Alaska Sea Week
October 20, 2018
As part of Alaska Sea Week, a marine and wetland curriculum provides marine science interpretive programs for K-6 students in the Juneau School District in Juneau, Alaska.
Alaska Sea week is a K-6 marine and wetland curriculum that was developed in the Juneau School district in the mid 1970’s. The program began as a volunteer effort among parents in Juneau and was further developed through Alaska Sea Grant funding. Grade appropriate curriculum guidelines and materials (slides, worksheets, games and other teaching tools) are used in the classroom and the material is enhanced by visiting local beaches, wetlands and facilities associated with marine research or education. The program received national recognition in 1987 by being named one of the Nation’s best science education programs by the National Science Teachers’ Association.
Auke Bay Laboratories has been involved in Sea Week activities from the very beginning. Annually we provide interpretive programs for approximately 1,200 students, teachers and parents during the month of May. The interpretative programs are geared towards kindergarten and 6th grade students. Both grade levels focus on aquarium viewing with age appropriate animal identification cards and habitat manipulative activities and a "touch tank" experience (opportunity to hold and view invertebrates). Additional activities associated with current research at ABL and basic oceanography are provided for the older students. The kindergarten students visit our facility for 45 minutes while the 6th graders spend 90 minutes.