Students in the Distance Learning Marine Science class at Greater Amsterdam School District recently took part in a series of hands-on dissection labs that gave them an up-close look at marine life while learning in a remote classroom setting.
Throughout the third quarter, students examined a variety of marine organisms as part of the course, including sea cucumbers, sea urchins, sea stars, crabs, crayfish, squid, clams, perch and a dogfish shark. The lessons were paired with virtual field trips through Mote Marine Laboratory, helping students connect classroom learning with real-world marine science experiences.
The class was led collaboratively by Granville Central School District teacher Jamie Bunker and Amsterdam High School teacher Deanna Palczak. During each lesson, students followed live demonstrations while conducting dissections with their own specimens in the classroom.
District officials said the experience highlighted how distance learning can expand educational opportunities for students while still providing hands-on instruction.
“Programs like this show students that learning can extend far beyond the walls of a traditional classroom,” said Superintendent Richard Ruberti. “Through distance learning and hands-on science experiences, our students are gaining valuable opportunities to explore career pathways and collaborate with others in meaningful ways.”
Students also connected virtually with other participating schools during lessons, creating a shared learning environment where students from different locations could take part in the same scientific activities at the same time.
The Marine Science course is part of Amsterdam High School’s Distance Learning Program, which provides students access to expanded coursework and collaborative educational experiences through technology.