Education

• There is a water fountain located next to AQWA’s touch pool exhibit.
• AQWA has no facilities for storing school bags, lunches, containers, first aid kits or eskys due to current security conditions.
• The grass area in front of AQWA is the only area available for schools to eat morning tea and lunch. We regret that we have no facilities inside AQWA for groups to eat. During the winter months, we suggest you schedule your visit so you are back at school to eat.
• AQWA recommends that you allocate two hours to visit all exhibits (including two visits to the Touch Pool). Additional activities can also be booked extending your visit time and learning outcomes. Additional Activities 2012
• AQWA is designed as a one-way journey. All groups are to begin their journey be descending into the Great Southern Region.

• Download your chosen worksheets from our website.
• Print out marine animal information sheets from our website and give a copy to your selected group leaders. This will provide them with background information on the marine life their group will see at AQWA.
• Primary school teachers may choose to print out the name badges provided on our website, and have students colour in their badges prior to your excursion. At AQWA each group can then gather information on their animal by using the “Where Am I” or “Favourite Animal” worksheets.

• Discuss the following information with your class:
• Fish have ears! They don’t stick out like ours but they have them none the less. Fish are also very good at hearing and can hear three times louder than us. So when you’re up against the tanks at AQWA, please talk quietly so that you don’t scare the fish.
• Lateral Lines. Fish and sharks have a line of sensory cells along their body called a lateral line. These cells detect movement in the ocean allowing fish and sharks to detect schools of prey and predators. When at AQWA, please don’t tap the glass as our fish and sharks will feel the vibration – they may think you’re a predator and hide out of view!
• Mettam’s Touch Pool. Visitors are able to touch everything in the touch pool. However, please ask your group to handle the animals GENTLY and to KEEP THEM UNDERWATER. All the animals in the touch pool need to remain in the water to live! If any of the animals are attached to rocks, please do not pull them off.
• No running! There’s lots to see but you don’t want to miss anything by running past exhibits.

Arrival at AQWA

• Assemble students on grassed area or on the paved area at the base of the stairs. (Teachers please note: in wet weather, please keep your students on the bus. Our Ocean Guide will greet your group onboard.)
• While one teacher organises the class(es) into their small groups, the teacher in charge is to make their way up to our front counter to organise payment. Our staff will page our Ocean Guide or Community Education Manager who will greet your group on the grassed/paved area.
• In their greeting, the Ocean Guide will provide an insight into the underwater journey your group is about to experience and what to look out for on the way.
• At the end of the greeting, our Ocean Guide will prompt you to confirm activities, morning tea and departure times with yourgroup leaders.
• Our Ocean Guide will give out Activity Maps to each adult leader. These include a map of the complex on one side and questions and activities for each region of AQWA on the other.
• Small groups will enter AQWA one at a time. OurOcean Guide will stagger your entry to ensure there is sufficient spacing between each group. This also helps you enjoy your journey and makes it easier to identify your group. While waiting to enter, our Ocean Guide will be on hand to answer any questions your group may have.

Your Journey

• You are about to explore over 12,000km of Western Australia’s coastline in just one day. To make your journey easier we have divided the coastline into five distinct regions: far north coast, coral coast, shipwreck coast, Perth coast, and the great southern coast. A snap shot of each region is provided in our entry foyer. You will then descend into the great southern region which is where your journey begins. Each region you walk through is signed and colour coded so you can easily identify what part of the coastline you are exploring.
• Please take your time at each exhibit as AQWA is designed as a one way journey.
• Blue and white signs direct you on your journey.
• Discover More! In each region you will notice a board that displays the times when an Ocean Guide will be in the region.
• Take note of these signs as you explore AQWA – if your group is interested in a particular region you can return later to enjoy the presentation.
• Please note, Ocean Guides are there to interactwith the public as well as your group.

Education Room

• Ocean Activities are conducted in the Education Room, located near the Touch Pool.
• Your Ocean Guide will meet you at the Touch Pool at your designated time and lead yourgroup into the Education Room.
• AQWA’s Ocean Activities are linked to an ocean or calendar event and come with a summary sheet including framework links and follow up activities.
• Ocean Activities run for approximately 20 minutes. However, the sessions are 30 minutes long to allow time for groups to move in and out of the Education Room and to have their questions answered.

Exit

• The ‘Whale Tail’ area, located next to the touch pool, is provided as a regrouping and final head count area before your departure through the giftshop. In the interests of our other visitors, please do not use the AQWA Café for this purpose.
• School Students are also asked not to enter the AQWA Shop except to exit.