Every year I take my 5th and 6th graders to Dauphin Island  for two days to study marine biology and oceanography.  We concentrate our study on the habitats found on a barrier island - beach and dunes, maritime forest, and salt marshes.  

We take three classes at the Sea Lab on Dauphin Island - The Beach Walk which includes the dunes and maritime forest, The Salt Marsh and Mud Flats class, and the Touch Lab and Squid Dissection. Before we go out into the field we have a class which is taught by one of the marine science educators in one of the classrooms.

One of the kids' favorite activities is seining in the estuary.