Climate Heroes
For Grades 9th-12th
Season: late February-end of school year
Climate Heroes is a multi-part climate science program that introduces students to the phenomenon of coastal acidification and its effects on local oysters, while addressing climate change more broadly. Climate Heroes is designed to work alongside and enrich existing curricula used in many high school chemistry classes to teach about ocean acidification. ESC prioritizes working with schools in nearby south King County districts, including Highline, Renton, Tukwila, Kent, and Auburn, though we are open to working with other schools.
Program Details
In the Introductory Lesson students learn about the life cycle of oysters, as well as their cultural and economic importance to the Salish Sea region. Students engage with the phenomena of eutrophication and coastal acidification, and the way they compound the effects of ocean acidification.
The Field Lesson is either a trip to Seahurst Park or a field science experience in the classroom. Students examine local plankton samples to learn more about harmful algal blooms and the influence of excess nutrients. Students also learn scientific techniques for water quality testing and assess samples for their levels of phosphate, nitrogen, salinity, and pH.
During the Synthesis Lesson students analyze their water quality testing results and review their plankton sampling, drawing conclusions about the current health of the water and organisms at Seahurst Beach. Students bring together all they learned throughout the program and discuss up-to-date research and policy related to water quality and climate change in the Salish Sea. Students are also given the opportunity to write to someone (an elected official, a family member, etc.) about what they’ve learned and the change they’d like to see in their community.
Climate Heroes is currently designed to fit within and complement the Ocean Acidification units of OpenSciEd and Savvas curricula.
Location
Introductory Lessons and Synthesis Lessons are conducted at each participating school. Field Lessons take place at Seahurst Park in Burien, WA, though a version of the Field Lesson can be brought to the school, if classes are unable to travel for a field trip.
Cost
Climate Heroes is currently supported with funding from Puget Sound Clean Air Agency and generous private donations. This support means that we can offer the program at no cost to schools.
Accessibility
ESC has two all-terrain GRIT Freedom wheelchairs that can be borrowed by participants during programs, one youth-sized chair and one adult chair. We have found that these wheelchairs work best for youth and adults who have some mobility (e.g. can get out of the chair for short periods, for instance if they want to get closer to an organism, or if the chair needs to be maneuvered over an obstacle) and who have at least one dedicated support person. These wheelchairs increase the accessibility of Seahurst Beach, but are not able to reach every part of the beach, and unfortunately don’t make the beach entirely accessible.
During the registration process you can indicate whether you will need access to one or both chairs during your program. For participants using their own wheelchairs, there are parts of the park and the beach that are accessible, depending on the type of chair. For further specifics regarding our wheelchairs, please email Rosie (Rosie@EnvironmentalScienceCenter.org). If your group has other accessibility needs, there is space to describe them in the registration form.
Registration
Because the Climate Heroes program is still new, we are intentionally keeping the scope small this year and are limiting registration. For questions about registration and scheduling, please contact our School Programs Manager: Rosie@EnvironmentalScienceCenter.Org.
Questions
Email Rosie@EnvironmentalScienceCenter.Org with any questions. We look forward to working with you and your students!