The programs below can be adapted to a virtual format. To make reservations or discuss options for your group, contact Andrea Gingras, agingras@uri.edu | 401-874-6524. 

Program Fees

Each program is 45-minutes in length and led by a URI outreach scientist.  

• One (1) program: $125
• Two (2) programs*: $100 each 
• Three (3) programs*: $90 each 

*To receive this discount, the same program topic must be booked. 

Suggested Programs

We can work with educators to design a program tailored to meet your needs. Below is a list of potential programs, contact us to discuss your ideas!

Appropriate Age: E = Elementary; M = Middle; H = High School

Create a Fish

Did you know some animals can make their own light? Have you ever wondered why flounder have both eyes on one side of their head? Over time animals have adapted to their environments by developing strategies for hiding, hunting, shelter and protection. Together we will explore environments from the deep dark seas to the bright surface ocean to learn about both the mysterious and common critters and why they look the way they do! From small and large, to bright and patterned, each of these traits gives a different competitive edge, what works for one animal, might be very different from another. Along the way, we will be developing adaptations by creating sea critters of our own and discussing where they would be best suited to survive. E M

Making Sense of Seashores

Seashores are home to some of the most important and biodiverse types of ecosystems! Coastal wetlands and rocky shores are where the ocean and land animals connect and support each other. Learn how different habitats support everything from microscopic bacteria to sea birds, crabs, and fish and how connected life is to the ocean. Using four of our five senses, sight, touch, smell, and sound (sorry no tasting allowed!), we will interact with everything from mud and sand to critters that swim and crawl and answer questions such as what makes the mud smell so funky and how do wind and tides shape the beach? Through our exploration, students will learn the key functions of  seashore ecosystems as well as how humans and invasive species can have a large impact on seashore health. E M H

Marine Debris: Garbage In, Garbage Out

The vast majority of our plastic waste ends up in our ocean. There is so much garbage in the ocean that trash is beginning to form islands! Furthermore, the high level of microplastics in the marine environment have prompted a critical need to understand the potential ecological and health risks they pose. Students will examine data and samples then take part in activities that explore the causes, geographical distribution and biological impacts caused by this global environmental problem. M H

So You Want to be an Oceanographer?

Have you ever wondered what it is like to be an oceanographer? How do we study an environment as vast and as unpredictable as the ocean? Whether we’re sailing in the open ocean on a research vessel, collecting samples or traversing over subsea mountain ranges to collect ancient ocean rocks, we conduct research in many different sub-fields of oceanography. URI outreach scientists will talk about their experiences as an oceanographer and introduce participants to how oceanographic scientific experiments are designed and conducted. Activities will include posing a current problem or question from the marine world that will allow students to apply what they have learned. E M H

The Role of Density in the Ocean: Archimedes’ Principle 

Density is a huge factor in ocean circulation and is one of the main reasons ocean currents move the way they do. In this program, we will discuss ocean currents and explore Archimedes’ Principle. This principle states that any object, wholly or partially immersed in a fluid, is “held up” in the water by a force equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the object. Through various demonstrations and experiments, students can gain a better understanding of Archimedes’ Principle and the importance of density in the ocean. M H

On the Trail of a Whale 

Believe it or not, the ocean is a noisy place! From whale sounds to boat noise, there are sounds everywhere. Take on the role of a marine scientist and learn how marine mammals make different vocalizations and participate in an activity to track “whales” throughout their migration using sound. We will listen to how whales communicate and examine various whale artifacts such as baleen. We will also explore the role of whales in the marine food web; two kinds of whales (baleen vs. toothed-whale) eat much differently from each other and thus play individual roles in the ocean. Photographs and slides will be shown to help illustrate concepts and we will use online resources (ie. https://dosits.org/) to explore sound in the ocean. E M

Underwater Exploration 

The tools used by ocean explorers have changed dramatically over the last few years. We still use scuba gear to explore coral reefs, caves and shipwrecks that are in shallower water. But to explore in deep, dark and very cold waters we use HOV’s (human occupied vehicles), ROV’s (remotely operated vehicles) and AUV’s (autonomous underwater vehicles). The scientists at the URI Bay Campus have designed and built many of these vehicles. Under the guidance of a URI underwater explorer, participants will learn more about the tools used to retrieve a variety of samples from the bottom of the ocean. E M H