Classroom Programs

Virtual classroom meeting with a list of facts on the side

Want to bring in a national marine sanctuary expert into your class virtually? Schedule a virtual classroom visit with a sanctuary educator. We can help connect Next Generation Science Standard Phenomena to the real world and national marine sanctuaries. Virtual visits are done via Google Meet or GoToWebinar and involve time for Q+A at the end. To schedule a "virtual visit" and learn more contact Jennifer.Stock@noaa.gov

Program Topics:

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Winged Ambassadors - Grades 6-8

Learn about the fascinating adaptations of seabirds, including form/function with a focus on the albatross, our winged ambassador in the north Pacific. Students learn:

  • About albatross migration around the Pacific Ocean
  • Natural history of albatross from breeding grounds to feeding waters
  • Why albatross fly here to California to eat
  • How scientists study them
  • Threats to seabirds (including a focus on marine debris), and actions we can take to help seabirds.

This presentation complements content in the Winged Ambassadors curriculum which focuses on charismatic and threatened albatrosses who are ambassadors for a clean ocean because they traverse vast oceanic regions searching for floating food. Seabirds are good indicators of the ocean's health due to being a top predator.

To schedule a "virtual visit" and learn more contact Jennifer.Stock@noaa.gov.

A collage of different type of fish

What lives on the Seafloor? - Grades 5-12

Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary is offshore of the Marin/Sonoma coast and features a diversity of seafloor habitats (soft sediments, rocky bank, deep sea) Students learn:

  • How recreational exploration led to the designation of the national marine sanctuary
  • How ongoing underwater research with remotely operated vehicle technology is helping to protect this unique ocean ecosystem.
  • What types of organisms live on these seafloor habitats
  • How different animals adapt to these dark and deep environments

This presentation complements content in the Deep Coral Community Curriculum. To schedule a "virtual visit" and learn more contact Jennifer.Stock@noaa.gov.