Plankton Planet NEW!
Enjoy a program of planktonic proportions! Through a series of hands-on lab activities, students will discover the critical role these tiny organisms play in supplying the planet with oxygen, taking up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and providing food for all in the sea as the basis of the marine food chain.
All About Fish 
Discover fish inside and out! Students will explore the important role dissection plays in scientific investigation. Through external examination and internal dissection of Pacific mackerel, students will determine which adaptations allow fish to survive in their marine environments.
Fish Diversity
Fins, gills and scales, oh my! Become a fish adaptation expert as students learn how fish have diversified into various habitats throughout the ocean. An external investigation of fish shape, color and unique characteristics will provide the clues to identify where fish live and how they survive.
Fish Printing
Discover the wonders of science through art investigation. Students will create colorful fish prints using real and rubber fish, while learning about the basic body parts and features of fish. All materials will be supplied.
Kelp 101
Discover the largest and fastest growing plant in the sea, the giant kelp, as well as its importance to marine organisms and humans. Students will explore how organisms in the kelp forest community depend on one another, experiment with kelp products and investigate common food and household products containing kelp.
Earth Rocks!
And it rolls! Students will explore the nature of earthquakes, how scientists pinpoint an earthquake s epicenter and how engineers design earthquake- proof structures through a combination of hands-on activities and cutting-edge technology.
Inside Molluscs
What do squid, mussels and snails have in common? They re all molluscs!
Through scientific observations and squid dissection, students discover the special characteristics of the phylum mollusca, as well as the adaptations that squid use to eat, move and protect themselves from predators.
Life On The Rocks
Between a rock and a hard place is what life is like in the intertidal zone. Investigate the special adaptations that help rocky shore creatures survive the harsh environment they call home. From the splash zone to the low tide zone, students will discover how animals protect themselves from sun, wind and waves.
Hanging By A Thread
Is it true what they say about safety in numbers? Discover the rich diversity of animals that make their home in the mussel clumps of the rocky shore. By dissecting a mussel clump, students will learn about the major invertebrate phyla in the ocean, how these animals are classified based on their unique characteristics and how they depend on one another for survival.
Water Works
Are you ready to get wet and wild? Through hands-on investigation and interactions at our water tables, students will explore the power of water to erode, move, and transport material, the effects of different structures on water motion, as well as what it means to conserve this precious resource.
Shark Survivor
How do sharks survive challenges of nature and those presented by humans? Our live shark displays provide an ideal living classroom for your students to explore the challenges sharks face and how they have adapted to survive for over 400 million years. Students will tour shark exhibits to observe live shark behavior and adaptations and use hands-on models to discover sharks unique design.
Self-Guided Visit
Discover an ocean full of adventure at Birch Aquarium. Lead your classes along the Pacific coast as they explore the exhibits of cool northern waters all the way down to tropical coral reefs in Baja, Mexico. Make sure to stop by our tide-pool plaza, the outdoor shark display and our Wonders of Water and Feeling the Heat: The Climate Challenge exhibits.
Beach Teach
Explore the Ecological Preserve of La Jolla Shores beach in this fun, hands-on field science program. Each program is customized based on tide and weather conditions and student grade level.
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