A day of discovery at NIBIO
On Friday 7th November the eager learners of BOINT ventured to NIBIO to learn about the important work they are doing to protect the coastal ecosystem in Norway.
The day started with an informative presentation about the importance of seaweed to the coastal animal life and exploring the fascinating features of different varieties. The students viewed tanks of sea urchins and were captivated to touch shells and learn about their diet, population along the Norwegian coastline and the purpose for the research centres effort to understand more about it. The presenter also mesmerised the class with an experiment that exemplified the impact of warm water on the colour pigments of seaweed. At the conclusion of the morning session the students tested their knowledge in a quiz and viewed samples through a microscope.
Next, the students engaged in some interesting discussions about food chains in the ocean. They completed a group challenge to map out links between animals within the Norwegian coastal ecosystem. The students made clear connections between the activity and the knowledge they acquired in the morning session to not only make informed food chains, but importantly to identify a lack of predators for Sea Urchins in Norway.
Following on from their discovery the class were invited to the shoreline to pilot and observe an underwater drone to observe the local coastal ecosystem. They were excited to guide the drone through the seaweed and find signs of sea life prospering in the shallows. This was in stark contrast to what was presented back in NIBIO by the organiser of a non-profit organisation of their work in Tromsø. In a fascinating presentation the students saw the devastation the sea urchins were causing along the coastal region around Tromsø. They learned that in some areas that the urchins are in such high numbers they are estimated to be 2000 per square meter! Thankfully, the class was happy to learn that the NGO company with the help of volunteers is working tirelessly to eradicate the species causing the damage and saw some amazing footage of the impact of the regrowth of the seaweed in the area.
To conclude the day the students used pulverised sea urchin shells and seaweed mixed with water and ground down to create inks to draw underwater landscapes. Thank you to the parents who attended and shared the experience with their children.
Thank you to Sdena for facilitating a well organised educational experience at NIBIO. We are lucky to have a school community that is open to inviting the students to learn from their knowledge and expertise. Thank you to NIBIO and the educational facilitators who delivered a great learning experience for the students of BOINT.
