K - 12 Resources

UW in the High School

The UW in the High School (UWHS) Program offers high school students the opportunity to complete University of Washington courses — and earn UW credit — in their own classrooms with their own teachers. Students and teachers use UW curriculum, activities, texts, tests, and grading scales. Students earn a final grade over time; a grade does not depend on one exam. Students receive recognition for their UW work at most public institutions and many private ones. 

Five Washington high schools are participating in the pilot year for - Oceanography 101 - and 10 will participate in 2010-11. Faculty members from the UW School of Oceanography developed the guidelines for this five credit course, which teachers can adapt to fit their own classroom needs based on the popular Oceanography 101 course offered on campus. Course content includes:

• Holistic view of fundamental principles of ocean science

• Geography and geology of ocean basins

• Physical dynamics of currents, waves, and tides

• Coastal processes

• Biology of diverse ecosystems

Teachers receive professional development, access to UW resources, clock-hours, and recognition as an Extension Lecturer. UWHS is fully accredited by the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships.

To learn more about partnering with UWHS and the UW School of Oceanography, visit the UWHS website: http://www.outreach.washington.edu/uwhs/ or view the spotlight on Oceanography 101.

OACIS GK-12

The NSF Graduate STEM Fellows in K-12 Education (GK-12) Program supports fellowships and training for graduate students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Through interactions with teachers and students in K-12 schools, graduate fellows can improve communication and teaching skills while enriching STEM content and instruction for their K-12 partners.

UW has received 5 years of funding to host a NSF GK-12 program focused on increasing ocean literacy among high school students. Because a multitude of UW programs and facilities focus on the oceans, at least four departments can recruit graduate students as enthusiastic GK-12 Fellows who become directly involved in bringing their own marine science research into local classrooms.

Wise use of ocean and coastal resources requires that the public be literate concerning the oceans, life in the oceans, and human impacts on the ocean. Marine science is often a small part of the K-12 curriculum, yet this is an excellent stage at which to promote awareness of the oceans and our relation to them, while teaching students basic science.

Through this program graduate students from the University of Washington work with teachers and their classes, contributing subject knowledge to enrich classroom experiences while improving their own teaching and communications skills.

For more information on how to partner with a GK12 fellow see depts.washington.edu/oacis/purpose.html.

Washington on Water (WOW)

WOW is an online database for K-12 educators seeking marine education resources throughout Washington – from interior watersheds to the outer coast. Created and maintained by Washington Sea Grant, it is regularly updated and evolving. WOW brings together educators, scientists, industry, government and nonprofit organizations to improve marine science literacy, providing:

 

• Classroom Resources: Locate teacher resources (including lesson plans and classroom materials), guest speakers, Web-based resources and careers in marine education and science.

• Field Activities: Explore land- and water-based field trips for teachers and students.

• Professional Development Opportunities: Find online, regional, national and international workshops and conferences, as well as field activities.

• Funding Sources: Locate funding sources for classroom resources, field activities and professional development opportunities.

COSEE-OLC

COSEE-Ocean Learning Communities is a partnership funded by the National Science Foundation between the UW's College of the Environment and College of Education, and the Seattle Aquarium. In 2008, the Ocean Inquiry Project, joined the Center after receiving a partnership grant from NSF. COSEE-OLC is a thematic center with the long-term goal of developing models of Ocean Learning Communities in the Northwest region and sharing these models with the COSEE Network.

At COSEE-OLC we are actively building a community of scientists, marine volunteer organizations, formal and informal educators and interested citizens to form an ocean learning community. Join the community and get help with science outreach, request a scientist to speak to your organization or classroom, learn abut current ocean and marine science, or how to connect with other program leaders, volunteers and educators to to learn more about your ocean community.

To make this happen COSEE-OLC expands social networks around ocean science, links ocean scientists, formal and informal educators, learning scientists, interested citizens, organizations, and marine volunteers. Through the ocean learning communities:

• Citizens learn about current ocean research;

• Ocean scientists improve communication of their research;

• Volunteers have opportunities to learn about and participate in ocean research;

• Learning scientists investigate how people learn and teach marine science.

