NOAA’s Teacher at Sea Program NOAA Fisheries Research in the Engineering Classroom Janelle...

NOAA’s Teacher at Sea Program http://teacheratsea.noaa.gov

NOAA Fisheries Research in the Engineering Classroom

Janelle Wilson, 2014 NOAA Teacher at SeaLanier High School, Sugar Hill, [email protected]


NOAA’s Teacher at Sea Program:

Mission and Vision Mission: To provide teachers hands-on, real-world research

experience working at sea with world-renowned NOAA scientists, thereby giving them unique insight into the oceanic and atmospheric research crucial to the nation

Vision: to be NOAA’s main provider to teachers of opportunities to participate in real-world scientific research and maritime activities through teacher research experiences.

Overarching Goal: NOAA’s Teacher at Sea program’s goals support NOAA’s environmental literacy, outreach, and education goals and also support NOAA’s workforce retention goal to recruit and retain a highly adaptable, technically competent and diverse workforce.


NOAA’s Teacher at Sea Program:Background Statistics

Established in 1990 Nearly 700 teachers have participated Approximately 250 applicants per year with 25-30 accepted Most participants go to sea during the summer Fall and spring opportunities available


NOAA’s Teacher at Sea Program:All Alumni 1990 - 2013



The 3 F’s of Life at SeaFlexibility Life at sea can be very unpredictable and flexibility and the ability to

cope with the uncertain is crucial to the character of those who go to sea.

Fortitude Life on a working ship is not for the faint of heart. The hours can be

long, and the work can be dirty. (Ships are noisy & quiet at same time, constantly moving)

Following Orders Those working in any capacity on a government vessel are under the

ultimate command of the ship's Commanding Officer (CO). This also applies to charter vessels which are under the command of the captain.


NOAA’s Teacher at Sea Program:Types of Cruises

What Might You Do As a Teacher at Sea?

There are 3 main types of cruises TASs participate in:

Fisheries Cruises Oceanographic Cruises

Hydrographic Survey Cruises



Fisheries CruisesFisheries cruises perform biological and physical science studies in support of fisheries research and support NOAA's mission to protect, restore and manage the use of living marine, coastal, and ocean resources through ecosystem-based management.

Teachers can anticipate:• Sorting biological samples • Recording data including weighing, measuring, and sexing samples • Dissecting samples• Assisting in deploying and retrieving equipment • Fisheries ships include Henry B. Bigelow, Oscar Dyson, Nancy Foster, Gordon

Gunter, Hi'ialakai, Oregon II, Oscar Elton Sette, Bell. M. Shimada, and Reuben Lasker.



Oceanographic CruisesOceanographic cruises perform physical science studies to increase our understanding of the world's oceans and climate. The ships deploy, recover, and service deep sea moorings around the globe that measure ocean currents, ocean temperatures, and atmospheric variables. They also continuously measure upper ocean currents, surface salinity, carbon dioxide content, and sea-level atmospheric conditions while underway.

Teachers can anticipate: • Deploying and retrieving water sample equipment • Deploying and retrieving buoys• Deploying weather balloons• Recording data • Oceanographic ships include Ronald H. Brown, Nancy Foster, Hi'ialakai,

Ka'imimoana, and Okeanos Explorer.



Hydrographic Survey CruisesHydro ships, as they are called, map the ocean floor for safe navigation. Activities include echosounding, tide gauge installation, dive operations, shoreside surveying, shoreline verification and mapping, data processing, and drafting. Small boat and survey launch work is conducted during daylight operations, whereas ship operations may occur during the day or night.

Teachers can anticipate: • Assisting with the acquisition of survey data on launches• Scanning data to assist with the final processing of data • Riding on small support boats to help with the installation of shore positioning

stations and tide gauges • Hydrographic ships include Fairweather, Ferdinand R. Hassler, Thomas

Jefferson, and Rainier.


Henry BigelowAutumn Bottom Trawl Survey Leg IISeptember 23-October 3Purpose of the Cruise:The NOAA Northeast Fisheries Ecosystems Surveys Branch conducts surveys that provide consistent, unbiased estimates of relative abundance for many finfish and shellfish species in the Northeast region. The Bottom Trawl surveys have been conducted since 1963 and serve as the basis for some of the longest time series of standardized fishery-independent indices of relative abundance in the world.

Ship:Henry B. Bigelow supports NOAA's mission to protect, restore and manage the use of living marine, coastal, and ocean resources through ecosystem-based management. Its primary objective is the study and monitoring of northeast and mid-Atlantic marine fisheries and marine mammals, ranging from Maine to North Carolina. The ship continually reports weather, sea state, and other environmental conditions while at sea.


Life at Sea - Safety:

Safety is very important at sea with weekly drills including practice putting on our immersion suit, fire drills, and evacuation drills.


Life at Sea – Fishing:


Life at Sea – Wet Lab:


Life at Sea – Navigation:


Life at Sea – Sea Life:


Life at Sea – Fishing Process:

Video – will be uploaded separately.


Engineering in the Classroom:


Engineering in the Classroom:


Now it’s your turn!Goal:Design and create a boat that replicates the Henry Bigelow’s net trawl system in order to catch the most fish of varying species.

Specifications:Your boat must have a mechanical mechanism to cast the net and bring the net back in. You can manually move the boat.


Now it’s your turn!Materials:You can only spend $1 on your materials. You must keep an inventory of what you spend.

Plan:Sketch a plan of your design with a list of the materials you plan to use. Once you have a plan, you will be given materials. You can test and redesign as you go.

Test:During the last 15 minutes of the session, you will compete to see which group’s design is able to catch the most total fish and the most variety of fish. Each group will have one minute to fish. Be ready!


Materials Costs:Item Cost

Balsa Wood Piece $0.25 each

Popsicle Sticks $0.01 each

Straws $0.01 each

Bobbin $0.32 each

String $0.01 per foot

Hot Glue $0.12 per stick

Duct Tape $0.08 per foot

Mesh $0.05 per foot

Paperclips $0.01 each

Screw Nuts $0.05 each

Staples $0.01 for ten

12-inch Skewers $0.02 each

6-inch Skewers $0.01 each

Cling Film $0.05 per square foot

Aluminum Foil $0.05 per square foot

Dixie Cup $0.02 each


Thank you!

Janelle Wilson2014 NOAA Teacher at SeaLanier High School, Sugar Hill, [email protected]://stretchingforward.org

Please complete session evaluations!

Feel free to contact me with any questions.

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NOAA’s Teacher at Sea Program NOAA Fisheries Research in the Engineering Classroom Janelle...

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