Learning with All Senses: Snappers Class Investigates Ocean Life with BIOS

Written By Somersfield Team

This week, the Snappers class visited the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS) as part of their ongoing study of marine food chains. The field trip gave students a hands-on look at some of the ocean’s smallest—and most important—organisms: plankton.

In class, the Snappers have been learning that plankton are tiny living things that drift through the ocean. They’ve learned that there are two main kinds: phytoplankton, which make their own food from sunlight like plants, and zooplankton, which are more like tiny animals. Together, they form the base of many marine food chains.

At BIOS, students had the opportunity to observe both types of plankton under a microscope. Seeing these living things up close helped the children connect the dots between what they’ve read in class and what’s actually happening in Bermuda’s waters. They learned how phytoplankton produce oxygen and why so many marine animals—like jellyfish, turtles, and small fish—depend on them for food.

The group also explored coral and asked a common question: is coral a plant or an animal? They discovered that coral is an animal, but one that has plant-like algae living inside it. Using UV lights and special glasses, the students observed the glowing colours and structures of coral and learned how these animals contribute to the health of the reef ecosystem.

Trips like this are a natural extension of the Montessori approach, where students build understanding through experience and inquiry. In the classroom, they’ve been using hands-on materials to explore life cycles, ecosystems, and interdependence. Visiting BIOS helped them take that learning further by showing them how those systems function in the real world—and just off our shores.

The Snappers returned to school with lots of new questions and observations. They’ll continue their study of food chains over the coming weeks, now with first-hand experience of some of the smallest—but most vital—members of our ocean community.

Somersfield Team
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