Estuary Resources
Note that this list is not intended to be exhaustive, nor are the sites listed specifically endorsed by Sea Grant. These are mostly sites that I have used to obtain information or activities and that I felt might be useful to marine educators.
Information about estuaries
- www.estuaries.org
- estuaries.gov
Website for the National Estuarine Research Reserve system. Includes new (2008) Estuaries 101 curriculum designed for high school (grades 9-12). - www.estuarylive.org
Register to take your class on a virtual field trip to an estuary; view and print activities and lesson plans - www.gtmnerr.org
Website for Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve (NE Florida) - http://www.ocrm.nos.noaa.gov/nerr/welcome.html
National Estuarine Research Reserves homepage
Curriculum/activities information
- http://www.enchantedlearning.com
Geared towards lower grade levels, this website contains many activities and coloring pages, but also some useful information sheets about (among others) sharks and other types of marine life - http://www.sjrwmd.com
Website for St. Johns River Water Management District—free materials can be ordered online and arrive usually within a week (posters, coloring books, videos, etc) - http://www.accessexcellence.com/AE/
Website with classroom activities developed and contributed by teachers—usually using everyday materials - http://www.seaworld.org
Contains educational modules that can be printed and used; includes supporting materials (fact sheets, etc.). Note that this is a different site from www.seaworld.COM. - http://www.epa.gov/OWOW
Information and activities on a number of topics relating to water - http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/science/readlist.html
Reading list for pre-K through 12th grade--wetlands-related books. - http://www.ocean.udel.edu/expeditions/index.html
Online registration for materials and possibility for live conference calls with researchers exploring the deep seas (annually--when there isn't an expedition going on, there's still lots of cool info from past expeditions that can be explored) - http://www.jasonproject.org/
Official website for the Jason Project to link classrooms and scientists - http://www.vims.edu/bridge/
Website for educators, maintained by Sea Grant - http://pelotes.jea.com
FCAT-based activities on a variety of topics and for a range of grade levels.
Other sources of information
- http://www.flseagrant.org/
Florida Sea Grant home page - http://www.sms.si.edu
Website for the Smithsonian Marine Station in Ft. Pierce, FL. Has species inventory with descriptions of many of the species found in the Indian River Lagoon. - http://www.enature.com/
Website with information about many different types of plants and animals - www.enature.com/guides/select_lbjnative.asp
Native plant guide - www.marinecareers.org
Information about a variety of different marine-related careers - http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu
Website with pictures and info about native and exotic plants. Contains information on how teachers can order free plant posters.
Educator Organizations
- http://www.marine-ed.org/
National Marine Educators’ Association website - http://www.fmsea.org
Florida marine science educators’ association website - www.leef-florida.org
League of Environmental Educators of Florida website - http://www.floridamarine.org
Website for Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission—rules and regulations as well as information about local species can be found through this website. Many of the FWC publications are available here in .pdf format. - http://www.fastscience.org
Website for the Florida Association of Science Teachers.
Other Resources
- Living In Water - an aquatic science curriculum for grades 5-7, National Aquarium in Baltimore, www.aqua.org, Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, 4050 Westmark Drive, Dubuqe, Iowa 52002 You can order a copy from Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company at 1-800-228-0810 or you can place an order with Kendall/Hunt (www.kendalhunt.com). Price: $23.95 plus shipping (subject to change).
- What is Ecology? - An Introduction to Ecology Through Estuaries, produced by Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve, www.wellsreserve.org, 342 Laudholm Farm Road, Wells, Maine 04090, (207) 646-1555, What is Ecology? is available for $9.50 through the Laudholm gift shop at the Wells Reserve Visitor Center, or can be mailed for $12 ($9.50 + $2.50 shipping and handling).
- Sapelo Island: Georgia's Coastal Treasure - an aquatic science curriculum (28.9 MB PDF)
- For more information or for lists of websites for other topics, please contact Maia McGuire at 386-437-7464 or mpmcg@ufl.edu.