Year established:	September 2000
Age range or class year(s):	Grade 5
Annual # of students:	2,000
Number of participants since inception:	10,000
Duration / when held:	9:30 am - Noon on Tuesdays and Thursdays

Program objectives:

This is a mandatory, co-curricular program for all Newport-Mesa Unified School District 5th grade students. As we anticipate our seventh year of this updated program, all of the water testing kits and equipment have been distributed to the elementary schools and the lead teachers have been trained at the district headquarters. The museum visit is part of 10-hour curriculum for this environmental education program that meets the California standards for fifth grade science.

The on-site Nautical Museum activities include a watershed video, a visit from the fire boat of the Harbor Patrol, kelp forest video, tours of the galleries and the touch tank. The museum also runs a live underwater camera (24 hours a day, 7 days a week!) for students' viewing. Students receive a workbook and both pre- and post visit Scantron tests as well as a post-visit learning evaluation. The Scantron results indicate a 20% increase in learning.

Program Status

On break for Summer. Will resume Fall 2008.

Program Partners:

The partnership sponsors for this school year will be the City of Newport Beach, Newport Mesa Unified School District (NMUSD), Pacific Life, Marisla Foundation, Elliott Foundation, and California Coastal Alliance . As in the past, the school bus costs will be covered by a NHNM educational grant, always a key factor in periods of declining school budgets. We are expecting approximately 2,500 students from the District this year. We are very pleased that our instructional aides for the school year will include Harbor Patrol deputies with their fire boat, and the marine critters in our touch-tank. We welcome back the amazing college students from OCC who help our trained docents with the program.

return to top