OCEAN INSPIRATION
Free days at the zoo:
One big barrier to students entering the story contest might be that they have never seen ocean creatures in real life. Now they can – for free! On certain days, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium is free to City of Tacoma residents with ID. Students and families can see sharks, fish and giant Pacific octopus up close. Visit pdza.org for dates.
Free Third Thursdays at the Foss Waterway Seaport:
Every third Thursday the Foss Waterway Seaport is free from 5-8pm: Marine science, touch tank animals, whale skeletons and more. fosswaterwayseaport.org
FILMMAKING
Free Ocean Fest filmmaking workshop:
When: Sat. Feb. 23, 2019.
What: Storyboarding, narrative, camera techniques, editing and Q&A from pro filmmakers at Waka Waka Studios.
Where: Tacoma Public Library main branch, 1102 S. Tacoma Ave.
Cost: Free, but must register here by Feb. 10
Check out equipment for free:
The Main Branch of Tacoma Public Library has a Digital Media Lab where you can learn about and borrow film equipment. You can check out video cameras, tripods, audio recorders and reserve a computer with movie editing software.
Filmmaking how-to’s:
Five Rules for Writing a Short Film
WRITING POETRY
Learn to write a poem:
Local nonprofit Write253 holds after-school writing groups at Baker, Giaudrone and Jason Lee middle schools. write253.com
Poetry writing for beginners:
https://www.wikihow.com/Write-Poetry-for-Beginners
https://www.poetryfoundation.org
GRAPHING
How to make different kinds of graphs with Excel
How to make an interactive online Tableau graph
Some great ocean graphs (don’t copy – use for inspiration!):
Whale research on orca populations
OCEAN DATA SOURCES
Whale Research Center orca data
NANOOS Network of ocean data sites
OCEAN SCIENCE
Learn about ocean problems like orca decline, plastic, pollution and warming.
NOAA: The facts about the ocean trash problem
Annie Crawley: Inspiring ocean videos, plus the Great Pacific Garbage Patch
UWT finding microplastics everywhere in Puget Sound (scroll to videos, “UW 360”)
Learn about local chemical and oil pollution from Puget Sound Keeper
How climate change is affecting our oceans, from United Nations scientists
The latest on ocean warming from the New York Times
Ocean Pollution and Marine Debris Lesson Plans
And you should enter in other competitions, too!
From the Bow Seat, an international ocean awareness contest with a $1,000 – $1,500 first prize