A Celebration of How We Know What We Know 2009 is the Year of Science, a national year-long celebration of science to engage the public in science and improve public understanding about how science works, why it matters, and who scientists are. For more information on the Year of Science visit, http://yearofscience2009.org. School Programs 2009-2010 Seymour Marine Discovery Center at Long Marine Laboratory University of California, Santa Cruz Marine Science Field Trips for K-12 and Community College • Explore live creatures from the incredible Monterey Bay • Discover how ocean scientists think and work • Experience the world's largest blue whale skeleton Three Great Ways to Visit! The Seymour Center offers three great ways to immerse your class in the world of marine science, research, and discovery. Students will explore what it’s like to be a scientist and learn about current research projects underway at Long Marine Laboratory. All field trip options include access to our interactive exhibits, aquaria, and seawater touch pool. Learn about the three types of field trip options below, and schedule your visit today! Option 1: Discovery Lab & Tour As the ultimate field trip experience, a Discovery Lab & Tour immerses your students in exciting, hands-on lab activities, including a guided tour to the marine mammal overlook, and free admission to the Seymour Center's interactive exhibits and aquaria. During your Discovery Lab, outstanding Seymour Center educators and volunteers use live animals and realia to engage your students in interactive, thematic lab activities in our classroom (see Discovery Lab Descriptions). On your guided tour, see and learn about special marine mammals involved in important scientific research. After the tour, be sure to plan extra time to explore the exhibit hall and Ocean Discovery Shop. Stay as long as you like! On the day of your visit, you will receive coupons for all of your students, good for free admission on a return visit with a paying adult—great for follow-up enrichment and parent involvement. Days: Tuesday-Friday Dates available: October 20, 2009-June 4, 2010 Start times: 8:50 AM and 10:50 AM Duration: Approximately 100 minutes for lab and tour. We encourage you to plan extra time for exploring the aquarium, exhibits, and Ocean Discovery Shop after your lab and tour. Group size: 32 students maximum, no exceptions; 5 adults maximum inside classroom during lab (teacher and up to 4 chaperones). Chaperones: Minimum 1 adult per 8 students. Please bring only the number of adults necessary to transport your students. Fees: $100, all inclusive Grade levels: K-12 and Community College. No more than two consecutive grade levels per lab program. See Discovery Lab Descriptions for lab activities available by grade. To schedule: Submit application by lottery deadline (Wednesday, September 9, 2009) to increase your chances. After lottery, click here for available dates. Option 2: Reserved School Tour Reserve your own docent to guide your students through the amazing sights and sounds of a working marine lab. Discover how ocean scientists learn about marine animals and their incredible abilities. Your students will see some special marine mammals residing at the lab that help scientists investigate how their well-adapted bodies function. Learn how ongoing science at Long Marine Lab helps conservation efforts for animals in the wild. Your students will marvel at the enormous "Ms. Blue." At 87-feet long, she's one of the world’s largest blue whale skeletons! Learn how these amazing animals are suited for life in the sea, and how scientists study the largest mammal on the planet. Before or after your tour, students can learn how scientists work through interactive exhibits and aquaria. Don't forget to visit the Ocean Discovery Shop for fun and educational souvenirs. Days: Tuesday-Sunday (closed Monday; call for extended summer hours) Dates available: All year round Start times: 10:45 AM, 12:30 PM, 1:30 PM, 2:30 PM, 3:30 PM, Tuesday-Friday. Tours may also be available Saturday and Sunday. Additional tour times are available when Discovery Labs are not scheduled. Duration: Tour lasts 30-45 minutes, depending on grade level. We encourage you to plan exploration time in the exhibit hall and aquarium before or after your tour, at no additional cost. Group size: 20 participants maximum per tour; two tours maximum per time slot. Participant numbers INCLUDE adults. Groups larger than 40 can schedule two consecutive time slots. Call for details. Chaperones: Minimum ratios (adult:student): K-2 (1:5); grades 3-5 (1:6); middle school (1:8); high school (1:10) Fees: Admission fees ($4 per student, $6 per adult) + Reserved Tour fees ($25 per tour) Grade levels: K-12 and Community College To schedule: Call (831) 459-3800 at least four weeks in advance to check for space availability and to make reservations. Make reservations far in advance for spring tour dates. Option 3: Self-guided Exhibit Exploration Bring your students to explore the Seymour Center’s touch tanks, exhibits, aquaria, life-size elephant seal sculptures, gray whale skeleton, and one of the world’s largest blue whale skeletons. Students learn how marine scientists think and how they work to understand life in the oceans. Knowledgeable docents and interactive exhibits illuminate how researchers work in the lab and in the field. Live animals inspire your students to ask questions like scientists pose. We supply logistical information so you can design your own activities, or select from specially designed activities available on our web site. Self-guided groups