THE MONTEREY EXPERIENCE By Jeremiah Stricklin, Science Teacher
Each year, AVS seventh graders journey to Monterey, CA, for a week of exploration, discovery, and science in action. The trip includes a visit to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, a kayaking excursion, a beach day, several memorable dinners, and even a stop at a tree grown from seeds that traveled to the moon and back. As a STEAM school, AVS uses these experiences to nurture the growth of young scientists. This year, we introduced two new activities to deepen learning. The first was a scavenger hunt at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, where students—armed with resources—identified pairs of organisms within the same taxonomic groups. The second involved collecting water samples during our kayaking trip. Back at school, students analyzed their samples with a spectrophotometer to quantify phytoplankton populations at varying distances from the shore. We predicted that samples closer to shore would contain higher concentrations due to upwelling—a process in which strong coastal currents draw nutrient-rich water to the surface. Our beach day brought a delightful surprise. As students gathered to bury me in the sand, they built a “sandcastle city” on top of me, naming it Strickland and developing its own districts, rivers, historical events, and even a national anthem: “Strickland, Strickland, we made it out of sand…” It was funny, creative—and an unexpected opportunity for reflection. When students jokingly declared I was being “punished” for teaching them so much, I took it as a sure sign that the lessons had stuck.
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