Area schools that have had to eliminate field trips from the new school year can still welcome seals, sea turtles, sharks and other marine animals into their classrooms through live online programs offered by The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk.
Long a regional resource to educators for fulfilling STEM-based teaching standards, The Maritime Aquarium has shifted from primarily presenting in-person classes to now offering 25 online distance-learning lessons. They’re available to any school anywhere.
“Actual field trips are sometimes considered a luxury but, in the time of distance learning, virtual field trips are more important than ever,” said Tom Naiman, the Aquarium’s director of Education. “They inspire students, give teachers time to prepare their own future lessons and engage parents of younger students in their children’s education.”
Most programs are for up to 30 students, vary in length from 30 to 50 minutes, and cost $95.
The programs are streamed live to allow for questions and answers, and for adaptations to a specific focus. Live captioning and other accommodations are available for students who have special needs.