For the past three years, Ventura County Office of Education (VCOE) has been one of a handful of agencies to receive funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) under its California Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Program. This program provides funds to support environment-based education throughout the watersheds of San Francisco Bay, Monterey Bay, and Santa Barbara Channel.

Learn more about BWET | KEY TV News: B-WET Event (quicktime)

Along with the Channel Islands National Park, the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and other regional agencies, VCOE is working with area teachers to provide students with the opportunity to explore one of the most diverse marine environments in the world through an integrated learning experience that is supported by standards-based, interactive curriculum, active participation in monitoring and gathering data on the local environment and live interaction with researchers working in and around Channel Islands National Park and National Marine Sanctuary.

We are currently starting our fourth year of this project.

BWET Resources (all resources are in .pdf format unless specified)

• 2008-2009 Grant Application
• Curriculum:
  • Kelp Forest and Monitoring
  • Channeling our Efforts: A Balancing Act
• Assessment:
  • Pre-Post 4th Grade Test
  • Pre-Post 5th Grade Test
  • Pre-Post 6th Grade Test
• LiMPETS Resources
  • Frenchy's Cove Protocols
  • Frenchy's Cove Individual Count -- modified from original
  • Frenchy's Cove Species Count -- modified from original
  • Frenchy's Cove Owl Limpet data sheet -- modified from original
• Under Development -- Monitoring Observation Data Sheet

Video Excerpts from the Channel Islands Live Dive Program
All video is in Quicktime format unless otherwise noted

From Shore to Sea: http://www.cinms.nos.noaa.gov/edu/shoretosea.html

From Shore to Sea Curriculum

• Story 1: Geology and Geography: Where Are We Going and Why?
• Story 2: Channel Islands Culture: Past and Present
• Story 3: Costal Ecosystems: Land, Water, and Sea
• Story 4: Kelp Forest Ecosystems: Monitoring and Management
• Story 5: Pinnipeds: Monitoring and Management
• Story 6: Conserving our Natural Resources: A Balancing Act

Student Pages

• Atlas
• Resources

Channel Islands National Park http://www.nps.gov/chis/

Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary http://www.cinms.nos.noaa.gov/

Information coming soon