Fiustem.com Website Review

The Aquarius Academy is an organic ocean learning revolution that capitalizes on Florida International University’s Aquarius Reef Base – the world’s only undersea research station. The standards-based science program is tailored to provide dynamic and creative authentic experiences that focus on relevant ocean issues and connects K-12 students and teachers everywhere through project-based learning. The mission of the Academy is to empower students worldwide to become active scientists and explorers today. For students, the Academy provides a digital curriculum, novel experiential opportunities that puts students in charge of developing and leading marine science projects, interactive events that connect students to marine science professionals, and on-location and virtual field trips. Teachers are provided corresponding professional development activities in a variety of educational environments. The focused digital curriculum is based upon the science being conducted at Aquarius Reef Base and corresponding cross-cutting elements like art and design, language arts, history, social impacts and economics. Not all students initially excel in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and for those that do, interest may diminish as they get older. Incorporating cross-cutting elements contribute to development of complex problem solving, critical thinking and creativity – the top three skills to be in demand in 2020 – and can serve as an onramp to STEM for underrepresented students. Creating an education initiative based on the science conducted at Aquarius is an ongoing process. In the fall of 2018, curriculum developers began working with content experts – FIU faculty and Aquarius staff – to create lesson plans and activities that enhance existing school curricula. These lessons and activities support the Common Core Standards and the Next Generation Science Standards and will be designed to provide practical applications to core concepts already being taught.