Climate Heroes
For Grades 9th-12th
Season: late February-end of school year
Climate Heroes is a three-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
Part 1: During the Introductory Lesson, ESC naturalists provide an interactive overview of oysters and shellfish farming, plankton, and why they are connected to people, food, and culture. Students fill in a model of the eutrophication process in their journals, learn how it results in coastal acidification, and how it impacts oysters and compounds the effects of ocean acidification.
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1-hour long lesson in the classroom.
Part 2: The Field Lesson builds on the model of coastal acidification and understanding of plankton with four field activity stations. Students test the water from the Puget Sound and a local creek for indicators of eutrophication. They use a plankton net to collect plankton on the beach and use microscopes to identify plankton in the samples.
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3-hour field trip takes place at Seahurst Park in Burien.
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Samples can be brought to the classroom to facilitate a field science experience at school as an alternative.
Part 3: In the Synthesis Lesson, students analyze the water quality data to determine if the results were healthy or not. They research ways to improve or maintain healthy levels and prevent coastal acidification. The unit wraps up with inviting students to take action by writing a postcard to someone in power that could implement solutions.
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1-hour lesson in the classroom plus additional class time to write postcards.
Climate Heroes is currently designed to fit within and complement the Ocean Acidification units of the 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 Hanna (Hanna@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 (in 2026), we are keeping the scope small and therefore limiting registration. For questions about registration and scheduling, please contact our School Programs Manager, Hanna (Hanna@EnvironmentalScienceCenter.Org).
Questions
Email Hanna@EnvironmentalScienceCenter.Org with any questions. We look forward to working with you and your students!