Classroom on the Sand with Casa de Bambini

Overview

On Friday, November 8th, 2024, The International SeaKeepers Society hosted 60 students and 15 educators from Casa dei Bambini Montessori Children's Center for a Classroom on the Sand on South Beach with the assistance of Clean Miami Beach. Students participated in a small beach cleanup followed by an activity using our Enviroscapes coastal ecosystem watershed model to further explore the dynamics of how different types of pollution are transported to and through coastal communities.

Through these activities, participating students were able to learn about the hydrology of watersheds as well as the anthropogenic threats that watersheds face. These include plastic litter, marine debris, air and oil pollution, nutrient pollutants like fertilizers, and others from terrestrial sources like homes, businesses, and roadways. This pollution is carried by rain and flood water to canals, rivers, and bays, which can build up and lead to algal blooms and fish kills, which have been increasing in frequency and intensity in places like South Florida. Students ended the lesson by discussing how we can reduce different types of pollution through simple choices and actions in our everyday lives and reflecting on the types of pollution they may be creating themselves.

It was great working with the students and educators from Casa dei Bambini and we hope that they were able to learn more about the value of protecting coastal ecosystems and reducing waste production in their daily lives. We loved hosting this Classroom on the Sand and we hope to work with Casa dei Bambini and other like-minded student groups in the future!