The resources on this page were created and gathered by Dauphin Island Sea Lab educators and researchers for educators or ocean enthusiasts. There are also several activities included for use during your visit to the Alabama Aquarium.
Video resources are also available on the Dauphin Island Sea Lab YouTube channel and our Digital Learning Page.
Coastal Animals Coloring Pages
- Beach Buddies, detailed
- Beach Buddies, simple
- Sand Striker
- Build a Worm
- Beach Shells
- Tube Landscape
- Diopatra
- Lumbrineries
Sharks
Common Sharks of the Northern Gulf of Mexico Poster - DISL’s Discovery Hall Programs, the MSU Extension Services, and Dr. Marcus Drymon’s Marine Fisheries Ecology Lab collaborated to create a poster highlighting ten years of shark science. The poster is a companion to a new DISL, MSU, and Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant educational lesson.
Earth Day 2020: Ask the Educator - Sharks of the Gulf (Video) - Discovery Hall Programs marine educator Greg Graeber gives an overview of the sharks and rays found in the Gulf of Mexico.
Plankton
- Diatom 3D Models (link)
- Phytoplankton and HAB posters (link)
- Primer on Gulf of Mexico Harmful Algal Blooms -PDF 5.51mb
ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicles)
ROV Poster - This poster provides an introduction to ROVs and highlights the various classes or types of ROVs. The poster was created by Liz Hoadley while working in Discovery Hall Programs.
Living Shorelines
Lessons explore oysters, oyster reefs, restoration, and living shorelines.
- Building an Oyster Reef: A 3-D Activity -PDF 11.8mb
- Living Shorelines -PDF 6.29mb
- Restore It? A Lesson on Restoration Ecology -PDF 353kb
Seagrasses
Sea Grasses Slideshow -PDF 2.8mb
Sea-Level Rise
Sea-Level Rise in the Classroom is a four-module curriculum designed for high school teachers to introduce sea-level rise impacts and discuss community-based solutions with their students.
Module 1 addresses the science behind the sea-level rise and coastal flooding, and the other three highlight pathways towards community resilience through individual and community action. Module 2 covers natural solutions, Module 3 allows students to investigate the role of policy and ordinances, and Module 4 brings it together through community planning. A capstone project allows students to explore simulated towns and create resilience plans.
For all other document formats, supplemental materials, and PowerPoints please visit the curriculum’s Google Drive folder.
Storm Surge
Storm surge, a rise in water level due to various factors, is often the deadliest part of a hurricane. During Hurricane Katrina, a storm surge that reached 28 feet in some communities contributed to the death of over 2000 people. In a 2013 study by Grinsted et al., Katrina-like surge events are predicted to increase two to seven times with every 1°C change in global temperature. With global temperatures on the rise and coastal populations increasing every year, educating people about coastal hazards such as storm surge is of the utmost importance.These materials were created by Discovery Hall Programs and the Northern Gulf Coastal Hazards Collaboratory to help communicate the nature of risks associated with living in coastal areas, especially during hurricane events.
- Student and Teacher Resources (link)
- Storm Surge Game (link)
Alabama Aquarium Activity and Keys
Activity Curriculum
- K - 2 Activity Curriculum
- 6 - 8 Activity Curriculum
- 9 - 12 Activity Curriculum
- 3 - 5 Activity Curriculum
Activity Keys
- Introduction for all Activity Keys
- Activity Key K-2nd
- Activity Key 6th-8th
- Activity Key 9th-12th
- Activity Key 3rd-5th
Other Activities
- Coloring Book -PDF 498kb
- Harbor to Harvest -PDF 944kb
- Mr. Sand -PDF 1.08mb
- Mr. Sand Teachers Manual -PDF 74kb
- Dauphin Island Scavenger Hunt -PDF 320kb
