#oceanSRQ: Marine Science Connections in Manatee & Sarasota Counties 🌊

Marine science education in our community spans schools, colleges, agencies, nonprofits, and tour programs. Many of these organizations have partnered with Mote Marine Laboratory in the past, collaborate with us today, or share aligned interests in ocean literacy, conservation, and student learning. Here are a few of them.

K-12 Schools

• Anna Maria Elementary – Guy Harvey Academy
• St. Stephen’s Episcopal School – Marine Science Center
• Sarasota High School MaST
• Sarasota High School – Carefree Learner “floating classroom”
• Riverview High School – Aquascience Program

College

• New College of Florida – Pritzker Marine Biology Research Center / Marine & MIMS Programs

Agencies

• Florida Sea Grant – Education Programs
• Sarasota Bay Estuary Program – Environmental Education
• Manatee County Natural Resources Department – Outdoor Education & Events

Nonprofits

• Big Waters Land Trust – Community Education
• Science and Environment Council
• Minorities in Shark Science (MISS)
• Sarasota Dolphin Research Program – Student Opportunities
• American Littoral Society – Sarasota
• Florida Maritime Museum
• Save Our Seabirds

Tours & Citizen Science

• Sarasota Bay Explorers
• Earthwatch Institute – Tracking Sharks & Rays in Florida
• Sarasota SCUBA Club
• SCUBAnauts

Did we miss a marine science education program or resource in the Sarasota–Manatee area? Leave a comment below and share it with #oceanSRQ so we can keep this list growing.

Links are provided for educational purposes and do not imply endorsement.

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📬 Keep in Touch

• 📧 Send questions to marven@mote.org
• 📰 Subscribe to our newsletter to get updates on future sessions
• ▶️ Like and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Zoom in. Focus together. Wonder around.™

Mapping a Meaningful Virtual Focus Trip with Mote Marine Laboratory

Every great journey begins with a map. When you bring your learners on a Virtual Focus Trip™ with Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, we want you to have the tools to make it both engaging and meaningful.

We’ve designed a simple planning guide to help you set goals, gather resources, prepare your learners, and reflect on the impact of your experience. Think of it as your compass for creating lasting learning moments.

The Four Steps of Your Learning Journey

1. SCAN – What is the destination? Define your goals and expectations for the trip.
2. ZOOM – How are we going to get there? Explore planning tools and learning resources to prepare your learners.
3. FOCUS – What will we do during the trip? Connect your unit prep to clear learning objectives.
4. REFLECT – What did we learn? Evaluate the experience and capture takeaways for future learning.

Get Started

Complete the online guide and receive a copy of your responses by email, making it easy to track your plans and revisit your reflections.

• 🗺️ Start Mapping Your Virtual Focus Trip

GLUE

Our thanks to Allyson Mitchell and the team at the Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration for “GLUEing” us into this idea. We adapted their Goals, Unit Prep, Learning Resources, and Evaluation (G.L.U.E.) framework.

📬 Keep in Touch

• 📧 Send questions or stories to marven@mote.org
• 📰 Subscribe to our newsletter for updates on future sessions
• ▶️ Like and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Zoom in. Focus together. Wonder around.™

Play Your Way Through Mote SEA with Tidal Trivia

Ready to dive into a game that makes learning marine science fun?

Tidal Trivia is a printable board game that takes players on an adventure through Mote’s underwater world—using real science, animal facts, and quick thinking.

Whether you’re at home, in a classroom, or learning with friends, it’s a great way to build STEM skills while exploring Florida’s marine life.

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🎲 How to Play

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Tidal Trivia Game Board (PDF)
• A coin or small object as your game piece
• Mote’s Animal Encyclopedia
• Spinner Website
• A stopwatch or timer (online or phone)
• Answer Key (if you get stuck)

🧠 Game Instructions

1. Print the game board and grab a small object as your player piece.
2. Invite a friend, classmate, or family member to join you.
3. Visit mote.org/boardgame to access the spinner and answer key. Set the spinner to 3 spaces.
4. Take turns spinning and moving along the board. Here’s how the spaces work:

• 🟢 Green: Use the Animal Encyclopedia to answer the question in 60 seconds. If you’re right, stay. If not, move back.
• 🟠 Orange: Follow the action listed on the board. These are surprises!
• 🔵 Blue: Learn a fun marine fact and skip your next turn.

Keep playing until you reach the finish line—and become a marine trivia champ.

❓ Question of the Week

Which animal did you find the most interesting or unusual while playing Tidal Trivia? Leave a comment below or tag us with #STEMventures. We might feature your response in a future post.

📬 Keep in Touch

• 📧 Send questions or answers to marven@mote.org
• 🔗 Share your experience using #STEMventures
• 📰 Subscribe to our newsletter to get updates on future sessions

Zoom in. Focus together. Wonder around.

Make a Mangrove Paper-craft Tree Activity

Mangrove trees aren’t just cool-looking, they’re coastal superheroes. With tangled roots and leafy branches, they create habitats, trap sediment, and protect shorelines. This week’s STEMventure invites you to build your own model mangrove tree and discover the science behind these incredible plants.

Ask The Ocean: Your Questions, Answered by Mote Experts

Ever wonder how sharks sleep? What it takes to become a marine biologist? What it’s like to work at a world-class research lab?

Now’s your chance to ask!

Our Ask The Ocean program connects curious minds with Mote experts and educators. Whether you’re a student, teacher, or lifelong learner, we have a way for you to dive deeper.

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💬 Three Ways to Ask

• Ask by Video
  • Submit a Question, Get a Video Answer
  • Use our Google Form to send your question anytime.
  • We respond with a short video from one of our ocean experts on our YouTube channel.
  • 📣 STEM Tip: Teachers, assign this as a class project. Have students brainstorm and submit as a group.
• Ask During Office Hours
  • Drop In and Dive In — free, informal Q&A sessions held live during scheduled times.
  • No appointment needed. First-come, first-served.
  • 📅 Check the schedule: View upcoming office hours
• Ask Anytime (Live Session)
  • Book a Personal Expert Chat
  • Perfect for classrooms, homeschool groups, or clubs.
  • Talk live with a Mote educator or researcher in a private, scheduled session tailored to your interests.
  • 💲 Fee applies | Fully customized | Scheduled on demand
  • 📆 Schedule now: Book a session

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🧠 Ready to Wonder?

What would you ask the ocean?

• “How do jellyfish hunt without a brain?”
• “Can corals really glow in the dark?”
• “What’s the weirdest thing a sea turtle has swallowed?”

🎦 Some of our favorite questions become featured videos — yours could be next.

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📬 Keep in Touch

📧 Send questions or stories to marven@mote.org

🔗 Share your class’s experience using #AskTheOcean

📰 Subscribe to our newsletter for updates on future sessions

Zoom in. Focus together. Wonder around.