Oyster & Environmental Education
The primary goals of our Oyster & Environmental Education Programs are to provide quality hands-on experiences to students and to instill a passion for ways students can help within their communities. Oysters and oyster recovery have a critical ecological role in the health of our Chesapeake Bay. Our programs offer lessons about these amazing shellfish, the Chesapeake Bay, it’s watershed and the environment as it relates to our waterways.
CoreShark H2O’s Education Coordinator works with the teacher and/or organization to meet the needs of their audience. The lessons can be tailored with a seasonal theme or a special topic to support your school, class, or community organization.
Lessons are adapted to the appropriate grade level and are available for adult groups as well. They are designed with a hands-on component, so group sizes up to 30 can be accommodated. Each lesson is scheduled to run approximately 45-50 minutes, and this can be adjusted to meet your class duration. Lessons can be presented as an individual lesson or combined for a longer presentation. We come to you.
Is your school Green School certified or working towards certification? As you work toward your “Accomplishments”, we may be able to help with that too.
Bay Field Games
Audience: 4th Grade – Adult
Location: Classroom or Community Facility*
Program Fee: $150**
Bay Field Games is a set of interactive “team building” challenges that give students an opportunity to learn more about the Chesapeake Bay, local waterways and ways students can help protect the environment. Students participate in either an outdoor or indoor (preferably in a gym or rec center if indoor) setting that allows interaction with a focus on both physical and mental challenges that rely on group dynamics.
*A travel fee of $50 may be required for locations greater than 35 miles from CSH2O home location.
**Program fees are waived for traditional Anne Arundel County public schools and Maryland Title 1 schools.
Blue Crab 101
Audience: 3rd Grade – Adult
Location: Classroom or Community Facility*
Program Fee: $150**
Blue crabs are one of the most well known and important animals that live in the Chesapeake Bay. During this program students will learn about the blue crab’s role in the seafood industry and how watermen harvest them. This activity will discuss how blue crabs grow, their life cycle and what part they play in the Bay’s ecosystem. This hands-on and engaging program will allow participants to take a closer look at crab shells and see and touch a live blue crab. Live animal included if available.
*A travel fee of $50 may be required for locations greater than 35 miles from CSH2O home location.
**Program fees are waived for traditional Anne Arundel County public schools and Maryland Title 1 schools.
Curious Crabs
Audience: Pre-K – 2nd Grade
Location: Classroom or Community Facility*
Program Fee: $150**
During this engaging and hands-on activity, students will learn about the Chesapeake Bay and an iconic animal that lives there, the blue crab. We encourage the students to get curious about this critter as they hear a story, sing a song, and move like crabs. Students will even be able to touch sample crab shells, see what watermen use to catch crabs for food and meet a live crab. After learning about these amazing creatures, we’ll discuss simple ways to protect the Chesapeake Bay–home of the Blue Crab and other animals. Educator wears a fun costume for part of the program. Live animal included if available.
*A travel fee of $50 may be required for locations greater than 35 miles from CSH2O home location.
**Program fees are waived for traditional Anne Arundel County public schools and Maryland Title 1 schools.
Little Nippers
Audience: 1st – 5th Grade
Location: Classroom or Community Facility*
Program Fee: $150**
Students are read a short story/picture book on what is involved in “working the waters” for a local oyster harvester and his Skipjack. A dredge/tong set is brought in for the students to see and participate in oyster tonging.
*A travel fee of $50 may be required for locations greater than 35 miles from CSH2O home location.
**Program fees are waived for traditional Anne Arundel County public schools and Maryland Title 1 schools.
Maryland Critters – Who Lives Where?
Audience: 1st – 3rd Grade
Location: Classroom or Community Facility*
Program Fee: $150**
Maryland is the treasured state that is not only home to the Chesapeake Bay, but also to a variety of amazing animals. During this program, students will learn about the four key components that animals need in a habitat and how animals use adaptations to survive in their habitats. Students will discover “who lives where” as they learn about several common and fascinating Bay and land animals. Through this hands-on program, students will realize that both Bay and land animals rely on healthy waterways. Live animals included if available.
*A travel fee of $50 may be required for locations greater than 35 miles from CSH2O home location.
**Program fees are waived for traditional Anne Arundel County public schools and Maryland Title 1 schools.
Nature Journaling
Audience: 1st – 5th Grade
Location: Classroom or Community Facility*
Program Fee: $150**
Nature is all around us! During this program, students will hear the Dr. Suess book, “The Lorax”. After the story, the class will create their own personal nature journal with supplied materials. The students are then prompted with questions to ponder and write in their journals. The students will be provided a word bank as they sketch and write about what they are seeing in their outside space. The program concludes with some sharing of their observations (time dependent). Through this reflective outdoor exploration activity, students will discover how connected we all are to nature and learn ways in which to protect the environment.
