At Home With the Bay: Galveston Bay Virtual Field Trips
Videos
Grades6, 7, 8, 9, 10Biology
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Provided by Galveston Bay Foundation
What it is
- This collection of virtual field trip videos and accompanying activity guides brings ecology to the classroom, covering topics including oysters, wetlands, bay biodiversity, microscopic ecosystems, and plankton.
- Each activity guide features a virtual lab, a craft, a conversation with a biologist, and an activity for the week, designed to replicate the hands-on experiences students would have during an in-person field trip to Galveston Bay.
Teaching tips
Classroom Implementation:
- Although these virtual field trips are especially well-suited for teachers in the Gulf Coast area who want to connect students to their local estuary, they are also recommended to any classroom studying coastal ecosystems.
- Ask students to engage in the conservation craft or activity of the week (e.g., reusing plastic bottles to make wind spirals) at home in collaboration with their families.
- For high school or advanced students, use the extension activities and lessons in this Google Drive folder.
- The student worksheets are also available in Spanish.
Preparation:
- For the conservation crafts, collect necessary recycled materials (bottles, food packaging, fabric, etc.) ahead of time.
Broken Links/Missing Materials:
- The link to the anchoring videos is broken; instead, access them via through the Galveston Bay Foundation's website or this YouTube playlist.
Climate Change Connection:
- While the focus of the virtual field trips is on ecology and not climate change, climate change can deeply affect ecological processes and relationships; for example, rising CO₂ levels cause ocean acidification, which limits oysters' ability to build their shells.
- The wetlands virtual field trip mentions climate change and highlights carbon sequestration as a key function of wetlands.
From the scientist review
This resource is a collection of videos and worksheets about the important ecosystems of Galveston Bay. The videos all feature scientists conducting research, and students are engaged with a peer-reviewed article in one lesson. While this resource is not climate-focused, climate change and carbon sequestration are a major part of the wetlands unit. This resource is recommended for teaching.
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