From Ohio to the Gulf: High School Students Learn about Ground Fish Surveys

How do teachers bring real time science into the classroom?  Understanding that teachers ARE scientists is great place to start.  Students who see their teacher as a scientist will ask more questions regarding scientific research, the role of scientists, how data is collected/reported, and the careers available to them in the science field. The NOAA Teacher At Sea Program is one way teachers can portray themselves as scientists to their students.  My time aboard the Oregon II in the Gulf of Mexico allowed me the opportunity to be a scientist first, then teacher second.  The rigor of a fisheries mission does not allow for much downtime as data is collected 24 hours a day.  Each person has an important role in the scientific party. 

How does a teacher bring the ocean into the Midwest classroom?  Creating lessons that connect the coast with the inland waters is a great place to begin.  One of my TAS developed lessons showed students the interconnectedness and chemical makeup of mollusks found in the ocean and those found on the shores of local lakes and streams. 

However, the lessons do not stop in the classroom.  Being a TAS participant has allowed me to bring real time science to those in my local community and scientific community of peers.  Locally I presented videos, photos, and stories of my time at sea.  Members of the community can see how scientists at NOAA collect data and how their data affects the commercial fishing industry.  Presenting at workshops promotes the NOAA Education website and encourages others to take on the adventure of becoming a TAS.   Ocean literacy is not always a focus in the inland states curriculum standards, the question is “why” but the answer is obvious, “All life, including our own, is dependent on the ocean.”