top of page
Walter Munk Foundation for the Oceans
Munk-rectangle-MAP-2.PNG

Join us as we take your class on a Virtual Field Trip to THE MAP of the Grand Canyons of La Jolla, the world’s largest LithoMosaic educational plaza, featuring 123 life-sized species found just offshore. Discover how Marine Protected Areas help restore the productivity of the oceans’ marine life, how our local seals and harp seals in the Arctic are adapting to climate changes, how plastic pollution impacts the ocean and all living creatures, which species call our local tidepools home and how we can help preserve them, why whales and sharks are important to the ecosystem and get a diver’s view of the underwater world…or let us know how we can customize a class to meet your needs. Every class is designed to meet grade-level common core standards.

 

Be sure to check out our special offer for Grades 4-6 of a Three-Session Course for the Price of Two Classes!

Link to a video:  THE MAP

MARINE SCIENCE
A Deep Dive into Marine Protected Areas

Grades: ES, MS, HS

Website:

https://www.waltermunkfoundation.org

Contact:
education@waltermunkfoundation.org

​Phone: (218) 340-2585

Photo: Howard Hall

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) exist around the world to protect some of our oceans’ most vulnerable and biodiverse places. San Diego is home to MPAs where marine mammals, tide pool creatures, kelp forests, and marshland animals have a chance to thrive. Join us to learn more about MPAs and how to enjoy these protected areas.

Go back to
Virtual Field Trips Page

A Diver's View of the Underwater World

Grades: ES, MS, HS

Website:

https://www.waltermunkfoundation.org

 

Contact:
education@waltermunkfoundation.org

 

Phone: (218) 340-2585

 

Something transformative happens when a diver dons a mask, snorkel, tank and fins to enter the underwater world of the ocean. This virtually-immersive adventure teaches students about the equipment and skills needed to experience the world beneath the waves as a snorkler or a diver. Basic concepts in the physics and physiology behind diving are explained, as well as steps involved in becoming a citizen scientist or a scientific researcher. New technologies, like rebreathers that allow humans to go deeper and stay down longer than ever before, will be introduced.

Go back to
Virtual Field Trips Page

Hunters of the Kelp Forest ... and Beyond

Grades: ES, MS, HS

Website:

https://www.waltermunkfoundation.org

 

Contact:
education@waltermunkfoundation.org

Phone: (218) 340-2585

Top ocean predators including orcas, sharks, sea lions and sea otters give us important clues to the health of our oceans…if you know where to look. We follow exciting research that studies different predator-prey interactions, exploring how these dynamic exchanges occur in the complex food web. Together we will see how scientists use new computer modeling programs to understand fish populations around the world.

Go back to
Virtual Field Trips Page

Marine Mammals of Southern California
Three-Part Course for the Price of Two!

Grades: ES (Grades 4-6)

Website:

https://www.waltermunkfoundation.org

 

Contact:
education@waltermunkfoundation.org

 

Phone: (218) 340-2585


Funding required: $500

This special three-part course takes students on a deep dive into the lives of our Southern California Marine Mammals! While each stand-alone field trip offered above meets common core standards and offers a wonderful introduction to the topic, this special three-session course provides a more in-depth understanding of our Southern California Marine Mammals. The first class is an introduction to marine mammals, who they are, and how they evolved. Our second class is all about seals and sea lions, our changing ocean climate, and what we can do to help marine mammals survive and thrive in Southern California. Our third class is about mysterious whales! Students will learn about whale migration patterns, how the largest animals on the planet live in all the world’s oceans communicating through complex and beautiful sounds, and how they interact with one another and other cetaceans. Imagine life as a marine mammal through movement exercises, sounds, videos, and stories presented throughout the classes. Asynchronous activities are available for teachers to prepare students for each class and provide follow-up opportunities.  (This three-session course must be completed within a three-week timeframe.)

Go back to
Virtual Field Trips Page

Meet California's Marine Mannals

Grades: ES, MS

Website:

https://www.waltermunkfoundation.org

 

Contact:
education@waltermunkfoundation.org

Phone: (218) 340-2585

Dive into the underwater realm of big, bold, beautiful breath-holders. From sassy sea lions that bark incessantly, to the majestic whales that sing and click as they pass our shores, La Jolla provides the perfect venue for viewing many species of ocean-dwelling mammals brimming with their own individual personalities. Discover how echolocation and acoustic communication are used to help mammals adapt to life in the oceans. Hear the heartwarming story of J.J. the Orphaned Baby Gray Whale’s rescue and her eventual release to the ocean.

Go back to
Virtual Field Trips Page

Sailing a Sea of Synthetic Debris

Grades: MS, HS

Website:

https://www.waltermunkfoundation.org

Contact:
education@waltermunkfoundation.org

​Phone: (218) 340-2585

Photo: National Geographic

Imagine sailing, surfing, swimming, snorkeling, or diving through plastic garbage. As the plastic problem grows in our oceans, so too does the need for our awareness to grow. Students will learn about the plastic gyres in the ocean, the problems plastic causes for marine life, and ways to help stop this problem from growing bigger. Students will be empowered to create solutions that they can do in their own communities.

Go back to
Virtual Field Trips Page

Seals in Shifting Seas

Grades: MS, HS

Website:

https://www.waltermunkfoundation.org

 

Contact: 

education@waltermunkfoundation.org

Phone: (218) 340-2585

How is climate change affecting seals in our kelp forests and their cousins in the Arctic Circle? Discover how local harbor seals use their sandy beach habitats to lounge in the sun, give birth and nurse their young. We discuss why the seas are warming, both here and for ice-loving harp seals in the north, and how this disrupts age-old routine behaviors for many of the seal species. We compare and contrast resulting challenges and surprising adaptations, followed by a discussion about the possible outcomes of climate change on the future of these seals.

Go back to
Virtual Field Trips Page

Squish, Splash, Squirt...Unlocking Intertidal Mysteries

Grades: ES, MS

Website:

https://www.waltermunkfoundation.org

 

Contact:
education@waltermunkfoundation.org

Phone: (218) 340-2585

Investigate our local tidepool universe! Meet the diverse cast of characters, known as marine invertebrates, who live there and explore the challenges they face. Discover how and why they are divided into taxonomic groups. Learn about dynamic intertidal zones to determine the best times and tides to visit local tidepools. Students can participate in a follow-up scavenger hunt featuring creatures found on THE MAP of the Grand Canyons of La Jolla, in-person or on our interactive website.

Go back to
Virtual Field Trips Page

The Value of a Whale

Grades: ES, MS, HS

Website:

https://www.waltermunkfoundation.org

Contact:
education@waltermunkfoundation.org

​Phone: (218) 340-2585

Photo Contribution: Howard Hall

What is a Whale Really Worth? In a complicated world where species stand on the edge of extinction, how do we calculate their value to us? In this field trip students will experience how intertwined our survival is to other living creatures. Systems thinking will be used to see the interconnections among diverse species in the ocean. Students will learn to use science to quantify the value of a whale, which will enable them to speak to community leaders to enact change.

Go back to
Virtual Field Trips Page

Hunters of the Kelp Forest
3-Part Marine Mammals
Diver's View
Value of a Whale
Sea of Debris
Deep Dive Into MAPs
CA Marine Mammals
Seals in Shifting Seas
Squish, Splash, Squirt
bottom of page