are welcome in the Seymour Center exhibit hall and immediate surroundings, but are not permitted access to the marine mammal research area or on tours. Lunch at our picnic tables, visit the Ocean Discovery Shop, and stay as long as you like. On the day of your field trip, you will receive coupons for all students, good for free admission on a return visit with a paying adult—great for follow-up enrichment and parent involvement. Days: Tuesday-Sunday (closed Monday; call for extended summer hours) Dates available: All year round Start times: Anytime during open hours (Tuesday-Saturday, 10 AM-5 PM; Sunday, 12-5 PM), advance reservations required. Duration: No time limit. Most groups stay 1-2 hours. Group size: 160 students maximum. Chaperones: Minimum ratios (adult:student): K-2 (1:5); grades 3-5 (1:6); middle school (1:8); high school (1:10) Fees: $4 per person, ages 4 and up Grade levels: K-12 and Community College To schedule: Call (831) 459-3800 at least three weeks in advance to check for space availability and to make reservations. Make reservations far in advance for spring dates. Discovery Lab Descriptions 2009-2010 These outstanding hands-on lab programs incorporate the California Science Content Standards in a series of engaging, age-appropriate activities. Classes are taught in our teaching lab and seawater lab by teams of science educators and volunteers. Lab activities are followed by guided tours to the marine mammal overlook. Teachers are encouraged to select the program designed for their grade level (in parentheses) so students can return each year to enjoy a unique program. Due to the grade-level-specific content of each Discovery Lab, no more than two consecutive grade levels may be scheduled together for one program. Discovery Labs are available October 20, 2009 to June 4, 2010. SPINES, SLIME & TUBE FEET (K) Work with live sea stars, urchins, sea cucumbers, and sand dollars to explore the “gripping” world of spiny-skinned echinoderms. Marvel at the amazing diversity among these ocean cousins, and learn the surprising ways their body parts work. AWESOME ADAPTATIONS (1) Investigate live animals and plants to discover the variety of ways marine creatures fulfill their own needs. Learn about camouflage, symbiosis, and how different species defend themselves. Decipher how the shapes of teeth reveal what an animal eats. FOSSIL FROLIC (2) Compare live animals to real fossils from local rock formations for clues about creatures that lived here millions of years ago. Run an experiment where rocks bubble and fizz if they contain “hard evidence” of life from the ancient seas. SHARK SCIENCE (2) Explore the fascinating world of sharks and their cartilaginous cousins — rays and skates. Learn about sharks' amazing adaptations and what makes them different from other fish. Discover what a “mermaid’s purse” has to do with a shark’s life cycle. SUITED FOR SUCCESS (3) Marine animals have developed a dizzying array of special features and behaviors to survive the game of life. Learn how whales and dolphins are exceptionally adapted to life in the open ocean. Run an experiment to learn how various marine species increase their chances of survival from predators. YOU OTTER KNOW (4) The sea otter is one of Monterey Bay’s most well-known and important inhabitants, and it is key in shaping coastal ecosystems. Learn about the otter’s important role in a kelp forest food chain. Run a live experiment to see which kelp forest animals are best suited to evade hungry otters. SCIENTISTS AT WORK (5) Work with an assortment of live sea stars and crabs to develop scientific skills. Devise investigative questions, sharpen observations, and collect data to identify different species. ADAPTED TO THE DEEP (6-8) Illuminate the bizarre world of the deep sea by conducting experiments to learn how pressure and visible light change with depth. Explore how deep water organisms have adapted to extreme conditions to find mates, hunt, and avoid predators. ANALYZE THIS! (6-8) Who’s the speediest echinoderm? Are sea otters opportunists? Investigate these questions — and more — while honing scientific skills with this array of experiments. An excellent lab to gear up for the science fair. MARINE MAMMALS (9-12, college) Compare and contrast the anatomy, physiology, and evolutionary history of marine mammals. Investigate realia from pinnipeds, cetaceans, and sirenians. Learn how Long Marine Lab scientists study dolphin physiology and elephant seal diving to reveal their phenomenal abilities. PHYLUM FRENZY (9-12, college) Work with a remarkable diversity of live animals from four phyla (cnidarians, echinoderms, mollusks, arthropods). Search for evolutionary similarities and differences. Observe live echinoderms through dissecting scopes to reveal microscopic structures and their amazing functions. How to Schedule a Field Trip 1. Decide which type of field trip you prefer. See Three Great Ways to Visit for descriptions of each option: Option 1: Discovery Lab & Tour Option 2: Reserved School Tour Option 3: Self-guided Exhibit Exploration 2. If you prefer a Reserved School Tour or Self-guided Exhibit Exploration, there is no need to submit an application for the lottery. To schedule a Reserved School Tour, call (831) 459-3800 at least four weeks in advance. To schedule a Self-guided Exhibit Exploration, call (831) 459-3800 at least three weeks in advance. If you're planning a field trip for spring, call well in advance to check availability and make reservations. All field trips are subject to availability throughout the year. 3. If you prefer a Discovery Lab & Tour, read the following section for information on how to submit an application. DISCOVERY LAB & TOUR HOW TO APPLY SUBMIT AN APPLICATION FOR THE LOTTERY 1. Read Answers to Common Questions. 