Learn more about COSEE http://www.coseeolc.net/.

Sound Citizen

SoundCitizen investigates the connection between land and sea within urban landscapes of Western Washington State and the marine waters of Puget Sound. Currently, they are investigating the types of cooking spices found in our locals waters and using these compounds to determine the connected nature between our kitchens and Puget Sound. They also measure emerging pollutants. If you would like to collect samples for a class project, they can provide scientific 'kits'.

Learn more at SoundCitizen.

R/V Thomas G. Thompson Tours

Group tours of the the UW's oceanographic research vessel THOMAS G. THOMPSON can be booked online Tours are scheduled on the hour and last approximately 30 to 45 minutes and are normally conducted at the School of Oceanography's dock on Portage Bay in Seattle. Please take a look at the calendar to determine the dates currently available for tours and then proceed to the request form. We will do our best to accommodate your tour but due to operations, maintenance and repair activities, and last minute changes in the sailing schedule, we may not be able to meet your specific date and time request.

Safety and Security Notice

The R/V THOMAS G. THOMPSON is a working vessel. Numerous personnel safety hazardous exist and extreme caution is required. While on the tour you will be climbing up and down ladder ways, stepping over coamings (def. raised pieces of wood of iron around a hatchway, skylight, or other opening in the deck, to prevent water from running bellow) and repeatedly moving about inside and outside of the vessel. Security measures are also in place which may require presentation of government issued identification, inspection of carry-on bags and restrictive access to certain parts of the vessels.

 

View the Booking Calendar

 

Directions to the School of Oceanography

Orca Bowl

The 2010 Orca Bowl competition consisted of eleven rounds of play that brought Friday Harbor A and ExCEL to a nail-biting finish and all-in-all close competition. ExCEL Academic League based out of Washougal placed second; from the Seattle area, Garfield High School's Team "B" was third and Friday Harbor Team "B" in fourth. Trophies were awarded to the top 3 teams and all 4 received regionally sponsored ocean science opportunities, ocean related reference books and ocean-themed "goody" bags.

This year's sportsmanship award went to Garfield High School's "A" Team, they were presented a trophy and prize bag and also received 7th place awards.

Top awards and prizes:

First Place Trophy, and...

• Undergraduate tuition scholarships at UW’s School of Oceanography

• One day of team sailing and science sponsored by Salish Sea Expeditions

• Team SIGNED copy of, FLOTSAMETRICS AND THE FLOATING WORLD: How One Man’s Obsession with Runaway Sneakers and Rubber Ducks Revolutionized Ocean Science, donated and signed to the teams by co-author, Curtis Ebbesmeyer

• Team copy of, Word Ocean Census: A Global Survey of Marine Life  (Census of Marine Life staff were question writers for NOSB 2009 biology theme)

• Individual copies of 50 Ways to Save the Ocean, sponsored by COSEE-OLC

• Northwest Aquatic and Marine Educators, $150 sponsorship towards NOSB team tee shirt printing

• And a bag of individual and team ocean themed goodies, ie: "Swedish Fish" candy, Glow Fish (sponsored by Archie McPhee’s), Shark "Fishing Game", fun 2 GB USB to save team studies and individual copies of WSG 2010 calendars

 

The winning team travels, all expenses paid, to the National Ocean Sciences Bowl finals. This year the nationals were held in St. Petersburg, Florida on April 23-25, 2010. The theme for the Finals Competition this year was 'Technology'. The winning team was Marshall High, Marshfield, WI, winners of the Lake Sturgeon Bowl, for the second year in a row. For more information about the event, visit the National Ocean Sciences Bowl.

 

Check back to Washington Sea Grant around mid-March for information on the 2011 Orca Bowl. Also, for more information for prospective teams, including resources for teams, please see:

• Eligibility rules and general topics of study