Marine Science: Marine Science students will "dive" headfirst into one of the world’s least-explored places – the ocean!  In this camp, we will take a multi-disciplinary approach to learning and incorporate studies in chemistry, oceanography, ecology, and marine biology to learn about Earth's amazing seas and the animals and plants that inhabit them.

Campers will begin their week by investigating water and discovering how its unique properties shape our oceans, its currents, and its biomes both under the sea and at the beach.  We'll then shift into marine life and explore food webs and marine adaptations, paying special attention to survival strategies such as mimicry, camouflage, and bioluminescence.  Later on in the week, we will take a closer look at the anatomy and physiology of ocean predators - campers will have the opportunity to dissect fish, squid, and sharks to compare their body structures and functions to their niches within the food chain.

We will round out our week by looking at humankind's impact on the ocean as a whole.  Campers will engineer an environmental disaster in the form of an oil spill and then brainstorm methods to clean up both the water and a population of affected shorebirds.  We will also study water pH, ocean acidification, and its effects on shell-based marine life.

Who is this camp for?  Middle school students who love hands-on science and are interested in Oceanography and Marine Biology, but do not have much experience in the field.

Enrichment Activities: In the afternoons and evenings give campers the opportunity for informal science learning, as well as leadership and problem-solving training through workshops, experiments, guest speakers, and recreational activities. Students will also attend a mid-program excursion to a local science venue.

Use the Apply Now link

On page 3 of the application, select the following:

Camp Category: Science Camp - Co-ed

Camp Name: Marine Science

• Rising 6-8 grade students should also consider the Co-ed Robotics and Astronomy programs offered at Stanford, UC Berkeley, Caltech and UCLA. 

• Rising 4-6 grade female students should also consider the Science Camp For Girls Intro to Engineering and Anatomy/Physiology programs offered at Stanford, Caltech, and MIT.

• Rising 6-8 grade female students should also consider the Science Camp For Girls Astronomy or Marine Science programs offered at Stanford.

• Rising 8-9 grade female students should also consider the Science Camp For Girls Neuroanatomy and Robotics programs offered at Stanford and UC Berkeley.