Educational Activities

E-mail Responses
Check this page often! The teachers will post all e-mail responses to this page. We will post five e-mail responses per day (Monday-Friday).

9-15-03

1. Can we get more details / specifics concerning the research? From the different stations do they know the changes in temperature, salinity, depths for the vertical water column? If so what are they? 2)Were the same tests done at each station? If not, why?
2. What is the one thing you enjoyed most about the trip?
3. What influence will your research have on future research trips?
4. How has the weather been on the ship?
5. Do you feel spoiled after spending so much time in paradise?
6. What has been the most rewarding experience? How do you think the experience you have gained will help you in the classroom here at Mann?
7. Is there any variation in color for the different species of phytoplankton you’ve encountered?
8. Have the researchers noticed any change in the abundance of phytoplankton as compared to previous voyages?
9. Dr. Hanegan, what is your degree in and how did you get involved with both education and marine research?
10. Have you been involved in research with other marine organisms other than phytoplankton?
11. I’ve been hearing about the benefits of phytoplankton in the ocean. Is there such a thing as bad phytoplankton? Are blooms bad?

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9-11-03

1. Do you have all the supplies you need for your research?
2. Have you been hit by any storms?
3. Is the research you are doing hard?
4. Have you discovered anything interesting about plankton?
5. If you don’t wash your hands, can it affect the phytoplankton?

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9-10-03

1. What type of marine life are you studying?
2. Did you feel scared when you went snorkeling? Did you think you could sink to the bottom of the ocean?
3. Have you seen any glittery, colorful fish like rainbow fish?

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9-9-03

1. Have you found anything particularly interesting that you didn’t know before, or had never seen?
2. What kind of interesting technologies have you gotten to use in your studies?
3. What kind of food do you eat?
4. Have you found any undiscovered organisms?
5. Are you ready to come home yet?

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9-8-03

1. Longitude and Latitude locations of the research stations visitied by the ship are provided to plot on a map.
2. What exactly are you trying to discover by studying the plankton?
3. How will this experience help you in everyday life and will it help you teach us better?
4. How many hours a day do you work and study on all the things you and your crew are working on?

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9-7-03

1. With all the motion, couldn’t you fall out of bed at night?
2. Have you seen any sharks?
3. Does the water look clear or dirty?
4. We have been watching the movement of Mars through the sky here in Little Rock. How well can you see the planet from the ocean?

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9-4-03

1. How far were you from the recent hurricane?
2. We are learning about the kingdom protista and wonder if you have found any diatoms in your research? Have you found any new species?
3. What part of your research has been the most fun?
4. How is your research going?
5. Do you like to get e-mails from us?
6. Has what you learned been educational so far?
7. Are you ready to come back home?

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9-3-03

1. Why are you studying phytoplankton?
2. Have any of you gotten into trouble?
3. What effect, if any does, the amount of sunlight have on the speed of accent and decent of the phytoplankton in meters per second?
4. What is the weather like out there? Is there any time difference from me here in Texas?
5. How hard is underwater coral reef? How deep is it where you are researching?
6. What is the effect of changing the number of rpms in each of the ship’s propellers?

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9-2-03

1. Is anyone still seasick? How long does it take to get well?
2. Have you noted any differences in the sunsets or sunrises at sea? Have you seen a Green Flash? Have you noted southern bright stars or constellations not normally seen from home in the states?
3. When gathering the rhizosolenia phytoplankton, how can you tell the difference from others species of phytoplankton?

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8-29-03

1. We had several questions about our internet connection, and how it works.
2. Can you explain how your samples of phytoplankton are collected?
3. How old is the ship that you are using?
4. How long does it take for the crew and the ship to get where they need to be?
5. What do you do in your spare time, you know, things to pass the time?
6. What have you learned about the Earth’s aquatic things?
7. What are the requirements to become a steamer crew? Is there any training involved?

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8-28-03

1. Do you have to wear any special clothes?
2. What do you do at night?
3. Are you excited about doing this project?

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8-26-03

1. Is the ship diesel or electric? If it is diesel, how do you power the laptop for sending and receiving email?
2. Does Algae grow differently in the ocean than in fresh water due to the salt?
3. Will anyone be researching creatures such as dolphins or types of fish?
4. How many people in the ship in total?
5. What is rhizosolenia?

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8-25-03

1. Is it cool being on the ship and have you gotten seasick?
2. Is the water really blue and have you seen any, turtles, dolphins, whales or sharks?
3. Where will you go if there is a storm out at sea?
4. Is it safe on the boat?
5. Have you seen any unusual things?

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8-22-03

1. How is the food on the ship?
2. Have you gotten seasick yet?
3. What are the accommodations/ living conditions on the ship?
4. What are the major benefits of the projects being done throughout the ship?
5. How were these teachers chosen for the project?

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8-21-03

1. I am curious about why nitrogen is needed by the phytoplankton and in what abundance?
2. What causes seasickness and why do people get over it. Have you ever experienced seasickness?
3. What do you plan to gain from this experience?
4. What type of tools or equipment will you be using to collect and study the phytoplankton?

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For questions or comments about the STEAMER site
please contact Luis Martinez at: