Growing up at the Aquarium: graduation-2022
Graduates from stages of the Growing up at the Aquarium project celebrated the end of the 2021-2022 school year on Saturday, May 28, at the Primorsky Aquarium. Students and tutors presented their accomplishments for the year and demonstrated knowledge and skills at special workshops and scavenger hunts for parents.
The Growing up at the Aquarium offers six stages for children aged between 6 and 17 years, as well as individualized education programs for children with disabilities.
The students attend meetings and classes conducted by their instructors or by specialists from other departments of the Aquarium and from other organizations. The children do their own projects, too. Researcher is a club for all school ages, members of which can try their hands at scientific research and implement their most innovative ideas under supervision of biology advisors.
Lyubov Gliznutsa, tutor of the AQUAlaboratory (club for 14- to 17-year-old students):
“We’ve successfully carried out three scientific projects in our club this year. We usually study topics within our curriculum, but more thoroughly. Of course, teens choose themes and do projects of their own free will. Parents can’t force them, so motivation and self-organization are very important.”
This school year was very fruitful. Young explorers took part in competitions for children and teens, created scavenger hunts and family guides, set up and filled their aquariums with fish and other organisms, learned about plants and marine animals, grew bell peppers from seeds and even bred fire-bellied newts. Students of the Crystal Bridge studio also achieved considerable success in learning.
Elizaveta Roshkolaeva, Crystal Bridge project tutor:
“We interpret information for children with disabilities through games and other activities. We let our kids explore the world around at their own pace, in their own way and in the end, they make significant progress. When we review with them the topics we’ve studied, we see that our programs are very important and much wanted. They really have a great impact on students’ lives.”
Every stage of the Growing up at the Aquarium project has its own focus. The Belyok environmental biology club teaches children about the Primorsky Aquarium itself, its exhibits and its specialists. This year, for example, the curriculum for the first time included a meeting with a marine engineer, who told students about secrets of bionics. Elder students from the AQUAlaboratory studied developmental stages of chickens’ embryos, examined chromosomes and histological preparations, isolated pigments from leaves of tropical plants and learnt about other wonders of biology. Now the students are looking forward to a special summer event, paleontological picnic over Russky Island. They are going to uncover prehistoric life under their feet and make even more breathtaking discoveries.
We congratulate our graduates and welcome new children and teens to join our team of curious young explorers and to learn many amazing scientific facts about nature!