Biology

Costumed Crabs at Maritime Gloucester

Kids will learn about crabs and their ability to disguise themselves at this Glo

Maritime Gloucester invites kids to a vacation week session about crabs - part of a week full of educational sessions during February vacation!. Did you know that some crabs like to play dress up? We’ll learn all about decorator crabs by making some fancy crab crafts decorated with shells and sea glass. We’ll also explore the different types of crustaceans as we study tiny horseshoe crabs, gigantic lobster claws, and an unusual Caribbean spiny lobster. We’ll end the day with a story about our favorite costumed crustaceans!

When:

Wednesday, February 19, 2014 1-3pm

Location:

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Fish Facts and Shark Socks at Maritime Gloucester

Kids will learn about what makes a fish a fish at Maritime Gloucester!

Maritime Gloucester invites kids in pre-k through first grade to a vacation week session about fish and the similar traits all fish have in common - part of a week full of educational sessions during February vacation! What makes a fish a fish? You might be surprised by just how much a great white shark and a guppy have in common! By hearing a story and looking at models and pictures, kids will learn all about the fishes that live in Cape Ann and beyond. Using ordinary socks, children will craft their own toy sharks and colorful fishes to take home!

When:

Friday, February 21, 2014 10:30am - Noon

Location:

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Jellies and Coral at Maritime Gloucester

Kids will learn about coral and jellyfish, then make their own at Maritime Glouc

Maritime Gloucester invites kids in pre-k through first grade to a vacation week session about Jellyfish and Coral - part of a week full of educational sessions during February vacation! Did you know that the biggest jelly is found right here in Massachusetts and can have tentacles longer than four school busses? Found in every ocean, from the dark depths to the sunny surface, jellies are amazing animals! We will learn about jellies and corals and make jelly crafts to take home. We’ll highlight our adventure with a story about Jenny Jellyfish and the challenges she faces in her ocean home.

When:

Thursday, February 20, 2014 10:30am - Noon

Location:

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Spaghetti Skeletons at Maritime Gloucester - Canceled

Kids will get up close and personal with fish skeletons at Martime Gloucester

Canceled due to weather. 2/17/2014

Maritime Gloucester invites kids in pre-k through first grade to a vacation week session about marine skeletons - part of a week full of educational sessions during February vacation! What supports a fish, whale, or sea turtle as it swims through the ocean? Its skeleton! We will learn all about the skeletons of sea creatures working with some fun pasta shapes. Kids will create their own sea creature skeletons to take home! We’ll learn about more about skeleton sizes by comparing fish and giant whale bones.

When:

Tuesday, February 18, 2014 10:30am - Noon

Location:

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Ice and Snow Science at Maritime Gloucester

Kids will learn about the unique properties of ice and snow at Maritime Gloucest

Maritime Gloucester invites kids to a vacation week session about the unique properties of ice and snow - part of a week full of educational sessions during February vacation! Does this time of year have you thinking of ice and snow? Students will learn all about ice through a variety of icy experiments, challenges, and projects. After looking at how salt affects ice, students will create saltwater paintings to take home. We’ll also learn about how arctic and Antarctic sea creatures have adapted to survive at extreme temperatures.

When:

Thursday, February 20, 2014 1-3pm

Location:

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Recycled Sea Creatures at Maritime Gloucester

Kids will learn to make sea creatures from recyclables at Maritime Gloucester

Maritime Gloucester invites kids to a vacation week session focused on making art with recyclables - part of a week full of educational sessions during February vacation! Can you transform a water bottle into a fish, or a plastic plate into a sea turtle? Using a variety of recyclable materials, students will create their own sea creature sculptures to take home. We’ll look at a vast collection shells, bones, and exoskeletons for inspiration and discuss sea creature adaptations. As we talk about the importance of recycling, we’ll look at pictures of sea creature art made from recycled materials, such as marine debris and water bottles.

When:

Wednesday, February 19, 2013 1-3pm

Location:

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February Vacation at Joppa: Caribbean Carnival

February Vacation Week at Joppa Flats: Caribbean Carnival is a drop-in program

Joppa Flats Education Center vacation programs offer a wide variety of indoor and outdoor activities while we keep minds active and hands busy during school break. Each session offers a different theme, with art activities, experiments, group games, and scheduled family presentations for everyone. It's free-flow learning for the whole family. Come once or make it a multiple-day adventure; drop in for an hour or stay all day for a vacation activity that suits your family schedule.

When:

Wednesday, February 20, 2013 10am-3pm

Location:

Joppa Flats Education Center

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Beach Seining Demonstration

Beach seining is a scientific tool used by marine biologists and scientists. Salem Coastwatch

See and learn about the fishes living in Salem Harbor as part of Trails & Sails! At this seining demonstration, Salem Sound Coastwatch staff will drag a large seining net through the water onto the beach. We’ll examine the catch and coastal scientists will talk about marine habitats and the ecology of Salem Sound.

When:

Saturday, September 25, 2021 1-2:30pm

Location:

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Explore Underwater Salem with Salem Sound Coastwatch and Mahi Cruises

Join Salem Sound Coastwatch (SSCW) aboard the Finback, owned and operated by Mahi Cruises & Charters to explore Salem Sound. Did you ever wonder what lives on the ocean bottom in our coastal area? Come check it out with an underwater camera and a Remote Operated Vehicle that you build yourself with SSCW as your guide. Participants must be comfortable on the water for almost 2 hours. Open to all ages.

When:

Sunday September 22, 2019 10am-Noon

Location:

Pickering Wharf

Salem Sound Coastwatch

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Marine Science Experience

Tour Salem State's Cat Cove Marine Lab for Trails and Sails! FREE!

Come tour the Cat Cove Marine Laboratory as part of Trails & Sails! The Cat Cove Marine Laboratory is operated by Salem State University to promote the sustainable use of aquatic resources on the North Shore and elsewhere. Massachusetts’ North Shore is historically, culturally and economically linked with the ocean. More recently, the ecological importance of coastal waters has been recognized. Salem State University and its Cat Cove Marine Laboratory acknowledge the traditional, biological and social importance of our coastal waters. Methods to preserve, manage and utilize this treasured resource are developed and disseminated at the Laboratory. Participants in Trails & Sails will tour the Laboratory, learn about its relevance and gain insight into how some of their tax dollars are being spent. The visit is interactive, be prepared to feed fish, shellfish and to handle creepy crawlers!

When:

Friday, September 20, 2019 5-6:30pm

Location:

Cat Cove Marine Laboratory