Manatee Lagoon has teamed up with The Reef Institute to offer a free educational series of ten weekly engaging lessons aligned with Next Generation Sunshine State Standards, providing the opportunity for students to take a deep dive into marine science and understand how living organisms, such as manatees and coral reefs, are connected. These lessons will be offered in a live, virtual format and led by educators from Manatee Lagoon or The Reef Institute. The goal of the program is to educate students about the importance of marine conservation and inspire the next generation to preserve and protect the environment for future generations.

Dates: Thursdays at 11am, Feb. 4 and runs through April 1. Lessons will be offered once a week. Each lesson will be approximately 20 minutes long with an additional 10 minutes for questions.

Audience: This program is open to all students wanting to learn.

Cost: The program is free with an option to make a donation to support The Reef Institute’s mission.

Registration: Space is limited. Please RSVP and we will be sharing the login link weekly on the event pages.

Topics: Below are the standards-based lessons that will be covered each week.

Week 1 (Feb. 4): What is Marine Science? 

Week 2 (Feb. 11): What is a Hypothesis? 

Week 3 (Feb. 18): Crustaceans 

Week 4 (Feb. 25): Erosion 

Week 5 (March 1 – 5): Tidal Pools and What Lives in Them 

Week 6 (March 4): What is a Marine Ecosystem?

Week 7 (March 11): What is Coral?

Week 8 (March 18): How is it All Connected?

Week 9 (March 25): Virtual Field Trip to The Reef Institute or Manatee Lagoon 

Week 10 (April 1): Virtual Field Trip to The Reef Institute or Manatee Lagoon