Marine science comes to life for local students
Over four field trip days in February and March, 192 third-graders from Treeline Elementary School in Fort Myers visited the Sanibel Sea School on the island for hands-on marine science experiences.
Each day, they rotated through three immersive stations: squid dissection, surfing, and seining and dip netting. It marked the fifth consecutive year that the school has brought its students for a field trip.
At the squid dissection station, students explored the anatomy of cephalopods, led by Sanibel Sea School marine science educator Emily Pipkin.
“The biggest reaction came when I removed one of the squid’s eyes. When the lens was carefully removed for observation, students erupted in a chorus of surprised screams and laughter,” she said. “They were equally fascinated by the squid’s ink sac, learning how it helps the animal evade predators in the wild.”
At the seining and dip-netting station, marine science educator Austin Wise led students into the shallow water to carefully scoop up a variety of marine life. They placed the small creatures into small tanks for closer observation before releasing them back to the ocean.
For many, the surfing station was the most adventurous part of their field trip. While a few were nervous about getting into the water or stepping onto a surfboard for the first time, encouragement from marine science educator Kelsey Lowe and their classmates helped them push past their hesitation.
“Once they tried it, everything changed,” she said. “Students who had never surfed before suddenly found themselves riding waves and cheering each other on. By the end of the session, the challenge wasn’t convincing them to try; it was convincing them to come back to shore.”
The education team regularly works directly with teachers to align experiences with standards or specific learning goals, ensuring field trips complement what students are studying at school.
Most of the field trips hosted by the Sanibel Sea School are subsidized through a scholarship fund, which helps reduce the per-student cost and makes them accessible to more local public schools.