On Friday December 9, our Marine Science and AP Environmental classes visited the Georgia Aquarium. They participated in a scavenger hunt and observed the animal exhibits.  It was a great opportunity for the students to learn about marine ecosystems and their impact on the environment.

Going to Georgia Aquarium is a field trip that students look forward to each year. It was founded on November 23, 2005, thanks to a $250 million gift from Home Depot co-founder Bernie Marcus. It holds 10 million gallons of water and is the largest one of its kind in the world. The aquarium is home to over ten thousand animals, including 500 species from around the world. 

Mrs. Delanie Lewis, Ms. Aundrea Rue and Ms. Leta Watts did all of the planning for this trip. Although it took some jumping through hoops to plan, they did a great job of making it seamless and worth it in the end.

Lewis explains what she was most excited to see the students learn. 

“In AP environmental science, we learn about how the ocean is responsible for about 80% of the oxygen on earth. The different exhibits talked about feeding relationships between different species, which showed them that everything is connected. This helps them understand that the loss of a single species through extinction can result in a domino effect for other marine ecosystems.”

The classes were prepared a scavenger hunt and asked to participate in it throughout the aquarium. They were given clues of an animal and told to take pictures of their conclusions. This activity was really engaging for the students, emerging them in their underwater experience. 

Jenna Graziano, a senior who participated in the trip, shares, “This field trip was one of my favorites and one I will remember forever. Having to do the scavenger hunt taught me new things I did not know about ocean-life. The hunt was informative yet fun. Taking pictures of specific fish in order to get to the next level was enticing yet enjoyable.”

Visiting the Georgia Aquarium is a wonderful experience for students partaking in these classes. This is a tradition that teachers and students hope to continue to help connect their knowledge to real-life experiences.