NARRAGANSETT, R.I. — October 25, 2005 — The Office of Marine Programs at the University of Rhode Island’s Graduate School of Oceanography will host a day-long workshop for kindergarten through grade 12 teachers on Nov. 19 to provide them with marine and environmental information, activities and lessons they can use in their classrooms.
The Oceans a la Carte workshop will include presentations by URI professors and researchers, as well as by other experts from the region, on such topics as deep sea exploration, hurricane prediction, marine geology, aquaculture, ecosystem monitoring, underwater acoustics, sharks and invasive species.
“This workshop will give local educators access to scientists who are studying marine and environmental issues around the world,” said Andrea Kecskes, workshop coordinator. “It will give them a better understanding of how marine science is conducted and what researchers are discovering. Teachers will come away from the workshop with hands-on classroom activities and a broader understanding of the marine sciences.”
The keynote speaker at the workshop will be Kate Moran, a URI professor of oceanography and ocean engineering who has led several international scientific research expeditions, including expeditions to study climate change in the Arctic Ocean and to explore the epicenter of the earthquake that caused the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami last year. Moran’s talk is entitled “Exploring the Earth from Equator to Pole.”
In addition, environmental organizations will be showcasing their programs and providing free materials for participants. Oceans a la Carte partners for the day are the Providence Heritage Foundation, Rhode Island Natural History Survey, Wood Pawcatuck Watershed Association, Norman Bird Sanctuary, Rose Island Lighthouse Foundation, Biomes Marine Biology Center, Save the Bay, Southeastern New England Marine Educators, and The Ocean Project.
The workshop will run from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Coastal Institute on the URI Narragansett Bay Campus. The registration fee is $35 per person and includes a continental breakfast, lunch, and numerous take-home materials. Pre-registration and prepayment is required. For more information call 401-874-6211, email omp@gso.uri.edu, or visit http://omp.gso.uri.edu/omp/nbc/oceansalacarte.htm.