14 May, 2003

After getting an "Introduction to Oceanography" from Jim all morning, I headed up to the Birch Aquarium at Scripps. Its mission is to "provide ocean science education, to interpret Scripps research, and to promote ocean conservation."

Parcticularly useful for me as an educator were the great informational displays using hands-on activities describing many aspects of physical oceanography and marine biology. The display depicting a typical grocery store shelf stocked with everyday items from ice cream to cleansing products demonstrated the importance of the sea in our daily lives. When each product was scanned, for example, a brief description identified the ingredients that came from the ocean.

Needless to say, the wonderful collection of marine organisms from jellyfish and sea horses to herring and sharks was fascinating to see. If you are ever in La Jolla I highly recommend visiting this small but entertaining aquarium with a wonderful bookstore about the ocean too.

The entrance of the Birch Aquarium at Scripps.