Fifth Graders Visit the Marine Science Institute

One of the highlights of our Bay ecology study is our annual trip on the Bay with the Marine Science Institute. This is a half day field trip in which students learn about the Bay first hand. Students spent a half-day as marine scientists aboard the 90-foot research vessel, the Robert G. Brownlee, discovering the Estuary’s ecosystem and discussing their own roles within it. Students collected and examined plankton, ran hydrology tests, and observed wetland ecology from the ship. Our young scientists delved through mud samples and discovered the fascinating invertebrates that thrive at the Bay’s bottom. Students also used a trawl net and caught a variety of fish species. They then identified the fish using a dichotomous key and, before releasing, MSI measured each fish for a bay monitoring program. This program offers students the chance to enjoy the Bays natural ecosystem while learning and reinforcing valuable scientific skills.