Adventure meets education as Middle Schoolers explore Florida Keys

During a fun trip to the Marine Lab in the Florida Keys, students got hands-on experience learning about marine biology and the ecosystem around them.
By Ian Dinkins, Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications

Trading classroom desks for coral reefs, mangroves, and open water, seventh graders from University School of Nashville traveled to MarineLab in Key Largo, Florida, for a hands-on study of marine biology.

The multi-day trip gave students the chance to study ecosystems up close while strengthening bonds with classmates and teachers.

“This trip was a great mix of instruction, exploration, and field work,” said Seventh Grade Science Teacher Lara Webb. “We had time in the classroom to learn about the different, unique plants and animals that are native to the area. Then we had opportunities to explore the ecosystems to observe plants and animals in their natural habitat.”

Students participated in snorkeling excursions, including trips to a coral reef, through mangrove forests, and completed two labs focused on zooplankton identification and invertebrate diversity. Along the way, they studied reef ecology, fish identification, and seagrass and mangrove ecosystems.

While students enjoyed putting their classroom learnings into practice, even the teachers appreciated seeing the marine life up close.

“I really loved snorkeling in the mangroves because I could see how all the fish and other animals used the mangrove roots under the water as shelter and feeding grounds,” Webb said. “It was so amazing to see all the different kinds of fish and interesting coral. The water was so blue and clear, one student said it looked like blue Gatorade.”

For Webb, the trip made abstract concepts tangible for students.

“I think this trip was a great experience that made science really visible for the students,” she said. “Being able to go out in the field and actually observe the animals was great. They were able to take what they were learning about the ecosystems and actually observe it for themselves.”

Earlier this school year, students studied another ecosystem as part of their curriculum. The MarineLab experience allowed them to compare environments, identify similarities, and apply previous lessons about ecology to a new setting.

Lauren Koethe ’31 agreed with Webb’s assessment, saying that the trip brought classroom lessons to life.

“We had just finished our unit on the Elkhorn Slough and the seagrass, which we learned all about at MarineLab,” Lauren said. “We also learned about all the little critters that live in the ocean during science class, and then we actually got to go see them in Florida.”

Being able to get in the water was one of Lauren’s favorite parts of the trip.

“We did lots of snorkeling and swimming. We did a lot of looking at little creatures that lived in the coral reefs, the seagrass, and just the ocean as a whole,” she said.

Not all of the memorable moments were academic. Koethe said impromptu volleyball games and an early morning trip to watch the sunrise with her friends were among her favorite experiences.

“It just felt so fun to see each other not just in the hallways or during class, but really see each other and talk to each other and laugh and hang out,” she said. “I got to see a lot of my classmates for who they actually were.”

Seventh Grade Math Teacher Brandon Graber, who has now chaperoned the trip three times, said the change in environment revealed different sides of his students.

“Seeing students thrive in a different environment and being pushed outside of their comfort zones was a highlight,” Graber said. “It allowed me to see them in a different context.”

While studying marine life was the basis of the trip, some of his favorite moments happened off the water.

“At night, when the students had some downtime, they started creating skits out at the beach during sunset,” he said. “They were just improvising and working in a group of about 15 students to get this accomplished without any chaperone support.”

“I believe it is important to do these trips as it builds stronger social skills that are outside of the structure of a classroom,” Graber said. “It also creates a sense of belonging and community in the grade.”

Teachers intentionally mixed students into different boats and activity groups, often pairing students who were not in the same advisory.

“One thing that we noticed among the teachers was that our boat groups had a mix of students,” Webb said. “This gave the teachers the opportunity to interact closely with a different group of students, and it was great for us to get to see students in a different light.”

“I saw lots of students that I don’t usually see together working together and having fun,” Webb said.

The trip even delivered a rare wildlife encounter when Seventh Grade English Teacher Syd Lindbolm and MS Head of Student Life John Kleiner interacted with a manatee while snorkeling in the mangroves.

For the students, the journey to Florida offered a change of scenery and a deeper understanding of marine ecosystems and of one another through shared discovery above and below the water’s surface.
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