Print

Email story

Comment

Letter to the editor

Top of the class

Swimming with the mammals

Rock Crusher Elementary School second-graders put on wet suits and learn the proper way to respect manatees.

By PAULETTE LASH RITCHIE
Published May 5, 2005

CRYSTAL RIVER - It was unusually cool and damp for this time in April, but about 60 Rock Crusher Elementary School second-graders and their chaperones were about to get colder and wetter. And they were excited about it.

Through a $2,500 National Science Teachers Association and Toyota minigrant, Susan Littrell, along with teachers Donna Farabaugh, Desiree Spencer, Karen Abel, Glen Carpenter and Gina Widener, took students for a swim with manatees in Kings Bay. The children were divided into two groups for two different outings.

Littrell wrote the grant, called "Manatee Etiquette: It's the Law," to teach the children responsible behavior when recreating with manatees. She was one of only 27 teachers nationally to receive the Toyota Tapestry grant, which assists teachers in presenting science lessons creatively.

The teachers did not take the children out without preparation. American Pro Dive first visited them in the classrooms to instruct them about how to behave around the large, gentle and endangered animals. They saw a presentation of manatee facts that prepared them for the outing.

Once onboard one of four pontoon boats, American Pro Dive's Michele Goodenow reminded the 8- and 9-year-olds, "The most important thing is to be very quiet."

The boats moved cautiously into manatee territory, stopping to let the children, parents and teachers slip into the water for a close look. Soon the water was bobbing with neon yellow-green snorkels as the children floated quietly on floats with minimal kicking at the water's surface.

The boat relocated a number of times to ensure that every child saw a manatee. As they climbed back up, they reported what was down there.

"I saw a tail, dirty, very dirty, covered in seaweed," second-grader Bruce Titus said.

"That was so awesome," said Bruce's classmate, Brandon Terry. "It was cool. The manatee was under us."

Ericka Vazquez gained some insight into how a wet suit works. She also saw something other than a manatee. "I got some water up my pants and I saw a lobster," she said.

Shivering next to her mother after her dip in the cool water, Shelby Spate said, "I saw a whole one, the whole body. It was really big. It was the color of green/gray."

Shelby's friend Dominique Platt saw some, too. "It looked really cool and big and there were some small ones and some of them had green stuff on them and some had cuts on their tails because of propellers on the boats, 'cause people don't care about them," she said.

Deborah Spate, Shelby's mother, saw a manatee, too, but was also impressed with how the girls handled themselves in the water. "These girls were excellent. They were quiet. They helped me. I had trouble with my mask and they were helping me," she said.

One of the big animals swam under Mary Ellen Frankel, Bruce's mother, who exclaimed about the beauty of the swim. "I thought it was gorgeous, absolutely beautiful," she said. "It felt good."

Frankel said she thought the outing was a chance for the children to enjoy the water and not fear it. The trip was about more than manatees. The children practiced floating and snorkeling and learned "to behave appropriately in water," she said.

Michele Goodenow praised the children and teachers for how well the children did during the excursion. "They worked hard to get out here," she said. "They learned a lot." And the teachers, too, deserve credit for the success of the children.

With all the time and expense put into the outing, Littrell explained how she wanted the children to benefit.

"I hope the students learn how important our water resources are, the importance of habitat and respect of animals," she said. "Hopefully now they have a hands-on understanding of what we've been talking about. This is just one of the strategies of what we're doing in the classroom."

Well, that's grownup talk. Kahlil Hollis had a different take on the day's adventure. "This is just the ultimate wet field day," he said.

[Last modified May 5, 2005, 01:27:18]