MSC110 Course Detail

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The O’Neill Sea Odyssey program opens children’s eyes to aspects of nature many never considered before. Whether these children become marine biologists, mathematicians, or musicians, they will integrate their understandings and experiences of the oceans in all that they do.

This course is designed for educators participating in the program onsite in Santa Cruz, CA.

About This Course

O’Neill Sea Odyssey (OSO) was founded in 1996 by wetsuit innovator and surfer Jack O’Neill. A living classroom was created on board a 65-foot catamaran sailing the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary where 4th – 6th grade students from schools throughout Central California receive hands-on lessons about the marine habitat and the importance of the relationship between the living sea and the environment.

The program is conducted on board the catamaran with follow-up lessons at a shore-side Education Center at the Santa Cruz Harbor. It is free of charge, but students earn their way into the program by designing and performing a project to benefit their community.

This course is designed for educators participating in the onsite O'Neill Sea Odyssey Program at the Santa Cruz location in California. Educators will get access to this course and collaboration opportunities through O'Neill Sea Odyssey Community to connect with other educators.

Educators can access Pre-Trip Curriculum (Navigation, Marine Ecology and Marine Biology) in Preparing your Students section of each Activity. These activities contain worksheets that educators can download, print and use in their classrooms to get the students oriented and introduced to Marine Science content.

Educators who wish to obtain CEU's will have the option of completing all required assignments and obtaining a course completion certificate.

VIEW DETAILED COURSE OUTLINE+ Expand

Goals & Purpose:

Introduction

This session serves as an introduction to the course.

Activity 1: Navigation

This session covers the Navigation station which includes instruction in the use of hand held magnetic compasses, GPS, Radar and nautical charts. OSO students are taught both modern and traditional forms of navigation. Students use hand-held compasses to take bearings on local landmarks and triangulate their position on a nautical chart. This information is recorded on a datasheet along with readings of wind speed, weather, depth and GPS coordinates.

Activity 2: Marine Ecology

This session encompasses the information that students will learn about the Monterey Bay Sanctuary’s marine life and habitats by experiencing them first hand from the bow of the catamaran. Discussion includes the kelp forest, marine mammals, human influence on our marine habitat and ecosystems, threats to the bay, and ideas for conservation and preservation.

Activity 3: Marine Biology

This session goes over the students Marine Biology lesson, which includes the life cycles of plankton, their role in the food web and the unique chemical and physical balance that helps maintain life in the sea. Students also participate in a plankton tow and the specimen is taken back to the education center for further examination.

Activity 4: Community Service and Collaboration

This session concerns Community Service Projects, all of which provide a great opportunity for enrichment and outreach for students. Each O'Neill Sea Odyssey participant is required to develop a creative community service project and service projects provide opportunities for students to develop pride and take ownership in their local communities.

Download Detailed Course Outline

WAYS TO TAKE THIS COURSE

Simply Audit this Course

Can't commit to all of the lectures, assignments, and tests? Audit this course and have complete access to all of the course material, tests, people, portfolios, and the online discussion forum. You decide what and how much you want to do.

Try for a Certificate

Looking to test your mettle? Participate in all of the course's activities (we use the honor code around here) and if your work meets the 85% requirements, you'll receive a personalized certificate to showcase your achievement. You can also apply for course credit (if desired).

Course Staff

Laura Barnes

Laura is the Education Coordinator/Instructor at O'Neill Sea Odyssey. She grew up in Santa Barbara where she became interested in the marine environment through diving, sailing, and exploring tidepools. Having been raised in a seagoing family, Laura has worked in harbors for most of her professional life. While attending San Francisco State University she supported herself with various maritime jobs such as sailmaking, spinnaker repair and hosting events for the San Francisco Maritime Museum Association on Hyde Street Pier. After graduating with a degree in Humanities from SFSU, Laura’s fondness for travel led her to Alaska and Canada where she worked as a wilderness guide and as a naturalist for a charter boat on Prince William Sound. Laura joined the OSO crew in 1999. In her spare time she studies dance, yoga and music and enjoys hiking in the Santa Cruz mountains with her husband Sean.

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Course Code:	MSC110
Course Release:	Sep 07, 2016
Estimated Effort:	5 Hours Online 10 Hours Offline

Suggested Prerequisites:
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