{"id":7838,"date":"2015-06-15T14:08:46","date_gmt":"2015-06-15T18:08:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/rinsfepscor\/?p=7838"},"modified":"2015-06-15T14:08:46","modified_gmt":"2015-06-15T18:08:46","slug":"students-discover-an-endless-ocean-of-possibilities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/web.uri.edu\/rinsfepscor\/2015\/06\/15\/students-discover-an-endless-ocean-of-possibilities\/","title":{"rendered":"Students discover an endless ocean of possibilities"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Fort
A Times2 Academy student walks along the beach at Fort Getty. For more photos, see below the story.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hands-on science\u00a0stokes interest\u00a0in marine life &\u00a0ecosystems of the Bay<\/h2>\n

The Times2 STEM Academy sixth graders stepped\u00a0out of the yellow school bus\u00a0and\u00a0onto the crushed white shell parking lot at\u00a0Forty Getty, on the northwestern shore of Jamestown, RI.<\/p>\n

“Miss, Miss!” the students clamored, asking their teacher what was covering the ground. “What is this?”<\/p>\n

Later, as she watched her charges scamper along the rocky intertidal zone, buckets and nets in hand as the Bay’s waters gently lapped the shoreline,\u00a0Times2 math teacher Daria Baccari reflected,\u00a0“They didn’t know what the shells were.”<\/p>\n

Although\u00a0the coast sits\u00a0less than an hour’s drive away for most Ocean State residents, the wonders of the sea\u00a0remain unknown and unexplored by\u00a0most Times2 students, who, Baccari said, typically grow up without experiencing\u00a0life beyond city boundaries.<\/p>\n

Throughout the school year and during the summer months, Rhode Island NSF EPSCoR provides unique opportunities through Hands-on Science Experiences and exposure to the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines.<\/p>\n

“Our intention is to show these students who wouldn’t have the opportunity otherwise to engage hands-on with STEM activities that align with their classroom curriculum,” explained Tim Pelletier, RI NSF EPSCoR education, outreach and diversity coordinator. “Through these experiences, they learn not only about the science \u2014 the marine ecosystem and the impact of human behavior \u2014 but also the possibilities that STEM education and careers provide.”<\/p>\n

Anthony Rabaiotti, a mentor with\u00a0the East Bay Educational Collaborative<\/a>, joined both trips to observe the lessons and activities led\u00a0by students from the University of Rhode Island <\/a>Graduate School of Oceanography<\/a> through the Office of Marine Programs<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On the first day, Clara Smart and Kira Homola, respectively URI GSO\u00a0ocean engineering and biochemistry students, guided\u00a0an exercise to highlight engineering with a focus on instrumentation for oceanographic research. Instructed to close their eyes,\u00a0walk a certain number of\u00a0\u00a0steps, stop, turn and walk back, the youngsters got a firsthand idea of complications encountered in autonomous navigation as it might be applied to a vehicle, robot or other platform.<\/p>\n

The activity led to a discussion about underwater navigation and how the principal used for oceanic vehicles is similar to how animals use echolocation, or the use of sound echoes to locate and identify objects.<\/p>\n

The next day, a\u00a0second group of\u00a0youngsters\u00a0reached into the water and turned over rocks,\u00a0seeking sea creatures and shells in a scavenger hunt under the instruction\u00a0of GSO physical oceanography student Kellen Rosburg. Rabaiotti motioned toward\u00a0the excitement, saying the experience gave the Times2 students an unparalleled understanding of research not afforded in the classroom.<\/p>\n

“It’s important to have the hands-on component,” \u00a0said\u00a0Rabaiotti. “It’s very good for them to see science in action. They\u00a0get to see that scientists are real people. And, it encourages investigation.”<\/p>\n

Jane Brell, who teaches social studies\u00a0and the life science at Times2 Academy, said she was struck by the intensity of the students’ engagement. One boy, Frankie, bent over the water, his face immersed, using his sunglasses as goggles. Suddenly, he reached down and grabbed, coming up with a hermit crab.<\/p>\n

“There were many finds that morning, but the most wonderful to see was the total involvement by students who live in the city and rarely, if ever, visit the shoreline,” Brell said.<\/p>\n

After the trip, Brell rounded up observations from her students. They\u00a0told her:<\/p>\n