Exploring Our Fluid Earth

I've done intertidal and reef-flat transecting several times with students. One of the things I learned is that if the students are doing a transect for the first time on the only day you can take them to the ocean, you will regret it. There are so many "distractions" (critters, waves, and other good stuff) that it's really hard to keep kids' attention focused enough to teach transecting well...and invariably the quality of their data is poor on the first day. If you can do a second day in the field after discussing what worked and what didn't, then that first day can simply count as training. If you want the second field day to be even better, or you don't have the option of two field days, then practicing in the classroom or on the lawn will give you some of that pre-survey practice they need.