2. Click here to check for available dates. 3. Carefully follow all instructions on Discovery Lab and Tour Application. Click here to download a Discovery Lab application. (You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view/print the application. Download a free copy of Acrobat Reader here.) 4. With each application, enclose payment information, either in the form of credit card or purchase order (PO). Please do NOT send checks or cash. Your credit card or PO will be once your program has been scheduled and confirmed. Make POs payable to Friends of Long Marine Lab/UC Regents. 5. Mail completed applications ASAP. Applications for Discovery Lab & Tours are taken by mail only. We do NOT accept applications by fax, phone, or e-mail. Applications received after the lottery date (September 9, 2009) will be processed on a first come, first served basis. CONFIRMATIONS Group leaders will receive a confirmation packet once your program has been scheduled. If you have not received a confirmation packet two weeks prior to your program, please notify us at (831) 459-3800. If paying by credit card, you will receive a receipt in your confirmation packet. REFUND AND CANCELLATION POLICY If we are unable to schedule a Discovery Lab & Tour on any of the dates you submitted for your class, you will not be charged/invoiced. However, any cancellation made by a group leader after the Discovery Lab has been scheduled and confirmed is non-refundable, unless another group fills the space. GROUP SIZE 32 students maximum per Discovery Lab & Tour—no exceptions. DO NOT BRING ANY ADDITIONAL STUDENTS OR UNSCHEDULED GROUPS. Siblings are not permitted in the classroom during the Discovery Lab. CHAPERONES Please bring only the number of adult chaperones necessary to transport your students. Only five adults—the teacher and up to four chaperones—are permitted inside the classroom during the Discovery Lab. Remaining adult drivers/chaperones may explore the exhibit hall on their own during that time. They are welcome to rejoin students for the guided tour. All adults are expected to assist with supervision and appropriate student behavior. Eat and Shop at the Seymour Center LUNCH Enjoy our outdoor picnic tables for snacks and lunches. Plenty of picnic tables are available on a first come, first served basis. After eating, return to explore the exhibit hall at no additional charge. Picnic tables are open to the elements, so please make backup plans in the event of poor weather. OCEAN DISCOVERY SHOP You and your class are invited to visit the Seymour Center’s Ocean Discovery Shop. Discover many fun, educational books and marine-related gift items, as well as teacher resource materials. Plan time for your class to visit the store in groups of up to six students at a time with a supervising adult. All gift shop proceeds benefit Seymour Center education programs. Answers to Common Questions 1. Why a lottery? During spring months, more teachers request Discovery Labs than we can provide. A lottery is the most fair and efficient way to make Discovery Lab reservations. After the lottery, some openings are usually available for winter and fall months, filled first come, first served. 2. Do I need to apply for the lottery? It depends on the type of visit. If applying for a Discovery Lab & Tour, turn in your application by the lottery deadline to improve your chances for choice dates. To schedule a Reserved School Tour or Self-guided Exhibit Exploration, no need to apply for the lottery, as they are scheduled by phone. 3. Can I do anything to improve our chances for the lottery? Be sure to: A. Print neatly in black or blue ink. No pencil, please. B. Carefully follow all instructions and complete all portions of the application. C. Include payment information with each application. Do NOT send checks or cash. D. If applying for more than one program, you MUST provide a separate application and separate payment information for each program. E. Request a wide variety of dates and times. Dates in May, April, and March are most frequently requested. If you can plan your field trip for December, January, or February, your chances greatly improve. Also, because 10:50 time slots are most requested, applying for 8:50 start times improves your chances. F. Double check that all dates you request DEFINITELY work with your school calendar and transportation arrangements. It is usually NOT possible to change your field trip date after lottery assignments. G. Mail in your application ASAP. We must RECEIVE applications no later than 5 PM on Wednesday, September 9, 2009. We do not accept applications by fax, phone, or e-mail. 4. When will I find out the results of the lottery and receive a receipt? Applicants receive confirmation packets and receipts in late September. Teachers scheduled for October Discovery Labs will be notified by phone in mid-September to allow adequate planning time. If you have not received a confirmation letter by October 2, please call (831) 459-3800. 5. What if the Seymour Center is unable to schedule a Discovery Lab & Tour on any of the dates I requested? We will contact you, giving you first choice for any dates and times still available. Be sure to respond immediately, as remaining slots fill quickly on a first come, first served basis. 6. Will I be charged the $100 fee if none of the available dates work for me? No. If we are unable to schedule you for your submitted dates and times, you will not be charged. 