Home » Education » School Programs » Outreach

Our outreach program brings the ocean to you.

Outreach Programs

Download the PDF brochure

Outreach to your school
The Aquarium Express Van can travel to your school bringing with it the wonders of the ocean, earth and amosphere. Students will experience a variety of hand-on programs, all in the comfort of their own classrooms. Scroll through class descriptions below (organized by grade level).

Fees per one-hour program, 40 students maximum:
September through February   $190 per program
March through August   $220 per program
Receive a $10 discount on each multiple program booked at the same location on the same day (maximum of four programs per day).

Outreach to the beach
For those seeking an outdoor hands-on learning experience, sign up for a Beach Teach  program held at the La Jolla State Marine Conservation Area (La Jolla Shores beach and Kellogg Park). Students and chaperones will explore the sandy or the rocky shore while learning about the amazing creatures that make these habitats their home and how we can help keep them healthy. Scroll through class descriptions below (organized by grade level).

Fees for two-hour program for grades 1 to 12
September through February $8.50 per student
March to June   $10.25 per student

GRADE PRE-K

Discovery Labs

NOTE: Meet and Greet the Sea and Sea Stories are 30-minutes, and booked as double programs within an hour's schedule.

Meet and Greet the Sea
The wonders of the sea will splash into the classroom as students learn how different sea creatures move and survive in the ocean. Preschoolers will meet live animals and use puppets to explore body movements. » Register Online

Sea Stories
Combine literacy and live animals for a fun-filled ocean experience. Popular children's stories come alive with puppets and interactive play. The adventure continues when students interact with live sea animals. » Register Online

GRADES K-1

Discovery Labs

Colossal Kelp
Dive into the wonderful world of kelp and meet the amazing creatures that call this underwater forest home. Students learn about the basic structure of giant kelp and discover how animals are adapted to survive in this habitat through hands-on interaction with live animals and kelp. » Register Online

Fascinating Fish
Starfish? Jellyfish? Catfish? Rockfish? What makes a fish a fish? Through dress-up and hands-on exploration of the Pacific mackerel, students will investigate the unique characteristics of fish and learn how shape, size, and movement help them survive in their ocean habitat. » Register Online

Tide-pool Treasures
Sea urchins, hermit crabs, snails, and sea stars are just a few of the creatures that call the tide pool home. Through the use of puppets and live animals, students will explore the world of tide pools and learn how these creatures find food, protect themselves, and move about in their ever-changing tide-pool habitat. » Register Online

Beach Teaches (1st grade only)

Explore La Jolla Shores beach in this fun, hands on field science program. Each program is customized based on tide and weather conditions and student grade level. Please call 858-534-7336 for available dates. » Register Online

Choose from:
Beach Investigation (subject to tides)
Using clues found right under their toes, students will learn about the life surrounding the sandy beach. Participants will dig in the sand to understand how animals use their adaptations to survive in this changing environment. They also will learn about the local kelp forest and its residents. » Register Online

Tidepooling (subject to tides)
Life in the tide pools is no day at the beach! Students will learn about life on the rocky shore and the special adaptations needed to survive in this harsh environment. They'll also take a sneak peek at how animals move, camouflage, find food, and hold on in the tide pools. » Register Online

GRADES 2-3

Discovery Labs

Fish Diversity
Forked tails, rounded tails, pointed tails, and more! Through hands-on investigations, students will learn about the diversity of fish teeth, fins, and coloration and how different adaptations help them survive in the sea. » Register Online

Sandy Shores
Ever wonder why sand is pink, black, or even green? Learn where sand comes from, what happens once it gets to the beach, and which animals make the sand their home. Students will examine sand samples from all over the world, observe animals that live in sandy habitats, and investigate how they use their environment to find food and shelter. » Register Online

Creatures of the Kelp
Want to trade your peanut butter sandwich for a hearty helping of kelp? Students will explore the wonders of the kelp forest, discover how animals there have adapted ways of finding food, and learn how humans use kelp in everyday food items. Activities include hands-on experiments and interactions with live animals. » Register Online

