On Sunday, May 31, St. Michaels University School Grade 4 students, known as the Citizen Scientists, participated in a local World Oceans Day event in Victoria's Fisherman's Wharf. The students were great ambassadors for ocean science, research and conservation. The one-day event was organized by Eagle Wing Whale & Wildlife Watching Tours and supported by the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority.
Below is a reflection from the Citizen Scientist cohort:
In our Grade 4 classes this term, students have been learning about the ocean and how to protect it. Students explored four major ocean threats: Plastic Pollution, Noise Pollution, Overfishing, and Climate Change. In groups, students chose one of the four ocean threats to dive into and learn more about. Grade 4 was lucky to welcome some exciting special guests to our classrooms. The classes learned about local marine wildlife and how to protect our ocean from Hannah at Seaquaria.
Mrs. Sturgis came to share about how climate change affects the ocean. Students also did lots of research in books and online. Classes even took trips to the beach to explore tidepools. From everything they learned, students created persuasive speeches and recorded them into podcasts. Grade 4 students also chose a local marine creature to draw and transform in Digital Skills into a laser-cut pin.
On May 31, The Grade 4 classes took their ocean expertise to Fisherman’s Wharf for World Oceans Day. There, they joined members of Seaquaria to educate the public about the different threats to the ocean. Students traded laser-cut pins of local marine wildlife and links to persuasive podcasts they had created in class for donations to support Seaquaria.
Grade 11 student Liam Pope-Lau was also at the event as he represented Canada on the World Ocean Day Youth Council. On the Council, Liam collaborates with 24 youth from 21 countries to connect and unite young people globally and to create educational content for World Ocean Day, Ocean Week Canada, and Ocean Week Victoria.
The SMUS Grade 4 Citizen Scientist have a website where you can listen to their podcasts and learn more about the threats to our ocean.
Grade 4 Citizen Scientists inspire action at World Oceans Day event
Grade 4 Citizen Scientists inspire action at World Oceans Day event
Grade 4 Citizen Scientists inspire action at World Oceans Day event
Grade 4 Citizen Scientists inspire action at World Oceans Day event
Grade 4 Citizen Scientists inspire action at World Oceans Day event
Grade 4 Citizen Scientists inspire action at World Oceans Day event
