This session, the AAWest Elementary Eagles will dive into Marine Science! They will become Earth Explorers and take on the questions:
What is life like in the ocean and how is it interconnected?
Is it more important to explore or to invent?
What problems are facing our oceans, and what are the possible solutions?
As scientists, they learn to observe with intentionality and diligence and to embrace their curiosity. Using their imaginations, they are challenged to bring the marine ecosystems into their studio, curating an environment of wonder about the natural world.
In Week One, they will learn about world oceans through making their own ocean map and developing a presentation to explain the Coriolis effect. In Week Two, they will explore symbiotic relationships and create a model of a coral reef. In Week Three, they will learn about creatures in the deep sea and design their own creature that could survive in such an unforgiving environment. Finally, they will learn about animals of the open ocean. They will explore the food chain in the ocean and learn in depth about one specific animal.
In addition, each Eagle will conduct independent research through a Deep Dive project. They will create a research question and spend the rest of the session using various sources and research skills to answer the question.
The Exhibition for the Marine Science Quest is an interactive museum called the Acton Museum of Marine Science. The exhibits in the museum represent focused topics from each week of the quest. They include the World Ocean, Coral Reefs, the Deep Sea, and Animals of the Open Ocean. After some time touring the museum, guests are invited to watch the Heroes who qualified to compete in Under the Sea Jeopardy.
