Narragansett, R.I. — June 7, 2000 — The URI Narragansett Bay Classroom at the Graduate School of Oceanography is offering an exciting new course for teachers who want to experience exploring coastal environments first-hand and gain valuable insight on how to incorporate coastal ecology into their classrooms. “Coastal Ecosystem Exploration” will be held on three consecutive Mondays, July 10, 17, and 24. The July 10 and 24 class will meet from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the July 17 class will meet from noon to 5 p.m. For each meeting, teachers will participate in a classroom session at South Laboratory on the Narragansett Bay Campus and then travel to a field location. Led by URI Outreach Scientists, participants will learn about the plants and animals that live in a Rhode Island salt marsh, explore a coastal pond ecosystem aboard a coastal vessel, and examine the unique creatures that reside in a tide pool. The cost for taking “Coastal Ecosystem Exploration” is $120 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. x-x-x Contact: Lisa Cugini, 874-6642, lcugini@gso.uri.edu