Students Explore the Underwater World
Gulf of Maine Research Institute
One of the highlights of bringing 5th and 6th grade students from across Maine to our lab for a hands-on research investigation is seeing their excitement as they interact with our live exhibit.
Our benthic tank is home to a dynamic mix of lobsters, sea ravens, sculpin, lumpfish, and sea stars, including two lobsters with rare adaptations — one is orange and the other blue. As soon as students arrive for their LabVenture! experience, they see the tank and light up with excitement.
During their investigation at that station, they explore which type of habitat juvenile lobsters prefer and why. Students are introduced to the many ways that scientists research how marine animals go about their lives under water, such as video and tagging studies. They then use joystick-controlled underwater cameras to locate the adult lobsters in the tank, examine various habitat components in detail, and record video evidence of how they behave. Finally, they conduct a virtual tagging study to investigate the preferred habitat of juvenile lobsters, moving around the tank to collaborate with other teams.
It’s amazing to see how this experience begins to transform students’ science aspirations and nurtures their personal connection to the ocean.
Date: April 7, 2010
