Mail Call Write us at

Mail Call
Write us at:
Dauphin Island Sea Lab
101 Bienville Boulevard
Dauphin Island, AL. 36528
tidings@disl.org

Dear Grant Craig,

Please accept our sincere appreciation for helping to make our trip to Dauphin Island Sea Lab a special one. Was it worth taking 30 students and 8 teachers out of school and riding on a bus for 12 hours to participate in your program? You better believe it! We all had an absolutely wonderful time. On the trip back to Southern Illinois I asked several teachers and students to tell me the one thing they liked best. Each individual told me there were too many highlights to narrow it down to just one thing.

Most of the teachers in our group had a very limited knowledge of marine science. While only a few of the pre-post feedback forms have been returned, I’d like to share a few comments:

• I have never done field work before. This experience gives me the basic skill to begin and the desire to do it.
• I am going to add a freshwater plankton lab to my water unit.
• The content on barrier islands was valuable. I have increased knowledge of marine food chains, especially
the abundance and diversity of marine plankton.
• I will be adding plankton to my freshwater ecology studies. I now know a great deal more about marine ecosystems, salt marshes and inter-tidal areas.
• I plan to add a ‘Design a Diatom" activity to my unit. I also need to get a video flex camera and a salt water aquarium in my room. I am also motivated to add the River Watch [a freshwater investigation and monitoring project] to my classroom.

I’d say those are pretty positive comments about our experience! I know several students are serious about returning for one of Sea Lab’s summer sessions. Thanks again for helping us landlubbers to have a great experience.

Sincerely,
Susan Barker
Science Coordinator
Monroe-Randolph County Schools, Illinois

Dear Crew of the R/V Verrill,

We would like to commend the crew of the R/V A.E. Verrill for their assistance on March 10, 2001 during the morning trip. We brought students from the Marine Biology classes of Oak Mountain High School and Pelham High School to DISL for a weekend field trip.

Despite the cold breeze and choppy conditions, our students enjoyed their time on the research ship. They were quickly encouraged to enjoy their time aboard. The captain allowed one or two students at a time to visit the wheelhouse and ask him questions.

Our students were very excited as the first net was emptied on the table and many animals they have studied in class were in front of them. Grant did an excellent job with his explanations of the various organisms. During our second trawl, numerous crab traps clogged the net, and as the crew cleared the net, they took the time to show our students the unique animals, such as oyster toads, a stingray, and a seahorse, that the students did not see during the first trawl.

All of our students quickly said the boat trip was a great experience and a lot of fun. Please convey our thanks to the Verrill crew.

Sincerely,

Julie Nelson (Pelham High School) and Tim Evans (Oak Mountain High School)

Questions about Tidings?
Contact: Tidings Editor Lisa Young at the above address, or email lyoung@disl.org