Sailors for the Sea announces the publication of the Rainy Day Kits for Environmental Education!

The Sailors for the Sea Rainy Day Kits are environmental lesson plans focused on marine ecology that can be taught to young sailors in yacht clubs and sailing programs around the country. The kits provide a clear connection to and understanding of the marine ecosystems that thrive beneath their hulls. Sailors with an understanding of marine ecology are more likely to develop a strong passion for protecting and preserving their oceans and local waters.

The lessons and labs have been created for and contributed to the Rainy Day Kit Program by leaders in the fields of marine and environmental science and education. In collaboration with these institutions, Sailors for the Sea worked to build lessons simple enough that they can be taught by sailing instructors who may not be well-versed formally trained educators in ecology or biology. We developed flexible lessons that can be used in a variety of regions, and which are substantial without being too material-intensive.

The first six lesson plans in the Rainy Day Kits are available as of January 27th, 2011 and can be downloaded free below.  Over the next several months, Sailors for the Sea will be adding additional lesson plans from Scripps, Texas A&M Sea Grant, Pacific Science Center and others.

The current lessons have been generously contributed by the New England Aquarium, Harte Research Institute, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, Rozalia Project for a Clean Ocean and Sailors for the Sea.

Click on lesson plan name to download, the PDF lesson plan.

Bio-Magnification Game
Contributed by The Rozalia Project for a Clean Ocean
This is a tag-inspired game that demonstrates the concept of bio-magnification as it relates to plastics and how chemicals and plastics can make it onto our dinner plates.

Clam Jigsaw
Contributed by Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies
Students create a cutout model of a clam to investigate the anatomy and physiology of these animals.

Density Currents
Contributed by the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science
This activity demonstrates the Thermohaline Circulation throughout the world's oceans and the relative density between cold and warm ocean water.

Dirty Water Challenge
Contributed by the New England Aquarium
This is a fun activity that teaches students about their environment in an engaging and practical way. Inquiry and discussion is embedded within the practical-students have to design, plan and then build their own design of water filter. Students are exposed to important concepts from a variety of scientific disciplines, including how the water cycle works, and the principles behind water filtering.

Oyster Tag
Contributed by Sailors for the Sea
Oyster Tag is a tag-inspired game that demonstrates the effects of pollution on oyster reefs, as well as the effect of oyster reefs on pollution.

Who Dirtied the Water?
Contributed by the New England Aquarium
This interactive story asks students to take on the roles of different historical and modern characters who have had a role in the pollution of a body of water.  As the story is read, each character in turn adds a film container full of pollutants to a jar of clean water representing the body of water.

For more information, please email Annie Brett. Please fill out our feedback form so we can continue to grow this program.