We take a look at some ocean-inspired trips to tie in with a new initiative, World Ocean Day for Schools, which aims to engage the younger generation in conversations about the world’s oceans.
The National Marine Aquarium (NMA) in Plymouth is leading the way to help kick-start conversations about our oceans this World Ocean Day (8th June 2018), with the World Ocean Day for Schools initiative.
World Ocean Day for Schools is a day to celebrate the role the ocean plays in all of our lives, to learn more about our blue planet and to start conversations between children, parents, teachers and communities about our relationship with the ocean.
We look at school trips that can tie in with World Ocean Day for Schools celebrations.
School trip ideas
Sea Life Centres including SEA LIFE London offer plenty for school visits. At SEA LIFE London pupils will discover the world’s oceans and enjoy interactive workshops which can cover topics such as lifecycles, ecosystems, and diets of a range of sea creatures.
A trip abroad with your school can teach them more about the world’s oceans. WorldStrides is an educational travel provider that offers trips to over 82 countries around the world with trips linking to the study of the ocean and wider natural world include Quito and the Galapagos, where pupils will tour the Islands and see animals including Galapagos tortoises.
The National Marine Aquarium, which is hosting the campaign, has announced it will be offering educational boat trips to explore the Plymouth Sound. Setting off from Shepard’s Wharf, schools will join the Aquarium’s team of marine biologists and ocean conservationists to discover the wonders of our oceans and learn more about its habitat and the animals which live in it.
A visit to Cheshire’s Blue Planet Aquarium can provide students with a number of different workshops and activities for a variety of Key Stages. Subjects include everything from Tropical Rainforests and Habitats to Jawsome Sharks and Land & Water.
Anglesey Sea Zoo in Brynsiencyn, Wales presents the diversity of British marine life, plus the various challenges and threats it faces and the impacts of human activity on our seas. The zoo team has reconstructed many native marine habitats so pupils can understand what life is really like under the waves.
More about World Ocean Day for Schools
In partnership with other national organisations that share the NMA’s love for the oceans, rivers and estuaries, a special World Ocean Day for Schools toolkit has been created.
Linked to the curriculum, the toolkits contain fun and educational activities that teachers can use to celebrate World Ocean Day with their students. There are three main ways being suggested for schools to participate: host an assembly, dress up for the ocean or host an ocean lesson.
The NMA’s involvement in the toolkit comes as an extension of its existing commitment to education, connecting everyone with our oceans and promoting pro-ocean behaviour.
Liz Cole, discovery and learning officer at the National Marine Aquarium, commented: “As an educational charity, we’re delighted to be able to work with other like-minded organisations to promote World Ocean Day to school children.
“Promoting pro-ocean behaviour with our next generations at a young age is vital - the World Ocean Day for Schools toolkit provides lots of content and ideas to help teachers start those conversations. We hope schools across the UK will embrace the initiative and help children learn more about our oceans.”
For more information, visit www.worldoceanday.school.
