Intertidal Assessment (Gr 8-12)

Field School - Intertidal Assessment (2 Hours)

The Field School turns your students into citizen scientists as we explore and collect data for real long-term monitoring programs on Baynes Sound.

Assessing the intertidal is a key to understanding the dynamics of any intertidal or beach area. Students will use transects to classify our beach and monitor taxa presence and biological community composition. This data will be used as a monitoring project to assess biological diversity and resiliency.

Intertidal Assessment - Introductory (Gr 5-9)

This introduction to biodiversity assessment includes a pre-trip presentation at the Station before taking a short walk out to VIU's beach lease (5-10 min walk from the station). While at the beach, students will work in groups to analyze the species variation and abundance in their quadrats, both on top of the substrate and 10cm below the surface. After collecting their data, there will be a short overview back at the station looking at each group's results and drawing conclusions from their data. 

Intertidal Assessment - Advanced (Gr 10-12)

This assessment is geared towards more advanced learners who have a keen interest in intertidal ecosystems and data analysis. Students will start with a short lesson at the station about the activity, followed by a walk out to the beach lease.  While at the beach, students will work in groups to analyze the species variation and abundance in their quadrats, both on top of the substrate and 10cm below the surface. After returning from the beach, the students will compile their data into a classroom set which they will use for a worksheet to compare biodiversity differences between different zones in the intertidal. This worksheet includes a statistical analysis portion which requires the use of Excel.

Please note, all Field School programs require a low tide and programs book up fast. Please note the available low tides dates shown on the the booking form and select from those choices.