Your students will discover more about the surprising and often overlooked world of seagrass and the animals that live in seagrass beds, before they become ecosystem engineers themselves using photosensitive paint to make giant seagrass blades that will form part of  AQWAs community art project.

Sustainability is central to this activity, as students discover that as Western Australians, they are custodians to 7% of the worlds seagrass meadows and learn more about initiatives to help restore the seagrass beds of Cockburn sound. The year groups you select in your booking will dictate which themed talk and art activity is delivered on the day.

Year Group Differentiation:

Year PP – 2:

• Talk: Students discover the basic needs of marine life then learn how seagrass nurtures the next generation of coral reef animals.
• Art: Using natural and man made materials students create an original artwork to express feeling safe and cared for.

Year 3 – 4:

• Talk: Learn how to tell seagrass from seaweed then discover how seagrass and corals depend upon each other to survive.
• Art: Students select from a range of materials to create a specific artwork that depicts a theme of friendship and support.

Year 5 – 6:

• Talk: Discover the structural features, adaptations and survival strategies of 2 types of seagrass then learn how, together they can transform hostile shifting sands into an enriching calm habitat that protects the shore and enables coral reefs to thrive.
• Art: Students use light and dark to communicate the idea of equal opposites.

Example Timetable:

9.30am – Check-in, welcome & outline of day.

9.45am – Explore AQWA (self guided)

10.45am – Morning Tea break

11.00am Ecosystem Engineers: themed talk and art activity

12noon – Lunch

12.30pm –Mini Marine Life session – decorate a giant seagrass blade with microscopic marine life of your own creation, then learn more about seahorses and AQWA’s recent release of seahorses back into the wild.

1.15pm – Guided tour of AQWA’s seagrass exhibit area

1.30pm – Chance to revisit the touch pool and main aquarium, visit ocean play to colour a seahorse and scan it into our digital display

2.00pm – Regroup in ocean HQ,  final questions

2.15pm – Depart

This excursion package is available Monday-Friday, by request.

Your full day program commences at 9.30am and concludes at 2.15pm. Please note students should be assembled and ready to meet your Education Guide at least 10 minutes prior to this start time.

There is a minimum of 25 students to book this package, maximum 75 students.

For groups 75+ or mixed year group visits, please complete the booking enquiry and our Education Manager will contact you to confirm how we can accommodate you.

Download Checklist:

• External Provider Pack (above)
• Applicable Animal Fact Sheets and/or Knowledge Boosters (above)
• Want more? Explore and download additional fact sheets, resources and easy to use group-leader excursion booklets (year K-Y1).

Bring 3 For The Sea initiative:

• Get students excited for their excursion by involving them in our Bring 3 For the Sea initiative! 
• AQWA has teamed up with Containers for Change and we are asking every student and visitor to bring three 10c marked containers with them to donate to the AQWA Foundation.
• This small challenge will support AQWA Foundation’s turtle rehabilitation program AND reduce plastics in the ocean and in landfill. 
• Simply have each student bring 3 eligible containers to donate during your excursion.
• Participating schools can receive a Certificate of Acknowledgement for helping the AQWA Foundation!
• When you book an AQWA excursion, you can request we post out a Containers for Change collection bag to start gathering your containers before you visit.