Floating classroom offers trips

Texas teachers can sail free when Texas Sea Grant's Floating Classroom Program launches its series of 2008 educational cruises with a day of public trips starting today aboard its 57-foot teaching vessel from its Matagorda homeport.

On the first Saturday of the month, the program offers members of the public two 2.5- hour discovery cruises of East Matagorda Bay that depart at 9:30 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. The cruises have a cost-recovery fee of $8.50 for children under age 13 and adults over 57, and $12.50 for all other ages. Teachers will need to show valid school identification to be able to participate for free. Walk-ons for the public cruises are welcome if space is available, but reservations are recommended because participation is limited to 27 guests per trip.

Co-sponsored by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service, the rest of the year the Floating Classroom Program offers daylong educational programs with shipboard and shoreside activities six days a week, from March through December. Texas students in grades 4-12 enrolled in public and private schools, home school associations, and youth groups from churches, Scouts and other organizations are welcome.

The youth-oriented discovery program, led by experienced marine educators and coastal naturalists, usually runs from 9 a.m. to 2:30 or 3 p.m., although the hours can be adjusted by request. For groups of between 28 and 54 participants, the students are divided into two groups to alternate the onshore and shipboard activities.

One group will embark on a 2 hour and 15 minute investigation of the coastal waters aboard the Karma, using a plankton net, shrimp trawl and bottom grab to study the diverse marine life of the bay and learning about shipping, commercial seafood harvesting, recreational boating and sport fishing.

At the same time, the second group will be engaged in complementary on-shore educational activities, which can include beach or wetlands field trips or handson labs and demonstrations in the program's learning pavilion, located near the Karma's berth. After lunch, the groups trade places. Smaller school groups can opt to participate in the two sessions as one group or divide into two smaller units for more individualized attention. To date, more than 17,000 young Texans and their teachers have attended the program.

The Floating Classroom Program's discovery cruises can also be exclusively reserved by adult leadership classes, economic and community development organizations, community service groups and businesses to increase participants' awareness of the benefits provided by the ocean and the myriad of challenges facing the Texas coast.

To book the Floating Classroom Program or receive more details call 979/863-2940 or floatingclassroom@ag.tamu. edu. To examine, in detail, the activities and group scholarship information or to download the enrollment and scholarship forms visit the Web site at http://floatingclassroom. tamu.edu.