Noble Prize winner, Andre Gide once said, "Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore," and I hope to give my students the opportunity to discover a "new ocean" of their own.
Our high school is labeled as a "title one public high school" in North Carolina.
Being in a rural setting the students have grown up with very little. Their loving personality grows with their strong connection to their families and the role models that they find through-out their lives. My Marine Biology class consists of upper classmen that have finished taking all required science classes and want to go above and beyond by taking another. These students enjoy science and have been inspired to learn more about the ecosystems that are so close to their own community. The high school located about forty-five miles inland off the coast of North Carolina. Although this does not seem that far there are students that have never stepped foot on North Carolina's shore. With signing up for this class I hope that they all will have an opportunity to do so. They are truly amazing young adults that deserve nothing but the best education.
My Project
As we all know each student learns and processes information in different ways. Many need the hands-on experience in order to fully understand how things work. Dissecting a squid will give the students an opportunity to see how the body functions and will be able to discover the inside anatomy of this creature. The students will be able to see and learn how the internal organs work, will witness the squid's defense mechanisms, see how it moves, and will discover the ink sac and will actually be able to write with the ink! They will be able to understand the taxonomy of the squid or (loligo opalescence) and why it classified the way it is.
I am requesting for two squid dissection kits. I have asked for two so that each of my classes through out the 2012 school year will get an opportunity to dissect this organism.
Establishing a foundation for the class is what has made this program a success.
Starting from scratch and trying to find the resources needed in order to make the class enjoyable by all students was a huge task. This year I am trying to further the growth of the Marine Biology program by allowing students to gain a hands-on experience right inside the classroom. Dissecting squid will help the students connect to our beautiful ocean and allow them to gain an understanding of its importance.
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