BROWSE EDUCATOR RESOURCES

Ever wondered where your #1 and #2 went after you flushed? And what exactly do we do with all those wastes? Join EarthEcho and the South Cross Bayou Advanced Water Reclamation Facility as we go behind the scenes of Pinellas County’s largest wastewater treatment facility to learn about how we recover our favorite waste, a solid #2, and make it into a safe product that can be used as a fertilizer to grow crops. With streaming footage from inside our egg-shaped digesters to our fertilizer factory, we’ll give you a firsthand look at how science, technology, and engineering allow us to protect human health and keep our waterways clean from “poo-lution!”

Learn from our Submersible Pilots and Co-Pilots as we explore topics ranging from underwater communications to piloting the sub. Each individual will discuss their unique path to Submersible Piloting and answer questions about the training process, how manned submersibles work, and wild encounters with marine life—including sharks! OceanGate, Inc. owns and operates three 5-person submersibles for site survey, scientific research, film production, and exploration travel to depths as great as 4,000 meters (13,123 feet). Find out more information at https://oceangate.com/what-we-do.html

Join Smithsonian Marine Ecosystem Exhibit marine science educator, Laura La Beur, as she shares facts about the Oculina Reef, a deep-water coral reef habitat off the coast of Florida and introduces the Oculina Ecosystem exhibit at the St. Lucie County Aquarium in Fort Pierce, Florida. A feeding of the exhibit will follow.

Sharks are iconic and misunderstood species with a long evolutionary history. There are over 500 living shark species, all with unique adaptations, that have radiated into nearly every aquatic habitat. There is tremendous diversity in species life histories, reproductive modes, habitat use, sensory biology, ecology and behavior. Sharks are under global threat from human exploitation, primarily for shark fins. Over 30% of shark species are at risk for extinction. Today, research and conservation efforts are targeting effective ways to protect endangered species. Dr. Mikki McComb-Kobza will share the story of sharks rise, diversification, and fascinating adaptations. She will discuss her current research on white sharks in the North Atlantic and other aspects of her ongoing conservation projects.

What can historic dock photos reveal about fisheries? The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council’s new citizen science project, FISHstory, aims to find out. FISHstory (pronounced like history) trains volunteers to identify and count fish in historic dock photos From Daytona Beach, FL from the 1940s-1970s. Data collected will help fishery managers build a more complete picture of these fisheries prior to the beginning of dedicated catch monitoring programs. To gather this data, we’re using the power of the crowd through the online crowdsourcing platform, Zooniverse. The project is completely online, open to all, and includes fish identification training materials for those that aren’t fish ID experts. We need help from citizen scientists like you to unlock the data in these photos! Join EarthEcho International and the South Atlantic Fishery Management staff, Allie Iberle and Julia Byrd, to learn more about FISHstory and how you can get involved in the project!

FISHstory (pronounced like history) is a citizen science project developed by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council's Citizen Science Program. This project trains volunteers to identify and count fish in historic fishing photos from Daytona Beach, FL from the 1940s-1970s. Data collected will help fisheries managers paint a clearer picture of the fishery prior to dedicated catch monitoring programs. This Field Guide will help you learn the basics of fish identification and start the project on Zooniverse.org

The FISHstory lesson plan will prepare students so that they can participate in the SAFMC's citizen science project, FISHstory, on the Zooniverse crowdsourcing platform. Students will learn the basics of fish morphology, anatomy, and more! 

Protecting the health of our aquatic ecosystems and access to clean water is one of the greatest global challenges of our time. As Matt Damon said in the film Brave Blue World, “How lucky are we that we’re the ones who get to solve this?” Join Philippe Cousteau and EarthEcho International as we host a speaker panel of innovators and change-makers to engage with students across the world as we explore solutions to the global water crisis and connect youth to their local bodies of water through the EarthEcho Water Challenge. This event will be moderated by EarthEcho Water Challenge Ambassador Ivanya Johnson.

When we turn on the tap, we often don’t give much thought to where our water comes from and where it goes after we use it. A vast array of engineers, chemists, technicians, and those in the skilled trades work behind the scenes to keep our water use cycle humming along. Join us as we partner with Xylem to explore the ways in which water industry professionals solve global water issues through innovation and collaboration. This panel will be moderated by EarthEcho Youth Leadership Council member Armon Alex.

Whether we are swimming, fishing, or paddling in it, using it for our drinking water source or to grow our food, or simply walking the beach and watching the wildlife that relies on it, we all have a deep connection to the water in our community and a responsibility to protect it. Join us as we investigate water quality testing and why monitoring the health of your local waterway is important. This event will be co-hosted by a Xylem Watermark Champion and EarthEcho Youth Leadership Council member Domingo Cortinez.