely fascinating. You can learn more on them on the SBTS blog post.
Science by the Sea is an educational institution fit for all. Whether you are a science student or professional, you will find something for you. The institution offers many lessons on different phenomena around the world. The researchers try to find answers to scientific questions. They then release information to the public. Anything found out at the institution is available to be studied. The Wonders blog has some interesting content. It features rare aquatic life that have very peculiar features. It is an interesting institution for all.