Overview of Sanctuary Splash/ Big Mama Programming Designed as a - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Overview of Sanctuary Splash/ Big Mama Programming

• Designed as a three part lesson – able to fit into two parts when requested 1. Intro to the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary and cetaceans (1 hour) 2. Humpback whale anatomical tours (40 min) 3. Science of underwater acoustics and whale songs & sounds (1+ hour) Program runs from early • September to late February

2018-2019 Port Angeles School District • 579 Students Reached • Hamilton Elementary Jefferson Elementary • 2017-2018 • Dry Creek Elementary 325 Students Reached • Roosevelt Elementary Franklin Elementary • • Sequim School District Greywolf Elementary • • Helen Haller Elementary • Olympic Peninsula Academy Crescent School • • Neah Bay Elementary Clallam Bay Elementary • • Forks Elementary School • Quileute Tribal School

Interactive classroom lessons • Learn to “listen like a whale” Tuning fork exploration after learning • that cetaceans use their jaws as an “ear” • Spectrogram Charades • Predicting what a spectrogram will sound like based on the graph produced • Drawing a sound that they hear in a clip based on knew knowledge of how Hands on anatomical tours sounds appear in a spectrogram Blubber Bag • • Feel how blubber keeps these large mammals warm • Whale bones & body structure • Fluke Pattern ID Learn about how each humpback • has a “fingerprint” on their fluke

Orca

2017 – 2018 School Year 237 Students increased Knowledge • (by one point) • 252 pledges of behavior changes to help keep the ocean a healthy place for humpback whales 2018 – 2019 School Year • 332 Students increased knowledge (by 3 points) • 325 pledges of behavior changes to help keep the ocean a healthy place for humpback whales **at least 100 students from Greywolf Elementary did not finish the program

Beachcombers Fun Fair The program lessons don’t translate perfectly into large outreach events but the anatomical tours are a hit with families and provide a wonderful opportunity to introduce people to the Sanctuary system in a fun NOAA Open House lovable way.

Space for Programming • She’s 45 ft long by 36 ft wide due to her wingspan and not all schools have room for this Maintenance of Big Mama • Cleaning / Sanitizing after the school year Repairs and upkeep of the material • (stitching and wear & tear) as well as the Other things to consider… large fans for inflation Sanctuary Splash is currently • • Storage options supported by AmeriCorps service members at OCNMS and requires 2 dedicated educators to successfully schedule and run the program. To expand the program further down • the outer coast there will be more travel time for the education team as well as a longer program “season”

http://olympiccoast.noaa.gov http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov