By Craig Didden, Chair of the Science Dept and Biology and Oceanography Teacher

While Oceanography is only a one-semester class, it is jam-packed with labs, speakers, fun learning opportunities, and a day trip to Leo Carrillo State Beach in Malibu. Our day started with a quick tour of the tide pools and hands-on learning with marine life. To complement our lessons in the classroom, we were able to see Cnidaria and Mollusca in their natural habitat. We then analyzed the different parts of the intertidal zones and examined the marine life and habitats within them. Before our lunch break, the students eagerly searched for the hermit crab of their choice to race in a heated competition. After relaxing on the beach, we had the freedom to explore the tide pools and spot sea hares, sea anemones, brine shrimp, and sea stars.

It was a great day out and one student remarked, “Mr. Didden made sure to educate the class on all of the marine life we found. It was an incredible day, getting to put what we learned in the classroom into action really brought the lessons home. We never expected to find such a diverse ecosystem so close to school! We will definitely be coming back with our friends to educate them on this amazing area. This Oceanography field trip was an educational and memorable experience.”