Narragansett Bay Classroom Course for Teachers Brings Oceanography into the K-12 Classroom

Narragansett, RI -- September 6, 2000 -- The Narragansett Bay Classroom at the URI Graduate School of Oceanography is offering a course designed specifically for educators that will answer all kinds of questions from how the Rhode Island shoreline was formed to what creatures live along the shore and in the coastal waters.

Oceanography for Educators includes eight classroom sessions and four field sessions. The classroom sessions will run for eight consecutive Wednesdays beginning September 20, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at the Coastal Institute Conference and Visitor Center on the URI Bay Campus in Narragansett. The 6-hour field sessions will be held on four Saturdays, September 23 and 30 and October 14 and 21. Field session hours will vary depending on the time of low tide.

Course topics include properties of sea water, structure of the oceans, atmospheric and oceanic interactions, coastal processes, and marine life. The relationship of these topics to Rhode Island's marine environment will be highlighted. In addition to the ocean science content, a project will include development of inquiry-based activities for use in the classroom. Instructors include Gail Scowcroft, Associate Director of Marine and Environmental Education in the URI Office of Marine Programs (OMP), and a team of URI Outreach Scientists.

Cost for this course is $495 per person. A for-credit option to earn graduate credits to satisfy Rhode Island teacher certification requirements is also available. For further information about the for-credit option, course content, or registration procedures, call URI's Office of Marine Programs at 401-874-6211 or visit the OMP website at http://omp.gso.uri.edu/.

Contact: Lisa Cugini, 874-6642, lcugini@gso.uri.edu