Education

Introducing a New Teacher’s Guide: “Ecosystems of The Bahamas”

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We are thrilled to announce that our partners, Friends of the Environment (FRIENDS), have launched Ecosystems of The Bahamas, the newest teacher’s guide highlighting the Bahamian environment. Designed for use in high school classrooms, Ecosystems of The Bahamas contains background information, labs, and classroom activities that comprehensively cover the major Bahamian ecosystems, highlighting key species, ecosystem services, threats, and conservation measures. The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation is proud that a couple of our lesson plans on mangrove forests are included in this teacher’s guide, which will be used in high school science classrooms across the country.

Discovering Coral Bleaching: An Interactive Coloring Journey

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In the wake of the devastating mass bleaching events that swept across the northern hemisphere’s coral reefs during the scorching summer of 2023, the importance of coral reef education has never been more important. As students settle into their academic routines, the critical issue of coral bleaching has risen to the forefront of environmental concerns in these regions. In response to this need, we are excited to introduce the dedicated section on coral bleaching from our Reefs at Risk Activity and Coloring Book. While the entire book is a work in progress, we’ve recognized the urgency of educating students about coral bleaching and have chosen to release the book in sections to provide timely information and engage young minds in this pressing matter…

Exciting New Programs and Tools for Educators

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As teachers gear up for the start of the academic year, the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation has released some exciting educational resources for teachers to use in their classrooms. These resources were created to further the Foundation’s goals of improving ocean literacy around the world. We hope teachers (and life-long-learners of all ages) find our educational resources useful in helping them learn about coral reefs, mangrove forests, and other tropical marine ecosystems…

Welcome Aboard Our Virtual Reef Expedition!

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Join us for an unforgettable underwater journey that combines education and adventure as we explore one of the world’s most stunning natural wonders – coral reefs. Experience the debut of our educational virtual reality application, Virtual Reef Expedition, for an immersive adventure that you won’t forget.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced us to cancel our in-person education programs, just like many other field trips during that time. However, we didn’t let that setback discourage us. We joined forces with the University of Miami to secure funding and develop a virtual reality field trip that could enrich both remote and in-person learning experiences. Utilizing state-of-the-art virtual reality (VR) technology, we were able to bring this project to life thanks to the generous support from the University of Miami’s Extended Reality (XR) Initiative…

Migrating Mangrove Detectives 

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Do you live near a mangrove forest? If so, we invite you to become a mangrove detective. Our citizen science program, Mangrove Detectives, allows students to develop STEAM skills while contributing to scientific research. We are thrilled to announce that we recently migrated all Mangrove Detectives’ educational resources to our website. 

The program came about in 2014 when Dr. Ryann Rossi was studying a mangrove die-off on Abaco Island, Bahamas. She discovered that a fungal pathogen was infecting the local red mangroves, potentially transmitted by insects. To expand her research to other areas, she partnered with the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation (KSLOF) to implement the program in the Mangrove Education and Restoration Programs in the Bahamas and Jamaica. Thanks to a grant from the National Geographic Society, Dr. Ryann Rossi and KSLOF expanded this program’s reach further, developing a curriculum that includes real-world scientific investigations, video tutorials, photo galleries, and teacher lesson plans…

2022-2023 B.A.M. and J.A.M.I.N. Teacher Spotlight

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Often, we share comments about our B.A.M. and J.A.M.I.N. programs from the students’ perspectives. This year I would like to highlight our remarkable teachers. Teachers are the backbone of our mangrove education and restoration programs, and their crucial role cannot be overstated. Over the years, we have come to realize that the success of these programs hinges on the teachers’ willingness to embrace and seamlessly integrate them into their classrooms. Their dedication and passion for teaching have enabled us to achieve our goals of educating students about the significance of mangroves and instilling a sense of conservation in them.

We extend our heartfelt appreciation to all the teachers who have been part of our programs, both the veterans who have been with us since the beginning and the new members who have recently joined our educational family. It is their incredible commitment that empowers us to make a lasting impact on the lives of students and cultivate a future generation that will protect and preserve our precious mangroves. It’s time to meet and celebrate our dedicated B.A.M. and J.A.M.I.N. teachers who make a significant difference every day!