A newsletter from the Prince William Sound Science Center

January 7, 2025

Bands of aurora borealis stretched across the sky as we crossed into 2025. Photo by Signe Baumann.

Fourth graders examine kelp (left) and intertidal invertebrates (right) during Discovery Room. Photo PWSSC.

This fall, Cordova's fourth graders explored marine ecosystems and the roles of different organisms within them. They also got a firsthand look at the research conducted by PWSSC scientists and their partners. Students examined the marine food web, tracing connections from producers to apex predators, focusing on kelp, plankton, invertebrates, herring, and otters.

One of the primary standards in fourth-grade science curriculum is understanding that plants and animals have internal and external structures that support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction. The Science Center had them explore these concepts with hands-on touch tanks containing kelp and tidepool invertebrates. Students examined different structures on kelp and explored the functions these structures might serve. They used these insights to explain kelp's role in the local ecosystem. Using the invertebrate touch tank, the students drew or modeled a creature, highlighting structures on the animal's body and inferring its function.

Moving up the food chain, their understanding of organisms became more complex. Students investigated the internal structures of Pacific herring during a dissection with our partners at the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Students also explored the cultural importance of herring through song, dance, and Alaska Native stories. Local basket weaver Deryn Carter taught students how to weave fish in honor of the herring.

To wrap up the unit and emphasize the connections between species, students tackled a mock research challenge. In this scenario, their teacher owned two kelp farms—one thriving and one struggling. The students were asked to determine what set the two farms apart. Using quadrat squares, they conducted a simulated biological survey of two plots. Their investigation revealed that the healthy kelp farm had high biodiversity and a robust otter population. The struggling kelp farm was overrun by urchins and lacked biodiversity, especially otters. Through this activity, students discovered the critical role of keystone species, like otters, in maintaining balanced ecosystems so they can flourish.

We hope you can join us this month for some educational fun! Different programs are intended for specific ages, as noted below. Younger participants need to be accompanied by a caregiver. Everyone is welcome to attend. A current calendar of events can be found on our website. Subscribe here if you'd like to receive email notifications for upcoming community education programs.

January 13 & 27 (3:30-5:00 pm) Science & Snacks: Wind Energy

Our new bimonthly after-school program where kids get a healthy snack and engage with hands-on science. This month, we will explore the different parts of wind turbines by building our own models out of fruit, as well as learning how different shapes and materials contribute to energy efficiency. 

This program is limited to 10 children in grades 1-6, and you need to register in advance. Please email education@pwssc.org.

January 21 (7-8 pm) Tuesday Night Talk: Sabah, North Borneo Wildlife

This night's talk with Liz Senear will be a meeting of the Prince William Sound Audubon Society and is open to the public. 

January 24 (2:30-3:30 pm) Fun Friday: Glaciers and Ice Worms

Get in the Ice Worm Festival spirit with an afternoon of discovery at the Science Center. Explore ice worms and their habitat, model glaciers with ice and flubber, see how glaciers have changed over the years.

January 25 (6-8 pm) SATURDAY Night Talk: Backcountry Safety

Mike Buck from Backcountry Prepared will lead a presentation on backcountry safety. He will discuss various topics, including avoiding hazards, proper planning, avalanche awareness, ATV and snowmobile safety, and more. This meeting will be at the Prince William Sound Science Center and is open to the public.

Nachi led the sixth-grade Discovery Room lesson, where they created a 3D cookie cutter design in Tinkercad. 

Are you curious how our educators ended 2024? Below is a list of all the programming they hosted in December.

Sea Squirts splashed in our seaweed pool as they explored kelp with their five senses. They also made kelp art.

Science & Snacks participants practiced the 3 Rs: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle by turning trash into holiday decorations.

Teaching Through Technology (T3) students created and 3D-printed cookie cutters, then had a holiday cookie party to end the year.

Students in Homework Club explored symmetry by creating paper snowflakes and discovered how bridges support weight through hands-on activities.

Nature Yoga participants embraced the resilience of salmon, flowing through poses inspired by the fish’s lifecycle.

Our Tuesday Night Talk lecture series included two talks in December:

• PWSRCAC Science Night Watch Party
• Christmas Bird Count, presented by Milo Burcham (Audubon)

You can catch up on our talks by visiting our YouTube Channel and clicking on the Lecture Series playlist.

Our educators met with grades K-6 as part of our Discovery Room program.

• Kindergarteners learned how wind direction and speed are measured through a windsock craft and a hands-on experiment.
• First Graders learned about the function and parts of the ear as they crawled through a giant model of the human ear.
• Second Graders sampled different plants (peppers, tomatoes, spinach, and more) and categorized them into roots, stems, leaves, fruits, and seeds. They also harvested their first crop of lettuce from their hydroponic garden.
• Third Graders explored the shape and strength of eggs with an experiment where they built book towers on top of eggshells. Our friends at the Native Village of Eyak joined us with a game highlighting the significance of Native knowledge when collecting seagull eggs. 
• Fourth Graders finished their exploration of the marine food web. Students dissected herring with our partners at the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and learned about the cultural significance of herring through a weaving project.
• Fifth Graders examined the interaction of the hydrosphere and atmosphere with a case study on El Niño. Using a hair dryer to simulate wind, they recreated an El Niño effect in the wave tank.
•  Sixth Graders tackled an engineering challenge using Tinkercad. They turned 2D images into 3D outlines to design custom cookie cutters, which were then printed with our 3D printer.