But the Aquarium of the Pacific has its own YouTube channel. There are some incredible videos that can provide you and your students an insider’s view of the Aquarium. There are sharks, whales, lorikeets, scuba divers, and happy kids! One of my favorite new additions is Sea Lion Cam. Created by one of our wonderful mammalogist volunteers, Hugh, the ring camera gives us a sea lion perspective on the habitat. I’ve always wanted to swim in the exhibit with our pinnipeds, and thanks to Hugh, now I can!

If you’re looking for more background information about animals, you might want to check out the multimedia section of our website. There are AquaCasts which you can even download to your MP3 player, videos, an Online Learning Center, and more. You can even access complete lectures from our guest speaker series. It’s a great way to feed the bio nerd growing inside us all (or is that just me?).

We want to keep providing you with resources that excite and inspire you to use the ocean in your classroom. If there is something you need, please let us know. We are a work in progress!

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For those aspiring artists and poets in your class, here is a great opportunity to combine ocean science, writing, and visual arts. The California Coastal Commission believes that "by encouraging youth to reflect on the beauty and spirit of California's beaches and ocean, we [can] inspire a greater sense of stewardship for these natural places. A population that cares about the coast is more likely to work to conserve and protect it."

Submit artwork or poetry with a California coastal or marine theme to the annual Coastal Art & Poetry Contest by January 30, 2010. Up to eight winners will be selected to win $100 gift certificates to an art supply or book store, and each winner's sponsoring teacher will receive a $40 gift certificate for educational supplies. All winners and honorable mentions will receive tickets for their families to visit the Aquarium of the Pacific. Students may have their work featured on Commission web pages and materials, and winning entries will be exhibited throughout the state, including at the Ford House Museum in Mendocino and the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro.

To view past winners, download entry forms, review the rules, and see helpful links for teachers and students, visit the California Coastal Commission webpage.

We can't wait to see what your students create. Good luck to all!

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In these sessions, we will introduce a curriculum entitled Learning Ocean Science Through Ocean Exploration. The curriculum makes use of data from actual deep-sea expeditions to teach earth, life, and physical science concepts. It is a great way to connect students with scientists in the field, and introduce the mysterious deep sea habitat. Best of all, after completing the intro and follow-up session, each teacher will receive a $100 stipend!

Our next intro workshop is scheduled for December 12 from 8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. in the Watershed classroom. Registration for the December workshop includes a reservation for the follow-up workshop on May 15, 2010. Reservations are on a first-come, first-serve basis and can be made through our Guest Support Center at 562-951-1630.

Visit the Ocean Explorer site for great resources and more info.

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If climate change is one of those topics you know you should cover, but can’t figure our how to make it work, then the 2nd Annual Climate Change Educator Workshop might be perfect for you. On November 14 from 10:00-2:00, Linda Chilton from USC Sea Grant Program will present hands-on activities for grades K-8 that introduce students to climate related topics. The workshop is part of the Aquarium’s NOAA & Our Planet Day, which features films exhibits, and other activities, and includes a free tote bag with lots of goodies for all participants.

Best of all, this program is FREE! To make your reservation, please call the Guest Support Center at 562-951-1630

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Before I came to work here, I had the opportunity to do a few fantastic things. I fulfilled a childhood dream of working with stranded seals and sea lions at the Marine Mammal Center in northern California. My husband and I spent some in Paris eating baguettes and cheese and trying to learn French. I taught at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium and was a middle school science teacher in San Francisco. Teaching, learning, being around animals and the ocean are some of my favorite things in life. That and making our new baby laugh.

Anyway, enough about me, because I just found out from a friend of mine that Target is awarding grants for field trips all around the country. Now, I don’t work for Target (though I have been seen there shopping on occasion…), but this sounds like a pretty great thing. It looks like all you have to do is pick a place you would like to take your kids, fill out an application that says why you want to take your kids there, and wait and see if you get the grant. They are awarding amounts of $800. Now, I do work here at the Aquarium (and have been seen here shopping on occasion…) and so of course I suggest that you apply to come here! We have educational classroom programs for all grade levels that are aligned with the California state standards, so you have the ‘relevance to curriculum’ part of the grant application already fulfilled! We have had great feedback from teachers and parents who say that their kids come here, get excited about learning and about taking care of the ocean. I think that is pretty great too.

