Carmela Elementary had an exciting and interactive visit from the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific on Thursday, May 23, at their school to learn about sea life, their adaptations, and see and touch live sea animals.
A marine biologist from the aquarium gave students a presentation about a research trip they participated in that took them half way across the world to study sea life. She shared about elephant seals and sharks and brought life size replicas to give students a realistic idea of each animal’s size. She also shared each animals unique adaptations, or a change or the process of change by which an organism or species becomes better suited to its environment, that help them thrive within their environment.
The biologist got students involved by having them participate in learning and reenacting characteristics that sea animals and sea life have. For example, students learned that humpback whales breach, which is something not all whale species can do. They learned why and how they do it and were invited to stand to their feet and bend their knees to go as low to the ground as possible, like how humpback whales swim very deeply in the water before they breach, and jump as high as they could, as the whales jump out of the water.
After the presentation students got to step into the Aquarium’s large mobile touch tank trailer. Students were able to take turns to see and touch sea urchins, star fish, and even small sharks. While they were observing and touching the sea life, another marine biologist from the aquarium was there with them teaching them about each animal and it’s adaptations.
More information about the Aquarium on Wheels here:
http://www.aquariumofpacific.org/education/yourfieldtrip/aow