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Monday, February 12, 2018

Preparing for our trip - Ecology Project: Costa Rica

Costa Rica Here We Come



We are very excited to be traveling to Costa Rica to work with sea turtles and gain field skills. 

Our essential question: How can we design conservation methods for sea turtles applying the data we collected? 

Our competencies: 
  1. Students will design and implement an experiment.
  2. Students will learn about turtle migration in Costa Rica. 
  3. Students will learn how to protect turtle migration. 
  4. Students will propose conservation methods for sea turtles by engaging in design thinking process.
  5. Students will evaluate their research by analyzing and interpreting data they collected.
  6. Students will communicate their scientific findings and/or research by verbally and visually presenting their work.
  7. Students will engage in ecological research by working alongside with ecologists to collect data.
In one of our meetings, we learned about the different types of sea turtles we may expect (Hawksbill and Green Sea Turtle). Our student leaders, Nikki and Mairead, put together a presentation for us so we may start to understand the life cycle of the turtle and start thinking of project ideas. We also watched the attached video about sea turtles: The Survival of the Sea Turtle

Our itinerary: 


March 5 - Fly to San Jose, Costa Rica. Travel to Ecology Project International's Center for Education in Conservation and Science in San Rafael. We will meet our instructors, Stanley and Marin, and receive an orientation.

March 6 - We head back to the airport where we will board a plane and travel to Puerto Jimenez. 

March 6 to March 9 - LAST is an organization focused on sea turtle conservation. LAST's in-water projects is located at Playa Blanca on Golf Dulce. Here, our work focuses on Hawksbill and Eastern Pacific Green turtles, through in-water studies and a rescue/rehabilitation center. We will stay in cabins while we are here. We will learn about sea turtle biology, ecology and conservation issues. We will explore the amazing wildlife of mangrove ecosystems and help in the restoration efforts. We will collect data on sea turtles through hands-on, marine-based monitoring protocols. 

March 9 - We will travel a little bit and head to La Palma Real Hotel. 

March 10 - We will take a 30-minute ride through the canopy of Costa Rica's primary rainforest in an open-air basket with a naturalist guide. Following the trees from the ground to their crown. We be moving fast pace as we zip-line back to the ground. We travel again to La Riviera Hotel located in Belen, just outside of San Jose. 

March 11 -  We fly home. 


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