FGBNMS Education Digest 8/18/2025
"Education Digest" and FGBNMS logo overlaid on photo of person dissecting a fish in a classroom

Coral Spawning

Every August, the reef-building corals of Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary put on a fantastic spawning display. It is one of the most abundant coral spawning displays in the entire Caribbean due to the high density cover of broadcast spawning species.

Source: FGBNMS

A Day in the Life of a Scientist Tagging Sperm Whales

A team at the Southeast Fisheries Science Center is spending the summer studying the demographics and foraging behavior of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus), which are facing several threats. It’s all part of the Evaluating the Cumulative Impact of Multiple Stressors on Cetaceans project

A key part of the study involves deploying digital acoustic recording tags, which are suction-cup devices that stick to whales temporarily. Originally, these tags were developed to assess the effects of sound in the environment on animal movement and behavior. However, their functions have greatly expanded. 

Source: NOAA Regional Collaboration Network

A Foundation for Restoration: K-12 Environmental Literacy

Wednesday, August 20, 2025, 12-1 p.m. Eastern

Environmental change in the Chesapeake Bay relies on the active support of the people living in the watershed. Environmental literacy is the ability and disposition to apply knowledge and skills to make environmentally beneficial decisions. With the future of the Bay resting in the hands of the next generation, education initiatives and meaningful watershed educational experiences are critical.

Source: Scuttlebutt

Voice of the Sea TV: Ciguatera Poisoning

In this episode of Voice of the Sea, we’re learning about ciguatera poisoning, the seafood illness that comes from toxins produced by microscopic algae in warm, nearshore waters. Researchers in Hawaiʻi are studying these tiny algae, known as dinoflagellates, to better understand where they are most abundant and which species are producing toxins — with the goal of helping people eat safe seafood. We hear about what it's like to get ciguatera poisoning, why toxins accumulate, and how to avoid getting sick. And, we learn about the Pacific Ciguatera Network research collaborations in American Samoa and the Marshall Islands.

Source: Scuttlebutt

Explore NSTA Kids: Lively Children’s Picture Books That Make Science Fun

I Wonder Why… Wild Wonderings… Never Stop Wondering… NSTA Kids books encourage children to wonder about the world. Teachers and parents can rely on our children’s picture books because they also impart sound science. Now available for pre-sale is a new title, Dear Ms. Guadalupe: Letters to My Librarian, which introduces students to the fascinating Technosaurus and the real-life work of paleontologist Dr. Sankar Chatterjee through a series of engaging letters from a second-grade student to the school librarian. While they learn about science, second- and third-grade readers discover how to structure and write a friendly letter, complete with greetings, questions, facts, and a thoughtful closing. Dear Ms. Guadalupe, is perfect for young pen-pals and future scientists.

Source: NSTA

3-Mile Wildlife Corridor Garbage Conservation Clean-Up Project

September 20, 2025 in Galveston, Texas 

Help Artist Boat clean up the 3-mile wildlife corridor on Stewart Road between 8 Mile Road and 11 Mile Road on September 20 beginning at 7:30 a.m. We are sure you will agree that these roads are in need of a deep clean.

The road debris that has accumulated along this 3-mile stretch includes materials, substances, and objects that are foreign to the normal roadway environment. The Artist Boat 3-Mile Wildlife Corridor Garbage Conservation Clean-Up Project will beautify these highly trafficked stretches of roadway adjacent to conserved land where wildlife can be harmed.

Source: Artist Boat


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