Marine CSI: Across Generations
As part of the Marine CSI experience, we now offer interactive, inquiry-based STEAM activities to families of all ages. Through our growing partnership with Pender County Parks and Recreation, the summer of 2025 will be filled with these exciting experiences the whole family will love. Offered the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays in June, July, and August at Hampstead Kiwanis Park. Cost for each activity is $9/adult and $7/child, with registration and payment through the Pender Parks website.
We also have plans to team up with 55+ in the Southeast region to offer these engaging activities to their active adult communities. Active adults will enjoy learning about marine science and our coastal ecosystems through this program. STAY TUNED FOR MORE INFORMATION TO COME!
**Marine CSI: Coastal Science Investigations and all its programs contained herein have no affiliation with UNCW, the Center for Marine Science, or their MarineQuest program.**
Pender County Parks Summer Program
To access registration through the Pender County Parks and Recreation website, CLICK HERE. Registration is required.
A listing of 2025 activities are:
Anatomy of a Beach - Families have the opportunity to model a barrier island system and demonstrate how storms can affect our coastline. They will determine the best ways to prevent erosion and save valuable wildlife habitat as our coastal storms increase in frequency and intensity. (water component)
Animal S.O.S. - Let's role play as wildlife rescuers in this interactive activity, where families work together in rescue teams to learn what care injured and sick marine species need. They will learn what skills are needed to become veterinarians and rehabilitators.
Baleen In-Between - Different whales feed in different ways and this fun game demonstrates those feeding mechanisms. Families will understand what happens to both baleen and toothed whales when humans begin to interact with their food supplies. (water component)
It's Getting Hot in Here - Global temperatures are rising and that has long-term effects on gender ratios of sea turtle species. In this experiment, families excavate sea turtle nests to describe these ratio changes as temperatures continue to rise.
Web of Life - All life is connected by the foods we consume and we explore different ecosystems down to the microscopic food source through this "pass the ball" game. Families will also explore what happens when humans take too much from the ecosystem.
What's Under the Sand? - Identify sand-dwelling organisms and understand how they have adapted to living under the sand we stand on when we go to the beach. This lesson also incorporates chemistry to discover hidden species.
55+ Community Program
55+ Communities and active adults now have access to some of our engaging and enriching activities, because learning isn't just for kids. We will deliver these activities directly to yo! Each activity will be 1.5 hours long and features both an interactive activity and a Q&A session with our Marine Conservation Biologist and Director of Education. Cost is $20/person to attend these programs.
A listing of our 2025 activities to choose from are:
A Little Crab on a Big Decline - The blue crab is part of a large fishing industry in NC, and as fishermen, participants learn how to manage the fishery during times of natural disasters and human harvesting seasons. (non-allergy food component)
Anatomy of a Beach - Participants have the opportunity to model a barrier island system and demonstrate how storms can affect our coastline. They will determine the best ways to prevent erosion and save valuable wildlife habitat as our coastal storms increase in frequency and intensity. (water component)
Animal S.O.S. - Let's role play as wildlife rescuers in this interactive activity, where participants work together in rescue teams to learn what care injured and sick marine species need. They will learn what skills are needed to volunteer with facilities such as the aquarium, Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hospital, and state parks.
Baleen In-Between - Different whales feed in different ways and this fun game demonstrates those feeding mechanisms. Participants will understand what happens to both baleen and toothed whales when humans begin to interact with their food supplies. (water component)
Incredible Journey - Learn where water travels and in what form it takes through this interactive game, where participants act as water droplets moving through the water cycle to see how all life is connected. They will see what types of and how quickly pollution can infiltrate the water cycle and everything that needs water to survive.
It's Getting Hot in Here - Global temperatures are rising and that has long-term effects on gender ratios of sea turtle species. In this experiment, participants excavate sea turtle nests to describe these ratio changes as temperatures continue to rise.
Sea Level is On the Rise *(Limited to max 25 participants)* - Sea level is rising along our coast, due to melting ice, and our native terrapin turtle is having difficulty finding proper nesting sites in the marsh. Participants explore salt marsh ecology, nesting area flooding, and reduced food sources. (water component)
Sea Turtle Salvation - Sea turtles can become injured or sick due to human interactions, and as wildlife rehabilitators, participants learn how to diagnose and properly care for these injuries or diseases.
Turtles, Turtles, Everywhere - Three different turtle species, three distinct coastal habitats. Participants discover who lives where through a series of clues based on predators, prey, and nest locations.
Web of Life - All life is connected by the foods we consume and we explore different ecosystems down to the microscopic food source through this "pass the ball" game. Participants will also explore what happens when humans take too much from the ecosystem.
