Seagrass for Schools
Everyone needs an understanding of science to make sense of their world, to make decisions about health and well-being and to engage with an increasingly scientific and technological world. Quality science education provides the foundation for a scientifically literate society. Children are naturally curious and we need to support and nurture their sense of wonder and develop their passion for discovering how the world works.
Educational Videos
Pastures of the Sea
Seagrass Introduction
Seagrass Biology
Seagrass Ecology
The Super Seagrass Search
Marine Plants Can Save the World
What flowering plant lives underwater?
Dugongs Serving as Seagrass "Mascots"
Activity Education books
Below are Seagrass-Watch activity books and an educator’s handbook. Teachers are encouraged to use these documents as part of lessons or extra-curricula activities. You are welcome to download these documents and trial them. We also value your feedback so that we can develop tools which are useful and valuable to the learning experience.
Seagrass-Watch Activity Book
The activity book : students 12 years and older
- parts of a seagrass plant
- how to identify seagrass
- the importance of seagrass to marine animals and fisheries
- endangered dugongs and green sea turtles
Seagrass-Watch Activity Book - Junior edition
The junior edition : under 12 years of age.
- easy guide to identify seagrass
- the importance of seagrass to marine animals and fisheries
- endangered dugongs and green sea trurtles
- how seagrass can be damaged
- how seagrass can be monitored.
Educators Handbook
Educator’s guide
The Educators Handbook provides detailed information on what seagrasses are.
Information on seagrass habitat and its function, such as sediment stabilisation, food web and nursery areas is provided.
Conservation and management options for seagrass habitats are also discussed. The booklet also includes suggested activities.
Other educational Publications
Teaching handbook mangrove swamp forest ecosystem
Choo Chee Kuang, CC. and bin Zainal, MZ. (2006) Buku panduan pengajaran ekosistem hutan paya bakau (teaching handbook mangrove swamp forest ecosystem). Save Our Seahorses (SOS).
12pp. Language: malay
Environmental Sustainability in Zanzibar
Prepared by Nell Hamilton, Jokha Omar, Narriman Jiddawi, Anita Walther, Sophia Masuka, Elizabeth Godfrey & David Tanner. Edited by Nell Hamilton.
a sustainable future for Zanzibar [4.8Mb].
Underwater meadows of seagrass
Renom, P., Llobet, T. and Romero, J. (2001) Els prats submarins de Posidònia (Underwater meadows of seagrass). Generalitat de Catalunya, Departament of Medi Ambient. 56pp.
Through the story told by a boy and a fish called Agulla, the story shows underwater meadows of seagrass, what organisms live there, what and how environmental problems have used before this plant. At the end of the story there is a booklet explaining the various aspects of seagrass, including the origin, life cycle, other seagrasses, annual cycle, and trophic relationships in this ecosystem, which compares the forest. The information provided the basis for developing the activities proposed in the teaching guide. Aimed at primary and secondary school.
The story was published in Catalan, French, Arabic and Spanish.
Dugong and Marine Turtle Teaching Resource and Information Package
Torres Strait Regional Authority’s Land and Sea Management Unit (TSRA LSMU). (2009)
Dugong and Marine Turtle Teaching Resource and Information Package. North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance’s Dugong and Marine Turtle Project, Darwin.
This guide is also available at nailsma.org
Dhyum the Dugong
Fuentes, M. (2012) Dhyum the Dugong. Reef & Rainforest Research Centre Limited, Cairns, Australia (32pp.).
Dhyum the Dugong was written to educate children about the importance of conserving dugongs. The main character of the book, Dhyum the dugong, is based on a real animal that was satellite tagged at Mabuiag Island in 2010 and named by the local children.
Learn more about Dr Mariana Fuentes
This guide is also available at Dr Mariana Fuentess website
Myrtle's battle against climate change.
Fuentes, M. (2010) Myrtle’s battle against climate change. Reef & Rainforest Research Centre Limited, Cairns, Australia (22pp.).
This book is dedicated to the children of the Torres Strait islands with the hope that they learn about the effects of climate change on sea turtles and find a way to make a difference.
Learn more about Dr Mariana Fuentes
This guide is also available at Dr Mariana Fuentess website