THE GALVESTON TRIP

SUMMARY

The purpose of the trip is to provide a stimulating learning experience for middle school students in Marine Biology. Students will participate in a Marine Science Seminar at Texas A&M University’s Marine Science Institute located in Galveston, Texas.

Connection to the Curriculum

Students will participate in a variety of activities to increase their awareness of the Gulf Coast. Students will be using skills learned in the classroom in field settings. The activities are interdisciplinary with the Language Arts, Math, and Social Studies curricula.

Time

Three Days, 2 Nights in May

Materials

See Student Supply List, Itinerary, Web Links

Objectives

1. Grade 6(EE 2) Use skills in acquiring data through the senses: The students are provided opportunities to observe selected plants and animals and their growth patterns.

   Students are taken to the nursery areas of the bay and given the opportunity to observe marine life at the earliest stages of development.

2. Grade 6(EE 4b) Use oral and written communication of data in appropriate form. The students will describe ecological relationships in the environment.

   Students are required to keep a journal of all data they collect. Environmental relationships will be documented.

3. Grade 6(EE 5a) Use concepts and skills of measurement using relationships to standards to measure life processes.

   Students observe and record data on life processes of various marine life.

4. Grade 6(EE 7a) Experience in skills in relating objects and events to other objects and events. Compare organism adaptations to environmental changes.

   Students observe and record information on the conditions of marine life before and after pollution.

5. Grade 6(EE 9) Identify and manipulate the conditions in their investigations.

   Students complete various field and water tests using multi- variables.

6. Grade 6(EE 10) Apply science in daily life. Analyze the economic importance of selected plants and animals. Evaluate the applications and career implications by skills with life science principles and findings of research.

   Students study the importance of marine life on our economy.

Procedure

1. Seek approval by administration before you do major trip planning.
   
2. Contact Texas A&M University, PO Box 1675, Galveston, Texas 77553, to set field trip dates, reserve the boat, and Sea Turtle Hatchery & Marsh field trips. Also reserve graduate students to lead all of the activity groups.

   Contact Moody Gardens, One Hope Boulevard, Galveston,TX. 77554 (409) 744- 4673 or (800) 582-4673, for information and tickets for planned activities.

3. Plan a parent meeting in the fall to give parents the rational for the trip, the expectations of students, the criteria for participation on the trip, and costs. These will vary from year to year.
   
4. Set up payment schedule and set fund raising events to enable all eligible students can go.
   
5. Select chairperons and send deposits when required by the University.
   
6. One month before the trip, check on buses, confirm the visit with Texas A&M, Moody Gardens, and places where you plan to eat.( Tell restaurants the type of money students will have so they can have change on hand. Having students have a five dollar bill for each meal simplifies many problems. Chaperones can pass these out at each restaurant.) Handle any last minute arrangements.
   
7. Set up groups to minimize interpersonal conflicts. Each student must have a partner for the activities.
   
8. When the buses pull out, sit back and have fun!

Evaluation

1. Evaluation of student journals is done by the Science Teacher and the Language Arts Teacher. (This is a field journal. Students should already know how to do one.)

RUBRIC

2. Students are also evaluated by a check list of field science skills.

RUBRIC

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©Barbara Ducote 1997
BellNET 1997
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Last updated on December 22, 1999.