Spectacular Shells

Authors

Allison Hobson, University of Central FloridaFollow
Jasmine Bjorn, University of Central FloridaFollow
KeiLissa Bailey, University of Central FloridaFollow
Ethan Gau, University of Central FloridaFollow

Streaming Media

Files

Course Code

BSC

Course Number

4310

Faculty/Instructor

Dr. Linda Walters

Faculty/Instructor Email

Linda.Walters@ucf.edu

About the Author

We would like to thank Mrs. Megan Snow and Wedgefield K-8 for allowing us to speak with their students and inspire them about marine conservation.

Abstract, Summary, or Creative Statement

For our Marine Conservation and Restoration course, we designed an interactive lesson on marine life for first graders, focusing on animals that use shells. Our project features a presentation introducing shell-bearing animals such as mollusks, hermit crabs, and sea turtles. Students then engage in a game of Simon Says to identify shell adaptations. Following this, we led three hands-on activities: creating a pet oyster, making a sea turtle backpack with paper scutes, and coloring shells to add to a classroom poster. These activities encourage creativity and emphasize the role of shells in marine ecosystems. This immersive approach aims to foster young students’ appreciation of marine life and inspire future conservation efforts.

Through this experience, we had the opportunity to improve our science communication skills and inspire the next generation to care for marine ecosystems and organisms.

We hope you enjoy our project!

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.

Keywords

Shells;Service-Learning;Students;Elementary School;Class Visits;Marine;Restoration and Conservation;Environment

Recommended Citation

Hobson, Allison; Bjorn, Jasmine; Bailey, KeiLissa; and Gau, Ethan, "Spectacular Shells" (2024). High Impact Practices Student Showcase Fall 2024. 7.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/hip-2024fall/7