We will be traveling with WorldStrides. This company has been providing educational travel opportunities to middle and high school students for more than 40 years.
"Founded in 1967, WorldStrides is passionate about creating life-changing learning experiences for every student. Throughout our nearly 50-year history, WorldStrides has facilitated programs for more than five million participants to destinations around the world." (http://www.worldstrides.org/about-us/)
The Dive In program is designed for high school students. The course covers a range of sciences including Biology, Ecology, Physics, Chemistry, and Earth Science. Participating students will be outside everyday conducting experiments and exploring diverse and unique ecosystems throughout Southern Florida and the Keys. Each fun and action-packed day is designed to keep the students moving and engaged as well as to provide the opportunity to learn about a wide variety of topics and environments. The world is our classroom! Students can even earn College Credit through Colorado State University. Login to MyTrip and click on Discovery for Credit to register.
Projected Itinerary:
Monday, April 21, 2014
- Arrive in Tampa, FL
- Check into hotel
- Dinner
- Welcome Meeting
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
- Breakfast
- Caladesi Island Excursion: Travel by ferry to a sandy island to work with students from the University of South Florida. Students will explore ocean currents and wind patterns, plant identification and adaptations, beach profiles, and local history. We will have a picnic lunch on the island. **Last year dolphins chased us on our ferry trip home.**
- Dinner
- Sweetwater Organic Community Farm: Explore an organic farm, investigate causes and effects of pollution, and create an organic salad from the gardens.
- Return to hotel
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
- Breakfast/Check out
- Crystal River-Snorkel with Manatees: Learn about the history, physiology, and conservation of this species then take a boat ride into the local waterways where you will get out to swim and snorkel with these gentle giants. **This is a great opportunity for pictures. Bring your underwater camera!**
- Lunch
- Rainbow River Snorkel: After exploring the water quality in the river we will dive in with our snorkels to visit with the river's wildlife, search for shark teeth, and investigate the natural springs that feed this river as cool water bubbles up from the ground in the riverbed.
- Rubber Duck Challenge: We will continue our exploration in Rainbow River with a study of currents and karst topography. Students will race rubber ducks using their knowledge or the water's movements to try to win.
- Drive to Sarasota
- Dinner/Check into hotel
Thursday, April 24, 2014
- Breakfast/Check out **Great day for pictures. Bring lots of water and sunscreen!**
- Introduction to Seagrass Restoration: Our friends from Sweetwater Organic Farm will visit again with a presentation on the importance of seagrass beds to marine wildlife and coastal ecosystems. Students will participate in a project that will assist researchers in assessing the damage to seagrass beds as well as their recovery.
- Lunch
- Everglades-Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park: We will explore the "River of Grass", visit with the tremendous and diverse amounts of local wildlife, learn about endangered species, and the importance of this ecosystem to the world.
- Everglades-Mangroves: In another part of the park we will see the landscape change along with the species that live there.
- Everglades-Shark Valley Tram Tour: In yet another part of the park we will take a guided tram tour, observe more wildlife, and discuss how the Everglades are affected by seasonal changes, as well as the important role of alligators as a keystone species.
- Dinner
- Everglades-Night Hike: This is a special request and one of my favorite parts of the trip. We will return to the Everglades after dark for a whole new experience. See alligator eye shine and listen for nocturnal activity. A clear night may give us the opportunity to view and discuss stellar navigation, visible planets, and search for meteors.
- Drive to Key Largo/Check into hotel
Friday, April 25, 2014
- Breakfast
- Mangrove Kayak Trip: We will kayak through several different ecosystems along the Florida coast. We will be on the lookout for fish, turtles, fire sponge, jellyfish, and more as we paddle through mangrove tunnels. **Bring your waterproof camera!**
- Snorkel a Coral Reef: We will take a boat ride about 5 miles off shore to a beautiful barrier reef. We will be on the lookout for sharks, sting rays, and lots and lots of fish. We will be trying to keep track of the species of fish that we can identify for a global survey project.
- Lunch
- REEF Fish ID Project: The information collected during our reef snorkel will be entered into a global data base that helps keep track of wildlife species at reefs throughout the world.
- Dinner
Saturday, April 26, 2014
- Breakfast/Check out
- Drive to Miami
- Swim with Dolphins: We will visit the Miami Seaquarium where students will have a chance to explore the exhibits, take in a show, and finally meet for our personal dolphin encounter. We will learn about dolphin training, dolphin physiology, and then wet-suit-up and jump into the pool for some fun with Flipper. **Bring your camera!**
- Lunch
- Depart for Maimi Airport, Fly Home . . .