Though I just learned about this, the application process has been going on for a while and the deadline is November 3, 2009. So go online to Target’s grants page and apply soon. It seems like potentially a huge payoff for not a lot of effort!

Good luck!

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Have you been feeling like your voice isn’t heard when it comes to environmental issues? Are you a recreational fisherman, scuba diver, boater, or just a fan of beautiful beaches?

Here is an opportunity for you to learn more, and speak your mind about underwater parks. The Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) requires the state to examine and redesign California’s system of marine protected areas. Work is currently underway in our region of Southern California (the South Coast region.) The process involved in creating these marine protected areas, or underwater parks, includes opportunities for the public to be informed and involved. Through July 13, there are multiple opportunities for you to visit informational stations, review and comment on draft marine protected area proposals, provide input on particular areas of interest and ask questions of staff and regional stakeholders.

For more information about the Marine Life Protection Act, visit their website.

Interested in attending an open house? Check out the event flyer.

Thursday, July 9
Fess Parker's Doubletree
633 East Cabrillo Blvd.
Santa Barbara, CA 93103
(805) 564-4333

Monday, July 13
Catalina Island
Avalon City Hall
410 Avalon Canyon Road
Avalon, CA 90704

Note: To review and/or print the downloadable items, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you do not have Acrobat Reader, you may click on the icon to obtain your FREE copy.

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The education department at the Aquarium is looking forward to it's first Teacher Family Day on Monday, June 29. It’s a FREE opportunity for you and your family to enjoy the Aquarium and get ideas for next year’s field trips. Both classrooms will also be open for you to learn more about our school program offerings. Have your kids test out the activities, and then bring your students back next year!

To reserve a spot for you and two family members, contact our Guest Support Center for a reservation. They can be reached at (562) 951-1630.

Hope to see you then!

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Have you checked out the Opportunities and Announcement section of this website? It’s full of fabulous professional development opportunities offered through the Aquarium and other organizations we know and trust. Whether you're looking for an afternoon lecture or a week-long excursion, we can recommend some programs to give you what you need.

One of my favorite programs is just around the corner – the Boeing Teacher Institute. This 5 day program takes place behind the scenes at the Aquarium and on Catalina Island. The intensive program gives participants an in-depth experience of California marine life and arms them with materials, ideas, and inspiration to bring marine science back into their classroom. During the program you may be kayaking or snorkeling through kelp, touring the Aquarium, creating lesson plans, learning how to set up a fish tank, or digging through a mud sample. Best of all the program is generously sponsored by The Boeing Company so it’s completely free for teachers.

For more information, including a tentative schedule, visit the BTI page. The application is now available, so apply today!

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Thank you for visiting our new and improved Teacher website. We are excited to have a place to share ideas, pass along information, and support teachers in their efforts to bring marine science into their classroom.

My name is Alie LeBeau. I am the Teacher and School Resources Coordinator in the education department. I’ve been with the Aquarium since 2004. Before that, I lived on Catalina Island where I worked as an instructor for a marine science camp. My three years on the island made me a little biased for the fish of southern California, and left me with a love for all things kelp. Yup – I admit it… I am an algae nerd!

Prior to working in outdoor education, I was a classroom teacher. I was the elementary science teacher at a small school in North Carolina. That’s where I fell in love with the creative minds of teachers and saw the influence we have as teachers. My first class of 4th graders are now sophomores in college (I see you calculating) and I can only hope they still remember those lessons that got them excited to learn more.

Through this new website we hope to create a forum for teachers to work together, share ideas, and join a community of science educators. If you have ideas for future blogs, lesson plans that you’ve loved, or other suggestions, please let us know.

Stay tuned for our next blog… Learn more about our teacher professional development opportunities for this summer: Boeing Teacher Institute and the Iliff Infectious Enthusiasm Scholarship. Hope to see you back here soon!

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