World Ocean Day a hit at Kitchener Community School

Students got to bring the ocean into their classroom this week.

On Wednesday, students at Kitchener Community School got to celebrate World Ocean Day by looking at ocean artifacts and participating in an immersive pop-up ocean adventure.

The programming was brought to the school by Ocean Wise, a company that educates students about aquatic life and how to protect it.

The main attraction for the day was the Sea Dome, a planetarium-style inflatable dome with a 360-degree projector on the ceiling that takes kids into the ocean to look at their favourite sea creatures.

Students entered the giant, blue dome through a zipper on the side which transported them underwater. The dome took kids underneath the ocean with scuba divers and schools of fish swimming above the students.

Many gasps of excitement were heard from students as they reached up to try and grab the fish.

Leading them on their underwater experience was Ocean Wise co-ordinator Tamara Loney, who said those reactions aren’t new.

“This job is so rewarding,” said Loney. “There are so few jobs where every day, five times a day, you get a round of applause and a whole bunch of children thanking you.”

Other activities for the Ocean Wise event were held around the school. Students learned about turtles and beluga whales while touching animal bones and skulls.

One Grade 2 student named Hadia shared what she learned: “Turtles can be as wide as a person.”

Teachers were happy with the interaction students had with the Ocean Wise staff.

“I just love to see the dialogue they’re having with the Ocean Wise staff and themselves, and just talking about when they grow up they want to be animal rescuers and take care of the ocean,” said teacher Jessica Madiratta.

“They’re making connections between YouTube videos they’ve watched and what they’re learning today.”

Madiratta, who is the Indigenous advocate teacher, said she was pleased to see a focus through an Indigenous lens on education.

“The programming looks super-great,” said Madiratta. “I love that we’re having an Indigenous perspective through the hand games. The kids are super-engaged touching shark jaws and shark fins, and in the dome. The kids are just so excited to go in there.”

While students were still in school, it was a special day that they looked at like a field trip.

Hadia said she held three sea creature bones earlier in the morning. She hadn’t gone into the sea dome yet but was excited to see three things: “Sharks, whales, and fish.”

Madiratta explained why the whole experience would be memorable for future years.

“I think for kids, they have that natural connection to animals and Earth and the world, and it just sparks that curiosity now for them at this young age,” she said, “and going forward as having this as something they will always remember and have memories of learning this in school.”

Kitchener was the second school Ocean Wise has visited since the pandemic started. Loney said while operating online was difficult, they’re glad to have the hands-on experience back.

“What we actually did was create a discovery kit which essentially packed up all the artifacts from each kit,” said Loney. “We packed up all the artifacts from each station that students are visiting here in the gym today, and shipped them out to teachers. (We) did an online ‘Ask me Anything’ sort of program so kids could still do the program and still get that hands-on experience.

“Especially in these landlocked provinces, I think it’s really important for kids to get to feel and touch things that come from the ocean. It helps us feel connected.”

The day went swimmingly and Madiratta said the program could return.

“I would love to have Ocean Wise back again for another opportunity for our students,” she said. “So if we could connect another year, and for years to come, that would be great.”