*A travel fee of $50 may be required for locations greater than 35 miles from CSH2O home location.
**Program fees are waived for traditional Anne Arundel County public schools and Maryland Title 1 schools.
Oyster 101
Audience: 3rd Grade – Adult
Location: Classroom or Community Facility*
Program Fee: $150**
This program takes a “deeper dive” into one of the keystone species in our Chesapeake Bay. The activity will discuss how an oyster grows, their life cycle and the importance of a healthy habitat. Students will also learn the history of oyster harvesting and get to see and touch tools that watermen still use and rely on today. Through a live oyster dissection, students will learn what is inside an oyster shell and will be able to identify a few vital organs.
*A travel fee of $50 may be required for locations greater than 35 miles from CSH2O home location.
**Program fees are waived for traditional Anne Arundel County public schools and Maryland Title 1 schools.
Outstanding Oysters
Audience: Pre-K – 2nd Grade
Location: Classroom or Community Facility*
Program Fee: $150**
During this engaging and hands-on activity, students will learn about the Chesapeake Bay and an iconic animal that lives there, the oyster. We encourage the students to get curious about these outstanding critters as they hear a story, sing a song, and move like oysters. Students will even be able to touch sample oyster shells, see what watermen use to catch oysters for food and meet a live oyster. After learning about these amazing creatures, we’ll discuss simple ways to protect the Chesapeake Bay–home of the Oyster and other animals. Educator wears a fun costume for part of the program. Live animal included if available.
*A travel fee of $50 may be required for locations greater than 35 miles from CSH2O home location.
**Program fees are waived for traditional Anne Arundel County public schools and Maryland Title 1 schools.
Plastic Pollution Solution
Audience: 5th Grade – Adult
Location: Classroom or Community Facility*
Program Fee: $150**
Plastic pollution is a major problem for our waterways. This lesson provides information on how plastics are made and raises awareness about the issues created by plastic pollution on the ecosystem and the Chesapeake Bay. Through a hands-on activity, participants will learn more about microplastics. In addition, students will be challenged to sort a variety of items into a timeline of “How Long Until It’s Gone?” The program engages the students to brainstorm conservation behaviors that they can implement to help protect and preserve the environment and Maryland’s waterways.
*A travel fee of $50 may be required for locations greater than 35 miles from CSH2O home location.
**Program fees are waived for traditional Anne Arundel County public schools and Maryland Title 1 schools.
The Chesapeake Bay & Climate Change
Audience: 6th Grade – Adult
Location: Classroom or Community Facility*
Program Fee: $150**
This presentation focuses on how climate change is impacting the Chesapeake Bay. The audience will learn about the watershed, water and carbon cycles, pH and carbon emissions. During an experiment, the participants will witness the effects of carbon emissions and understand how it is impacting aquatic life in the Bay. Participants will learn what behavior changes they can do at school, work and/or at home to reduce carbon emissions. After learning about these topics, the participants can better understand how connected we all are to the health of the environment and Maryland’s waterways.
*A travel fee of $50 may be required for locations greater than 35 miles from CSH2O home location.
**Program fees are waived for traditional Anne Arundel County public schools and Maryland Title 1 schools.
Who Polluted the Chesapeake?
Audience: 3rd Grade – Adult
Location: Classroom or Community Facility*
Program Fee: $150**
This hands-on activity allows the audience to learn about how pollution is impacting the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. Key concepts will include land use, runoff, industrialization, and consumerism. Students will witness the effects of pollution and learn how they can influence change in the watershed. The group will discuss what they can do better at school, work and/or at home to protect and preserve the environment.
*A travel fee of $50 may be required for locations greater than 35 miles from CSH2O home location.
**Program fees are waived for traditional Anne Arundel County public schools and Maryland Title 1 schools.
Wonderful Watershed
Audience: All Grade Levels
Location: Classroom or Community Facility*
Program Fee: $150**
What is a watershed and how do our actions on land impact the Chesapeake Bay? Through the use of a hands-on, interactive coastal watershed model, participants will learn amazing facts about the wonderful watershed that we live in and ways in which we can protect and preserve Maryland’s waterways. This program addresses the concepts of land use, run-off, point and non-point source pollution as well as solutions to these issues. Participants will be challenged to consider their land use while minimizing the impact on the local environment.
*A travel fee of $50 may be required for locations greater than 35 miles from CSH2O home location.
**Program fees are waived for traditional Anne Arundel County public schools and Maryland Title 1 schools.