Marine conservation education

UWCSEA STORIES

Marine conservation education making waves

UWCSEA prepares students with the knowledge and skills to develop the commitment to care for our planet with a bias for action. Thanks in part to philanthropic support, significant strides were made in 2020/2021 to our marine conservation initiatives.

Informing and inspiring students to develop a commitment to care for Earth’s oceans and marine life has never been more critical. At UWCSEA, environmental learning is embedded throughout the curriculum and 2020/2021 proved to be an exciting year for marine conservation. Thanks to support from Van Oord, we installed coral fragmentation tanks and aquariums at East Campus, and developed several marine-focused initiatives that will have a lasting impact on students. In December 2020, the College signed a partnership agreement with Conservation International Singapore (CISingapore) to develop more opportunities for marine conservation education. Additionally, the new student Conservation@SEA group at East Campus completed its first year as a Middle and High School Service with nearly 30 members.

MARINE AQUARIUM TANK SYSTEMS

At Dover Campus, additional corals, anemones, and fish were added to the existing tank in the High School Science Department and there was significant student learning about marine ecosystems. Much to the delight of East Campus students, an extensive, built-in tank system was installed in the canteen in July 2021, consisting of an aquarium on the upper level and a coral fragmentation tank below. All the marine life in the tank was ethically sourced and students researched the supply chain of the tank system ensure it was sustainable. The tanks are thriving with 20 different species of fish, including Clownfish and Blue Tang and soft and hard corals. Four experimental tanks were also added to the East Campus High School Science pod and are populated with hard corals.

“Educating the next generation of eco-entrepreneurs has never been more critical, and we hope that through our gift, students will be inspired to care for our planet’s oceans which are the foundation of life and the source of great

biodiversity and wonder.” MARTIN MEIJERS, Van Oord Dredging and Marine Contractors

REAL-LIFE RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES

CI-Singapore offered several virtual education opportunities for students. They presented a virtual talk for Grade 3 students as part of their Blue Planet Unit of Study, which included a focus on whale sharks. The talk opened students’ eyes to how whale sharks live and the threats they face. In the Informational Fiction Unit of Study, many children chose to continue researching and learning about whale sharks as they were inspired by what they had learned. CI-Singapore presented a workshop to High School students about whale shark data interpretation. Whale shark research is a relatively new endeavour and there are many aspects of whale shark behaviour that have never been investigated before. As a result, students have a unique opportunity to be involved in new scientific discoveries and work with experts in the field. A number of Dover IB Biology students wrote Extended Essays using existing whale shark data, including the location of the animals (using a GPS), distance, depth and water temperature. Student essay titles included: “How do whale sharks’ migratory and diving patterns vary over the course of a year?” and “How does the size of a whale shark affect its diving patterns?”

STUDENT AWARENESS AND ADVOCACY

50

students in marine conservation programmes at the College

3

IB Extended Essays written about marine conservation

400+

capacity for student connection to aquarium through curriculum lessons in 2021/2022

The Conservation@SEA group at East Campus completed its first year as a Middle and High School Service. In preparation for the installation of the new tank system, students researched content for the informational pillars to accompany the tanks. These installations will be used as teaching boards for K–12 student workshops with CI-Singapore in 2021/2022. Claire Psillides, Head of Environmental Sustainability at East Campus, says, “Marine conservation has really taken off. The students are so engaged with the tanks, the species, collaborating with local partners and regional NGOs; they are truly growing their ‘blue hearts’. Their work will expand beyond their service group in 2021/2022 and as they become experts, they will reach out to other students and community members.”

“I’m so inspired and passionate about protecting marine ecosystems, I’m already researching universities where I can continue to learn about this. I’m ready to dedicate my life to protecting marine ecosystems.” FINN, Grade 8, East Campus