Early Explorers(grades K-1) provides students with a critical link to the most significant natural resource in the region: Long Island Sound. Students will have the opportunity to see organisms found in Long Island Sound and establish a sense of wonder in order to then describe different structural characteristics as well as determine predator/prey relationships. This program takes place in the school classroom and at SoundWaters’ coastal center.

Schedule (total 3 contact-hours over 2 days)

Day 1 - SoundWaters visits your school:

• One hour long, hands-on opportunity to interact with multiple invertebrate species (crabs, mollusks, horseshoe crabs, sea stars) and learn how the animals eat, breathe, and survive in intertidal habitats.

Day 2 -Field trip to SoundWaters in Cove Island Park (or other coastal site)

• One 60-minute Food Chain station: A simple game and inquiry based discussion of what a food chain is and examples of what may affect each organism within the chain, as well as how different life stages of organisms are also linked within the food chain. Emphasizing the fact that diversity and different life cycles of all organisms are important for the survival and health of Long Island Sound.
• One 60-minute Life Cycles station: Collect a plankton sample and observe the diversity just below the waters’ surface. Students will be able to collect and observe different life stages under the microscope as well as collect animals on the sandy and rocky shores. Students will be able to describe the changes in organisms that grow and go through metamorphosis.

For more information please contact: Alisha Mullet (203)406-3312


Back