Estuarium Activity and Keys
Estuarium Activity Curriculum
- K - 2 Activity Curriculum
- 6 - 8 Activity Curriculum
- 9 - 12 Activity Curriculum
- 3 - 5 Activity Curriculum
Estuarium Activity Keys
- Estuarium Activity Key Introduction for all Keys
- Activity Key K-2nd
- Activity Key 6th-8th
- Activity Key 9th-12th
- Activity Key 3rd-5th
Other Activities
- Coloring Book -PDF 498kb
- Harbor to Harvest -PDF 944kb
- Mr. Sand -PDF 1.08mb
- Mr. Sand Teachers Manual -PDF 74kb
- Dauphin Island Scavenger Hunt -PDF 320kb
Sharks
Common Sharks of the Northern Gulf of Mexico Poster - DISL’s Discovery Hall Programs, the MSU Extension Services, and Dr. Marcus Drymon’s Marine Fisheries Ecology Lab collaborated to create a poster highlight ten years of shark science. The poster is a companion to a new DISL, MSU, and Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant educational lesson.
Earth Day 2020: Ask the Educator - Sharks of the Gulf (Video) - Discovery Hall Programs marine educator Greg Graeber gives an overview of the sharks and rays found in the Gulf of Mexico.
Seagrasses
Northern Gulf Institute - Resources for Teachers & Students
Short Interactive Activities
- Gone Fishin' -PDF 56.8kb
- Sedimental Journeys -PDF 58.6kb
- Beach in a Box -PDF 59.4kb
- Oil Change -PDF 61.5kb
- Watershed Puzzle -PDF 55.4kb
- Which Niche -PDF 57.1kb
- Meroplankton Match-up -PDF 57.4kb
- A Sea of Debris -PDF 61.9kb
- Watershed Moments -PDF 64kb
- The Tip of the Iceberg -PDF 63kb
Oil Spill Research Facts Sheets
- An Overview of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
- Breton Sound Estuary: Water Quality
- Chemical Effects of the Oil Spill: Mississippi Sound
- Coastal Alabama and Mississippi Fish Communities
- Deep-Sea Red Crabs
- Ecosystem Modeling Framework
- Fish Health and Oil Exposure
- Florida to Louisiana: Tracing the Oil
- Gulf Coast Salt Marshes: Oil Spill Impacts
- Gulf of Mexico Beaches and Dunes: Oil Spill Impacts
- Impacts of Oil on Spotted Seatrout
- Influence of Weather and Ocean Currents
- Microbes and the Marine Food Web
- Mobile Bay Ship Channel: Tracking the Oil
- Monitoring Gulf Coast Fisheries
- Monitoring Nursery Habitats After the Oil Spill
- Phytoplankton and the Oil Spill
- Residents and Visitors of Mobile Bay: Oil Spill Impacts
- Responses of Benthic Communities to Oil Exposure
- Sargassum: Floating Nurseries
- The Pontchartrain Basin: After the Oil Spill
- Water Quality Monitoring of Barataria Bay and Lake Pontchartrain
Living Shorelines- Resources for Teachers & Students
Lessons explore oysters, oyster reefs, restoration and living shorelines.
- Building an Oyster Reef: A 3-D Activity -PDF 11.8mb
- Living Shorelines -PDF 6.29mb
- Restore It? A Lesson on Restoration Ecology -PDF 353kb
Plankton
Information and Resources
- Diatom 3D Models (link)
- Phytoplankton and HAB posters (link)
- Primer on Gulf of Mexico Harmful Algal Blooms -PDF 5.51mb
Storm Surge
Storm surge, a rise in water level due to various factors, is often the deadliest part of a hurricane. During Hurricane Katrina, a storm surge that reached 28 feet in some communities contributed to the death of over 2000 people. In a 2013 study by Grinsted et al., Katrina-like surge events are predicted to increase two to seven times with every 1°C change in global temperature. With global temperatures on the rise and coastal populations increasing every year, educating people about coastal hazards such as storm surge is of the utmost importance.These materials were created by Discovery Hall Programs and the Northern Gulf Coastal Hazards Collaboratory to help communicate the nature of risks associated with living in coastal areas, especially during hurricane events.
