Inwater Research Group Leads in Environmental Education Through Innovative Programming

Rebecca has worked tirelessly with educators to create a fun, interactive program. The trunk offers four lessons, complete with plans for teachers that highlight the myriad of state standards that are targeted for each lesson. Some of the lessons mirror the research conducted at IRG, so students get excited and feel engaged, increasing retention and the likelihood that the conservation messages will stick with them for years to come. The programs cover topics such as nesting, beachfront lighting, population dynamics, data collection, and so much more.

The result? While students turned marine biologists bustle about their classNamerooms to catch their classNamemates turned turtles, they’re learning. They’re learning common ailments that plague sea turtles such as entanglements and boat strikes. They’re learning how to create policies that may help protect turtles, while also keeping other stakeholders, such as fishermen and boaters in mind. They’re learning as they examine a model turtle they’ve “caught.” The turtle may have a hook in its mouth. It may have encrusting epibiota, such as barnacles and algae. It may look like a perfectly healthy turtle, but when it’s weighed, the scale tells a different story. These students record their observations on a datasheet that looks strikingly similar to those that actual turtle biologists use. Students learn without even realizing it. The lessons are games to them, and at the end of the program, students understand the different types of sea turtles, their diets, where they live, and some of the major threats they face.

With testing at the forefront of most educator’s minds, the “Traveling Trunk” program strives to make the lessons not only student-friendly, but teacher-friendly as well. At the beginning of each lesson, the exact state standards that each lesson targets are listed. Teachers take comfort knowing they’re hitting their required standards while they’re teaching from the trunk.

The trunks are set up so that they’re a “lesson plan in a box.” Teachers with no background in marine education are able to borrow these trunks and still provide a high-level education to their students. The trunk contains everything they need, from supplies and materials to lesson how-tos for teachers. The best part? Thanks to partnerships and generous support, these Traveling Trunks are offered for free. Teachers are able to borrow the trunks at no charge, effectively removing all financial barriers. This ensures that all students and schools, even the most underserved communities, have access to the same high-quality education programs.

As we head into the next decade, IRG is looking forward to creating new partnerships and expanding the trunk’s reach to every county in the state, including inland communities, not just those with sea turtle nesting beaches. We believe that you protect what you love, and bringing the iconic sea turtle to the classNameroom fosters a sense of responsibility in Florida’s children. By bringing this hands-on program to all students in Florida, we hope to create a sense of stewardship in the next generation, to inspire them to become advocates for the ocean and to help protect the turtles they’ve learned so much about.