Academic Programs –> Living Classrooms Foundation Boat Trip

Living Classrooms Boat Trip

This program introduces students to an aquatic food web.  The highlight is a boat trip on the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers conducted by Living Classrooms.  During this trip students catch and identify fish, dissect clams, and use a microscope to examine plankton - all while enjoying stunning views of their city!  Students prepare for the trip with classroom activities that teach them to distinguish carnivores from herbivores, describe the characteristics and role of plankton, and explore the interconnected nature of an aquatic food web.  While on the boat, students also learned about buoyancy by building small boats.

A student gently examines a fish under the guidance of a Living Classrooms educator. (top left) Playing captain for a few moments in Half Shell's wheelhouse. (top right) "Haul away!" Students gamely pull in the trawl net to see if they caught any fish. (right) Students prepare a slide for the microscope to see if they caught any plankton. (below right) "We have a winner!" Students test how much weight the boats they built (from aluminum foil and other materials) can hold. (below left)

To see select archived boat trips with Living Classrooms, click on the links below.