Field Trip Season

Rookery Bay’s Education Team and interns have been busy preparing for another season of field trips for Collier County Public Schools students. From practicing trawling knots to setting up microscopes, the team has been sharpening the skills they use throughout the school year to teach students about the importance of estuaries. The Education Team offers three interactive field trip programs tailored to elementary, middle, and high school students. Through hands-on activities, students investigate the diverse marine life found in oyster reefs, measure water quality using scientific tools such as refractometers, and deploy trawl nets while boating to discover the creatures living along Rookery Bay’s seafloor. These experiences give students a firsthand look at the research methods scientists use to better understand coastal ecosystems. Recently, the team welcomed students for the season’s first Estuary Explorers field trip, a program designed for third through fifth graders at the Environmental Learning Center. One highlight was collecting tiny plankton using a specialized net called a plankton tow, then examining their discoveries up close under microscopes. Each experience brings the next generation of coastal stewards one step closer to understanding Southwest Florida’s unique environment and the importance of keeping it healthy.