- Student and Teacher Resources (link)
- Storm Surge Game (link)
Conferences and Seminars
2017 NSTA National Conference Presentations - Los Angeles, California
- Lionfish Invasion! Game board -JPEG 2.9mb
- Lionfish Invasion! Guide, pieces and cards -PDF 1.7mb
- Lionfish Dissection Puppet -PDF 474kb
- When Exotics Become Invasive: Lesson Plan -PDF 255kb
2015 NMEA Conference Presentations - Rhode Island
- Lionfish Invasion! Game board -JPEG 2.9mb
- Lionfish Invasion! Guide, pieces and cards -PDF 1.7mb
- Lionfish Dissection Puppet -PDF 474kb
- When Exotics Become Invasive: Lesson Plan -PDF 255kb
2012 NMEA Conference Presentations - Anchorage, AK
- Creature Features -PDF 6.56 mb
- Creature Features Lesson Plan -PDF 318 kb
- Productive Plankton -PDF 2.46 mb
- Productive Plankton Lesson Plan -PDF 175 kb
- Productive Plankton Name List -PDF 123 kb
2011 NSTA Regional Conference Presentation - New Orleans, LA
- Sea Turtle CSI Information & Instructions -PDF 67.1 kb
- Sea Turtle CSI Presentation -PDF 1.84 mb
- CSI Haplotype Key -PDF 1800 kb
- CSI PCR signs -PDF 63 kb
- CSI Unknown Template Cards -PDF 132 kb
- CSI BioEdit Program Files -ZIP 13.1 kb
2011 NOAA Oil Spill Education
- Oil Spill Turtle Survivor Game Board -PDF 4.43 mb
- Oil Spill Turtle Survivor Lesson Plan -PDF 63.1 kb
- Habitat Balance Lesson Plan -PDF 393 kb
2011 Environmental Education Association of Alabama Conference
- Funny Thing About a Pelican -PDF 12.4 mb
- Egg Shell Strength Experiment Lesson Plan -PDF 551 kb
2011 National Science Teachers Association Conference Presentation
- Sea Turtle Survivor -PDF 1.83 mb
- Sea Turtle Survivor Game Board -PDF 2.34 mb
- Sea Turtle Survivor Lesson Plan -PDF 37.3 kb
- Sea Turtle Survivor Obstacle Course -PDF 88.6 kb
- Sea Turtle Survivor (SMART Notebook) -NOTEBOOK 60.1 mb
2010 National Marine Educators Association Conference Presentation
- Oil Spill! Disperse it or not? -PDF 68.8 kb
2010 National Science Teachers Association Conference Presentation
- GPS and Google Earth -PDF 3.7 mb
2009 National Marine Educators Association Conference Presentation
- CSI Sea Turtle Activity -PDF 44 kb
- CSI Haplotype Key -PDF 1800 kb
- CSI PCR signs -PDF 63 kb
- CSI Unknown Template Cards -PDF 132 kb
- CSI BioEdit Program Files -ZIP 13.1 kb
2009 National Science Teachers Association Conference Presentation
- Spreadable, Edible and Incredible Coral Reefs -PDF 3.26 mb
- Healthy Snacks -PDF 20.2 kb
- Recycle Reef -PDF 19.6 kb
- Sweet Reef -PDF 20.7 kb
- Examples -PDF 319 kb
2008 National Science Teachers Association Conference Presentation
- Squid Guts - squid puppet exercise -PDF 592 kb
2007 North American Association of Environmental Educators
- What's in a Watershed - PDF 97kb
- Watershed in a Box - PDF 1597kb
- The Great Divide news article- PDF 502kb
- Data Reporting Form - PDF 67kb
2006 National Marine Educators Association Conference
- Fish Make Sense - PDF 175kb
- Fish Make Sense Handout - PDF 4mb
2006 National Science Teachers Association Conference
- Sediments Rock - PDF 768kb
2005 National Science Teachers Association Conference
- Biotechnology Basics Slide Show -PDF 2078.kb
- Biotechnology Basics Activity Guide -PDF 332.5 kb
2004 NMEA Conference Presentation
- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle -PDF 521kb
- Recycling -PDF 480kb
- Recycling Study Guide -PDF 4.6mb
2005 ASTA Conference Presentation
- Amazing Ocean Facts
- Invertebrate Jeopardy Game (High School Version) -PDF 3.6mb
- Invertebrate Jeopardy Game (Lower & Middle School Version) -PDF 5.6mb
2004 National Science Teachers Association Conference
- Amazing Arthropods Slide Show -PDF 2.16mb
- Amazing Arthropods Activity Guide -PDF 4.29mb
ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicles)
ROV Poster - This poster provides an introduction to ROVs and highlights the various (types) classes of ROVs. The poster was created by Liz Hoadley while working in Discovery Hall Programs.
