Invisible Life in the Ocean
$60.00 - $65.00
Come learn how to do a plankton tow and go into the lab and try to identify as many marine plankton as you can using a compound microscope.
This workshop is open to students 8+ and families are welcome to join!
📆When - TBD @ 1-3:30 PM PST
📍Where - Scripps Pier @ Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO)
Schedule
12:50 | Meet at Scripps Pier/ Sign In
1:00 | Introductions + Tour of Pier
1:30 | Plankton Introduction & Tow
2:00 | Plankton Lecture
2:30| Identifying Plankton with Microscopes and logging into iNaturalist
3:30 | Leave SIO
Children ages 8-13 must be accompanied by an adult for supervision.
🎓Why Choose Us?
The word "plankton" is derived from the Greek, meaning "drifter" or "wanderer". Organisms considered plankton include anything from tiny-single-celled organisms that produce >50% of atmospheric oxygen to large, illusive marine invertebrates such as the jellyfish. A single drop of seawater can hold millions of marine plankton and by using a microscope, you will be able to see some of the most intriguing, most beautiful shapes an colors.
Climate change is affecting the distribution and abundance of marine plankton worldwide. Understanding the diversity and ecological role of these seemingly invisible organisms can help us better manage and protect the ocean and its inhabitants. Without these plankton, life in the oceans would just cease to exist.
This is where YOU come in. After learning about the general characteristics of marine plankton, you will use an identification guide and classify as many plankton as you can and upload it to iNaturalist. This will help us better understand how climate change may impact the diversity and abundance of the plankton community at SIO.