Beach Teaches

Explore La Jolla Shores beach in this fun, hands on field science program. Each program is customized based on tide and weather conditions and student grade level. Please call 858-534-7336 for available dates. » Register Online

Choose from:
Beach Investigation (subject to tides)
Using clues found right under their toes, students will learn about the life surrounding the sandy beach. Participants will dig in the sand to understand how animals use their adaptations to survive in this changing environment. They also will learn about the local kelp forest and its residents and explore how sand is made, what it is made of, and how it gets to our beaches. » Register Online

Tidepooling (subject to tides)
Life in the tide pools is no day at the beach! Students will learn about life on the rocky shore and the special adaptations needed to survive in this harsh environment. They'll also take a sneak peek at how animals move, camouflage, find food, and hold on in the tide pools. » Register Online

GRADES 4-6

Discovery Labs

All About Fish
Discover fish inside and out! Students will explore the important role dissection plays in scientific investigation. Through external examination and internal dissection of Pacific mackerel, students will determine which adaptations allow fish to survive in their marine environments. » Register Online

Fish Diversity
Fins, gills, and scales, oh my! Become a fish adaptation expert as students learn how fish have diversified into various habitats throughout the ocean. An external investigation of fish shape, color, and unique characteristics will provide the clues to identify where fish live and how they survive. » Register Online

Kelp 101
Discover the largest and fastest growing algae in the sea - giant kelp - as well as its importance to marine organisms and humans. Students will explore how organisms in the kelp forest community depend on one another, experiment with kelp products, and investigate common food and household products containing kelp. » Register Online

Earth Rocks!
And it rolls! Through a combination of hands-on activities and cutting-edge technology, students will explore the nature of earthquakes, how scientists pinpoint an earthquake's epicenter, and how engineers design earthquake-proof structures. » Register Online

Inside Molluscs
What do squid, mussels, and snails have in common? They're all molluscs! Through scientific observations and squid dissection, students discover the special characteristics of the phylum Mollusca, as well as the adaptations that squid use to eat, move, and protect themselves from predators. » Register Online

Beach Teaches

Explore La Jolla Shores beach in this fun, hands on field science program. Each program is customized based on tide and weather conditions and student grade level. Please call 858-534-7336 for available dates. » Register Online

Choose from:
Beach Investigation (subject to tides)
Using clues found right under their toes, students will learn about the life surrounding the sandy beach. Participants will dig in the sand to understand how animals use their adaptations to survive in this changing environment. They also will learn about the local kelp forest and its residents and explore how sand is made, what it is made of, and how it gets to our beaches. » Register Online

Tidepooling (subject to tides)
Life in the tide pools is no day at the beach! Students will learn about life on the rocky shore and the special adaptations needed to survive in this harsh environment. They'll also take a sneak peek at how animals move, camouflage, find food, and hold on in the tide pools. » Register Online

GRADES 7-12

Discovery Labs

Fish Lab
From the outside in, students will examine how fish are adapted to their marine environments. Dissection of a Pacific mackerel will provide in-depth investigation into the unique anatomy of fish. » Register Online

Squid Dissection
Investigate the wild world of cephalopods by performing a squid dissection. Students will explore how squid move, eat, and protect themselves as well as practice important dissection skills. » Register Online

Beach Teaches

Explore La Jolla Shores beach in this fun, hands on field science program. Each program is customized based on tide and weather conditions and student grade level. Please call 858-534-7336 for available dates. » Register Online

Choose from:
Beach Investigation (subject to tides)
Using clues found right under their toes, students will learn about the life surrounding the sandy beach. Participants will dig in the sand to understand how animals use their adaptations to survive in this changing environment. They also will learn about the local kelp forest and its residents and explore how sand is made, what it is made of, and how it gets to our beaches. » Register Online

Tidepooling (subject to tides)
Life in the tide pools is no day at the beach! Students will learn about life on the rocky shore and the special adaptations needed to survive in this harsh environment. They'll also take a sneak peek at how animals move, camouflage, find food, and hold on in the tide pools. » Register Online