TMS Zoology Students Team Up with Ecologists on Field Research

The Marin School has been chosen to pioneer a high school level program created by the Watershed Project called Oysters of the Half Shell. This program integrates ecological education and restoration in a hands on program for high school students. It gives students the opportunity to work alongside researchers and scientists in the field, monitoring the native oyster population in San Francisco Bay, in order to build valuable data over time. The curriculum has been designed to allow both classroom and field trip activities to cover a range of topics in science and math. Discussion topics include: Bay Area ecology and marine ecosystems, tides, research techniques, oyster biology, population dynamics, restoration practices and water quality. We are collaborating with the San Francisco Bay Native Oyster Working Group to count and measure the young oysters growing on the oyster reefs planted at each site. Students will analyze their data and communicate the results to provide information that will be compiled in the restoration project’s study results.The zoology classes will be participating in this project - the first presentation will be today at 1:30 in the Hawk's Nest.