Intertidal Knowledge Cards
Objectives:
- To enrich the intertidal experiences of people exploring the Salish Sea with a physical resource they can use to deepen their knowledge about local marine life.
- To provide educators with a free resource to supplement the Seaquaria Ocean Education programmes they take part in for their students.
Project Duration: October – November 2020
Designed For: Seaquaria Ocean Education
Role: Education and Outreach Officer
Overview: A set of fully coloured animal and algae information cards, that can be used by anyone who is exploring or learning about the intertidal life of the Salish Sea (a bioregion located along the Pacific coast of Canada and United States). Cards include information on feeding types, phyla, zonation, and species facts.
The cards are formatted so that they can be printed double sided. By printing out the cards, learners can bring them on their explorations so they can identify the species they see and learn key information about them. For ease of use, the cards can be laminated and/or put on a ring.
This resource is free and publicly available on the Seaquaria Ocean Education website. The cards are primarily shared with primary and secondary school teachers who take part in Seaquaria’s programmes, however, they can be used by anyone who’s exploring the shorelines of the Salish Sea and wants to learn more about the intertidal life.
The set includes information on the specific context where the cards can be used. The term ‘Salish Sea’ has only been established/used in the past few decades to define the region, so the intention is to bring more awareness of this transboundary bioregion and the First Peoples who inhabited it and continue to inhabit it today.
One side of the knowledge cards includes close-up photos of each species. This visual element helps people to identify the species when they’re out exploring the intertidal area of the Salish Sea. The photos are also a visual aid for the learners to see the features mentioned on the information-side of the cards.
The other side of the knowledge cards includes the species’ common name, Latin name, zone(s) where they live, feeding type, phylum and some key features of the organism. A glossary card is also included in the set to define scientific terms.
The inclusion of this information helps bring a systems perspective to the learners. Zooming out, they learn where the species can be found and what they consume in order to survive. By understanding this they can become more aware of ecosystem interactions.
The information on each phylum helps learners to define the groupings and understand how species are similar and dissimilar to one another. The etymology of the phylum name is included to help make the connections more intuitive. The inclusion of this information is also meant to bring a systems perspective to the learners.
These cards were brought to life to support Seaquaria’s commitment to place-based experiential learning. Their approach is to facilitate hands- on opportunities for youth to learn about local marine species and ecosystems so that they feel motivated to take action and protect the place where they live and all of its inhabitants. I was excited to work on this project as it aligns with my belief that humans need to reconnect to the natural world and see themselves as part of it (rather than separate), in order to shift behaviour and decision-making from degenerative to regenerative.
Also, by understanding the conditions and resources that different species need to survive, there is an opportunity to reflect on how these conditions and resources are being compromised. Zooming in on how human impacts are affecting specific species and ecosystems can help pave the way for targeted, place-specific interventions to these complex problems.