EstuaryLive

EstuaryLive is a live, interactive, field-based experience that brings estuaries into the classroom through the Internet. The program—a collaborative effort between NERRA, the NERRS, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Estuary Program, and many local partners—has raised the estuarine and coastal literacy of thousands of students, teachers, and other viewers. In 2006, EstuaryLive engaged over 25,000 students and teachers during the broadcast.

This interactive program provides K-12 students with an exciting and new way to learn about estuarine and coastal ecosystems. During the program, naturalists take students on a journey through each ecosystem. Students interact with tour guides by emailing questions that are answered during the field trips. Because of its interactive nature, EstuaryLive is the next best thing to an actual field trip.

EstuaryLive provides an opportunity for students around the world to:

• Experience, in real-time, a field trip to the unique habitat of an estuary.
• Compare different estuaries around the United States.
• Understand estuarine ecological, social, and economic concepts.
• Explore an estuary and interact with research scientists, education professionals, and natural resource management professionals.

Curricula tailored to each field trip and locality, as well as curriculum and activities to help compare these ecosystems, is available on www.estuaries.gov for teachers to help prepare their classroom and to provide follow-up materials for the program.