Science gets personal when students trade their desks for the decks of a tall ship. Listen up:
When it comes to environmental conservation, Appledore IV puts the wind in kids’ sails (via BaySail)
What does a tall ship in Lake Huron’s Saginaw Bay have in common with a classroom? Students, when it’s part of Baysail’s Science Under Sail. This program gives kids from kindergarten up a firsthand look at water quality, aquatic life, and human impacts on the environment.
Scott Ellis of BaySail, the nonprofit that owns and operates the ship, says sailing helps students connect with the water around them.
“We do wetland and river observations, [and] talk about invasive species,” says Ellis. “Students will actually take water samples and test for things like pH, temperature, and turbidity.”
And students learn sailing basics like tying knots and navigation when they swap their desks for a deck on a tall ship.
Hear More:
Scott Ellis explains the importance of tall ships to environmental education.
Get Schooled:
- Read firsthand accounts of students on the ship in this article from The Bay City Times
- Sign your class up to sail the Appledore IV
- Follow the voyage of 4 highschoolers and 1 educator on Appledore V on BaySail’s Sea Scholars Program blog
- Join in the high seas fun with the Bay City Tall Ship Celebration
The fine print:
- This segment was produced in partnership with Cornell’s Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future
