Eighth grade students Kayaking on October 8, 2015

Eighth grade students from Ms' Storey's class and Mr. Veloz's class are doing a Pacific mole crab (sand crab) monitoring project at Hollywood Beach.

Students dig core samples at various intervals,and then place the sand in the bag.  After rinsing the sand from the bag, any remaining Pacific mole crabs are counted, measured, recorded and then returned to the sea.  

Marine Science in the 8th grade classroom

In Mr. Quien's eighth grade science class, students are modeling how temperature differences can cause ocean currents.  The colder blue colored water is moving across the bottom tube towards the warmer, red colored water, while the red colored water moves in the opposite direction completing a convection loop.

In this model, the blue colored water has salt added to it, and its higher density causes it to push across the bottom tube towards the less dense red, fresh water.  Students observe that not only temperature differences drive ocean currents, but differences in salinity also drive the ocean currents.

Marine Science in the 6th grade classrooms

Sixth grade students in Mr Conant's class are studying ocean current models using Ocean Science Sequence, a Lawrence Hall of Science curriculum .  The red colored salty water flows to the bottom of the tank.

The warmer, yellow colored water flows towards the top of the tank.  Students study the oceanographic mechanisms that cause ocean currents

Sand Crab Monitoring on our October 1 trip to the Channel Islands Boating Center

Marine Science and Kayak Adventure at the Channel Islands Boating Center in Oxnard, California

Students are learning how to get in and out of a kayak, 

as well as how to paddle and turn.

Students wear personal flotation devices 

at all times while on the water.

Our principal, Dr. Joyce came down to check out the activity.

Try to stay off the rocks! OK?

A bat star was observed by the kayakers.

Sandy beach monitoring of the mole crab.

Students collect, measure and count Pacific mole crabs at Hollywood Beach.

Pacific mole crabs are one of the most important herbivores on the beach, and they are a vital link in the sandy beach food web. They are prey for birds, mammals, and fishes, including endangered species such as the western snowy plover.

Where Everybody Belongs

WEB orientation was great success.  New R.J. Frank Academy 6th grade students participated in  the Where Everybody Belongs orientation day on Friday, June 14th.  Special thanks to all 65 of our 8th grade mentors and WEB leaders.  Als thank you to our WEB coordinators Josh Goldstein, Crystal Regan, Mark Urwick, Christine Simonson, Amber Perguson, Angelica Fuentes and Doug DuBois.

Anticipation sets in as our new 6th grade students arrive and wait outside the gymnasium.

A brief message from Principal Dr. Liam Joyce before the activities begin.

Our WEB leaders are in their blue shirts as they sit with the 6th graders.

Mr. Goldstein is leading a whole group activity.

WEB leaders are running small group activities designed to teach the incoming 6th graders to be confident, and learn strategies for success at a new school.

NOAA Deep Sea T-Shirt Art Contest

I want to give recognition to some Frank artists. NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) is doing deep sea research off the Channel Islands.  They recently had a t-shirt design contest to promote interest in this ocean science research, and many R.J. Frank students from Ms. Byrnes and Ms. Hernandez’s class entered the contest by submitting original artwork.  There were so many great designs that the scientists involved in choosing the winner decided to choose nine designs and create a montage of the art with nine winners. Three of the artists are Frank students.  Besides recognition they will win a NOAA deep sea t-shirt.

The t-shirt contest winners are all from Katherine Burns art class, and they are

• Francisco Rosales (rockfish)
• Ruby Lemus Basket Star (basket star)
• Gustavo Perez (angler fish)

The t-shirts arrived over summer vacation and they will be given to Francisco, Ruby and Gustavo.

World Ocean Day is June 8