"the mountain and the sea are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books." -john lubbock
Meet Our Team
The Salish Sea School is committed to cultivating and preserving a culture of diversity, inclusion, and connectedness. We are able to grow and learn better together with a diverse team. We welcome the unique contributions that one can bring in terms of their education, opinions, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity and expression, nation of origin, age, languages spoken, veteran’s status, color, religion, disability, sexual orientation and beliefs.
We are stronger together with the collective sum of individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, innovation, self-expression, and talent which ultimately brings about a healthier planet.
Click on the pictures below to learn more.
Island Voyagers
Come explore four local islands as we experience marine life and learn about the natural history and geologic processes that helped shape them.
From the depths of the sea to the nearby mountain ranges, we will journey together to develop an understanding that the Salish Sea bio-region is full of life that is a reflection of the past.
Experience the abundant marine life the islands and their surroundings hold and connect to this incredible place we call home!
Time: 9:30AM-3:30PM
Age: 8-13 years old
Location: Anacortes, WA
Price: $1,100** per student
We are happy to work with families to meet the needs of their homeschool curriculum. Please reach out if you have needs/suggestions during programming.
* Rain dates will be scheduled or contingency plans put into place when the weather/conditions don't allow going on the boat, but all the boat days are not guaranteed. Island locations subject to change.
**We strive to make this program affordable and accessible to all students, please check out our scholarship page
Sample schedule May 2023
*schedule and islands subject to change based on weather/water conditions*
Week 1- Introductions, community building, glacial and island history, intertidal exploration, fun & games @ Washington Park
Week 2 - Visit to San Juan Island to visit Lime Kiln State Park, hike and geology exploration
Week 3 - Visit to Smith Island (Tufted Puffins) and James Island, hike and intertidal exploration
Week 4 - Visit to Vendovi Island, hike and flora and fauna exploration
Week 5 - Visit to Sucia/Matia Island, hike and fossil exploration
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
Highlights include:
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Experience incredible marine life
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Marine species identification
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Learn about 4 different Islands
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Environmental service hours
-
Small group learning
-
Stress-reduction activities
-
Take-home action plans
-
Curiosity inspiration through inquiry based learning
- Individual strength recognition
-
STEAM (A for art!)
-
Final project presentation
Each day's lesson will focus on the specific topic listed, however we never can predict what marine life each day will bring!
Guardians of the Sea Jr.
Homeschool Edition
Guardians Jr. - Homeschool Edition is designed to introduce students to the ocean and local marine life in the Salish Sea.
It is the perfect program to spark interest in marine ecosystems and understand how it is all connected, from water quality to whales.
Please bring your own lunch and snack.
When: We are offering two Guardians of the Sea Jr. sessions in 2023. One will take place in May and the other in September.
Time: 10AM-3PM
Age: 8-13 years old
Location: Anacortes, WA
Price: $1,100** per student
We are happy to work with families to meet the needs of their homeschool curriculum. Please reach out if you have needs/suggestions during programming.
* Rain dates will be scheduled or contingency plans put into place when the weather/conditions don't allow going on the boat, but all the boat days are not guaranteed.
**We strive to make this program affordable and accessible to all students, please check out our scholarship page
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
Highlights include:
-
Experience incredible marine life
-
Marine species identification
-
Water and land-based research
-
Environmental service hours
-
Small group learning
-
Stress-reduction activities
-
Take-home action plans
-
On-going learning community
-
Curiosity inspiration through inquiry based learning
- Individual strength recognition
-
STEAM (A for art!)
-
Final project presentation
Each day's lesson will focus on the specific topic listed, however we never can predict what marine life each day will bring! The ultimate goal is to experience the animals' ecosystem and understand how students can become leaders in marine conservation - seeing whales (or any wildlife!) is never guaranteed.
Sample schedule September 2023
Week 1
Tuesday - Salish Sea bioregion + marine conservation + end of program project introduction @ Washington Park
Thursday - Intertidal exploration (shore and boat-based lesson)
Week 2
Tuesday - Orcas of the Salish Sea lesson (ferry to Friday Harbor to visit Center for Whale Research's Orca Survey Center)
Thursday - Marine birds of the Salish Sea lesson(shore and boat-based lesson)
Week 3
Tuesday - Pinnipeds and Porpoise of the Salish Sea lesson (shore and boat-based lesson)
Thursday - Marine conservation review at Washington Park
Week 4
Tuesday - Baleen Whales of the Salish Sea lesson (shore and boat-based lesson)
Thursday - Fun, games, and final project presentation
