The Two Oceans Aquarium’s Environmental Education Centre offers a series of wonderful, free enrichment courses for learners through the Marine Sciences Academy. The Smart Living Course for grade 7s introduces the concept of "sustainability", and participants get to explore this concept through the themes of waste, water, energy and biodiversity.
This is a completely online course - you will need an internet connection. So, don't miss out on this free opportunity!
The Smart Living Course, which is sponsored by the City of Cape Town, encourages children to start thinking about their impact on the environment and aims to inspire them to take positive action for a sustainable future. Participants will learn about our biodiversity and why it is important, and about how to save water, reduce waste and conserve energy. They’ll also learn about major environmental problems, as well as how to prevent or mitigate them.
In addition to topics around human impacts on the environment and sustainable living in modern society, this free course introduces ecological concepts, marine ecosystems and sustainable use of the ocean as a source of food, energy, minerals, tourism opportunities and recreation.
The Smart Living Course is open to learners who are in Grade 7 in 2020. To apply, please complete this application form. NOTE: Due to the ongoing lockdown, we do not expect applicants to submit a teachers recommendation letter. If you have any queries please email education@aquarium.co.za more information.
- Dates: 11 to 18 May 2020 (live interactive lessons every second day)
- Application deadline: 17 April 2020
- Cost: Free
- This is an online course. You will need an internet connection, and be able to follow the lessons being conducted live and the scheduled times.
There are many ways your children can get involved in environmental education opportunities at the Aquarium. Here are a few of the most popular options:
- School classes, youth groups and other organisations can book a classroom visit that fits in with your curriculum:
- Pre-school: A wide range of interactive Puppet Stories, from I Love Turtles to a Water Cycle Adventure.
- Grade 1-3: Discover underwater wonders and learn about different kinds of fish.
- Grade 4-6: Fun lessons with topics from fish anatomy and marine conservation to the close relatives of sharks.
- Grade 7-9: Lessons from water conservation to rocky shore ecology.
- Grade 10-12: Exciting topics from sharks and ecotourism to biodiversity and anatomy.
- Individual children of all ages can take part in FREE courses from our Marine Science Academy:
- Grade 6: Become Junior Biologists and study marine life and conservation on our coast.
- Grade 7: Learn Smart Living and learn how our lives and the environment interact
- Grade 8: Become a Marine Science Discoverer if you're in grade 8 and learn about careers in ocean science.
- Grade 9: Become Marine Science Explorers - time to get hands-on with ocean life.
- Grade 10: Apply for our flagship Young Biologist course, and jumpstart a marine career.
- Grade 11 & 12: FET Zoology and Oceanography courses - a stepping stone into marine science tertiary studies.
- If you can't get to the Aquarium, we'll come to you!
- A fully equipped mobile aquarium, Oceans in Motion, is on the road - bringing the ocean's wonders and lessons to previously disadvantages schools in the Cape Town area.
- The Smart Living outreach programme engages with learners on key environmental issues such as energy, water, waste and protecting biodiversity.
If you would like to make a booking for your class, get involved in one of the above courses or are an adult looking for training opportunities or to take part in our job shadowing programme, please visit our Environmental Education Centre portal for more information and the relevant contact details.
