SEMINARS

Sanctuary staff and volunteers frequently exhibit or present educational information at conferences, community events, dive clubs, school functions, and more.

Some of the places you are likely to see us include:

• Conference for the Advancement of Science Teaching (CAST), the state science teacher conference
• Texas Dive Show, a recreational dive expo
• Earth Day events
• School Science Nights
• Dive Club meetings

To find out what we already have planned, please check the Calendar of Events.

For more information regarding specific events or to see about scheduling a presentation for your group, contact flowergarden@noaa.gov

If you'd like to volunteer to help us with events or presentations, please let us know.

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WORKSHOPS

Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary offers a variety of professional development opportunities for teachers and is considered an approved provider by the Texas State Board of Educator Certification (SBEC).

Corals to Classrooms

What are corals?  How do they build reefs?  Why are the coral reefs of the northwestern Gulf of Mexico so special and unique?  What does all this have to do with the National Marine Sanctuary System? 

These are just a few of the questions that will be answered through this interactive, resource rich 2-day educator workshop.  Educators of all levels will walk away from the experience with the means to actively involve their students in the learning process, expose them to scientific research, and share personal experiences about the challenges of field work.

Participants will receive a multitude of resources, activities, materials, and ideas for implementation of topics in biology, oceanography, geology, physical science, American government, and environmental science. 

Corals to Classrooms generally offers participants from 10-14 hours of SBEC credit, depending on the exact activities included and the final schedule. 

Please contact us if you would like to schedule this workshop into one or more of your professional development days. We can adapt the workshop to meet your scheduling or content needs.

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Down Under, Out Yonder - Workshop & SCUBA Field Experience

This 5-day workshop, organized and sponsored by the Gulf of Mexico Foundation, is your chance to take Corals to Classrooms to the next level by adding a SCUBA field experience!

The first 2 days of the workshop consist of the same land-based content as the Corals to Classrooms workshop, but are followed by 3 days at sea actually visiting and diving in the sanctuary.

REEF fish identification is also an integral part of this workshop. Educators will learn to identify approximately 80 species of reef fish, then practice what they've learned at the Aquarium at Moody Gardens. This knowledge will then be put to use doing fish surveys that will actually contribute to an ongoing database of fish species and abundance in the sanctuary.

Down Under, Out Yonder is usually offered once each year, in June or July. It generally offers participants from 28-30 hours of SBEC credit, depending on the exact activities included and the final schedule.  Registration and information materials are available from the Gulf of Mexico Foundation web site in January or February each year.

Participants need not work in a formal classroom setting, but must be involved in educating K-12 students or training personnel who educate K-12 students (e.g. aquaria, museums, nature preserves, youth organizations, home school cooperatives, etc.). Of course, participants must already be SCUBA certified to participate in the field experience. We do not provide SCUBA instruction.

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ROV-ing the National Marine Sanctuaries

These workshops focus on design, construction and science applications of remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) in national marine sanctuaries. There are two types of workshops offered.

Legos® Construction: Designed for upper elementary through high school level teachers. This workshop uses Lego® brand products to construct working ROVs and can be used in a standard classroom setting, typically for units of two weeks or longer. A variety of skills may be employed including simple programming, engineering design, field research design, data analysis and critical thinking.

PVC Construction: Designed for upper middle school through high school level teachers. This workshop uses PVC pipe and materials obtainable from local hardware stores and junk yards to design and construct a working ROV. This approach is best used as a year-long project for a class or extracurricular organization such as a science club or robotics club. Participants are encouraged to sponsor a team in the annual MATE (Marine Advanced Technology Education) ROV Competition.

Please contact us if you would like to schedule this workshop into one or more of your professional development days. We can adapt the workshop to meet your scheduling or content needs.

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Science at Sea

This workshop is designed to introduce educators to the workings of a research vessel while involving them in a variety of scientific activities in nearshore and offshore environments.

Workshop participants will learn to identify phytoplankton and determine its significance in harmful algal blooms, conduct water quality sampling at the surface and up to 60 feet below, use a remotely operated vehicle to explore the sanctuary, and investigate the workings of the sanctuary research vessel.

The full workshop lasts four days. Two days are land-based and include skill development prior to offshore adventures. The other two days take place at sea, on board the R/V Manta, weather permitting.

Various discussions and activities are included to help evaluate what has been learned and how it might be applied in the classroom environment or incorporated into student field experiences. In the case of uncooperative weather, alternative activities will be conducted, but we hope the participants will also gain an appreciation for the challenges of ocean exploration and research.

This workshop was piloted in August 2009 and is expected to be available to applicants once each year beginning in 2010. For a taste of things to come, please visit our 2009 Science at Sea Teacher Cruise page. You'll find a dialogue about our experiences and plenty of images to whet your appetite for adventure!

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