7. What if more than one class from my school wants a Discovery Lab & Tour to the Seymour Center? Do we need to fill out separate applications for each class? Yes. We need separate applications and payment information for each program. If two classes would like to visit on the same day, staple the two applications together and write a note indicating you must attend the same day. Realize this provides less flexibility in our scheduling and may reduce your chances of receiving your preferred date. We remind you that no more than 32 students may attend each program, and that we hold one program at 8:50 and one at 10:50. 8. If two classes are coming on the same day in one bus, what can the 10:50 class do while the 8:50 class is in session at the Seymour Center? The Seymour Center exhibit hall does not open until 10 AM, so we recommend that the class scheduled for the 10:50 program make arrangements to enjoy the beach at Natural Bridges State Beach, a short drive up the road. To visit the beach and/or use picnic tables at Natural Bridges, call (831) 423-4609 two weeks in advance to make reservations and obtain parking passes. If you wish to explore additional areas of the park (tidepools, monarch grove), you must make reservations with Natural Bridges ASAP. Be advised that Natural Bridges has no sheltered areas, therefore in the event of poor weather, be sure to bring games/activities for students to do in cars/on the bus. Be sure the class is back at the Seymour Center by 10:45. 9. If my class is scheduled for a 10:50 Discovery Lab may we arrive when the Seymour Center opens at 10 AM to explore the exhibit hall prior to our program? Yes, you are welcome to arrive at 10 AM for exploration time, however please call to let us know you are coming early. Upon arrival, a staff member will greet your class and collect your signed Behavior Contract (included in your confirmation packet). After the greeting we ask that you divide your students into small groups, accompanied by a chaperone, to explore the exhibit hall and aquaria. 10. Can we eat lunch or snacks at the Seymour Center? We have several outdoor picnic tables for school groups to enjoy on a first come, first served basis. Your group may re-enter the Seymour Center to view the exhibits after eating. No sheltered eating areas are available in the event of poor weather, so please make a backup plan. 11. What if it’s after the lottery and I’m just now reading this brochure? Am I too late for this year? After processing all lottery applications in September, we reopen the application process for Discovery Labs. Check our web site (http://seymourcenter.ucsc.edu) or call (831) 459-3800 for dates and times still available. Openings fill first come, first served. 12. Is there a way I can bring a school group to the Seymour Center if my class has more than 32 students or the remaining dates/times for Discovery Labs don’t work? Yes! Teachers can schedule Reserved School Tours or bring groups on Self-guided Exhibit Explorations of the Seymour Center’s exhibit hall, aquaria, blue whale skeleton, elephant seal sculptures, and gray whale skeleton. Read Three Great Ways to Visit for more information. 13. Have a question we haven’t covered? Contact the Seymour Center at (831) 459-3800 during business hours, Tuesday-Saturday, 10 AM-5 PM; Sunday, 12-5 PM. School Programs Volunteer Training The Seymour Center is currently accepting volunteer applications from individuals interested in helping us teach Discovery Lab and Tours to K-12 and community college groups. If you or someone you know enjoys children and the ocean, and has availability on a weekday morning, then this is the perfect opportunity to dive in and get your hands wet! Training begins in late September. For more information or to apply, call (831) 459-3800 or click here. Funding and Friends Providing K-12 and community college students with marine science education would not be possible without the generous support of many individuals and businesses. The Seymour Center is especially pleased to acknowledge the Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA) Environmental Fund for their support of our volunteer program this year, The Dirk and Charlene Kabcenell Foundation for their stalwart support, and the Myrtle L. Atkinson Foundation. We also extend our thanks to the California Coastal Commission for a Whale Tail Grant that is allowing us to create and pilot From Stream to Sea Coastal Watershed Education Program for underserved students in Santa Cruz County. All Seymour Center education programs, staffing, and daily operations are funded through program and admission fees, fundraising events, memberships in the Friends of Long Marine Lab, as well as private donations, grants, business sponsorships, facility rentals, and Ocean Discovery Shop sales.  For more information on supporting our programs, please call (831) 459-4568. Exciting Opportunities for Educators The Seymour Center has many exciting opportunities for educators available throughout the school year. To find out about Sea Search: A marine science program for high school teachers and students, teacher workshops, and marine science teaching resources, including the Seashell Science Education Kit, click here. Address Changes Please assist us with keeping our school/teacher mailing list current, reducing mailing costs, and conserving resources. Contact the Seymour Center at (831) 459-3800 with mailing address changes, additions, or removals. We appreciate your help! Learning Programs: School | Youth | Teacher | Visitor | Member | Student