My classmates and I have been visiting the tidepools at Patrick's Point State Park above Trinadad, CA for four years.  The whole class camps at the campground in the park.  In the morning we go down to the tidepools and look for such sea life as: hermit crabs, sculpins, limpets, sea  aneomes and other intertidal
animals.  Heather, a student of Junction Elementary, said "It was cool seeing that orange chitan squirt juice!"

     As part of our yearly tidepool trip, our class also visits HSU's Marine Lab.  We all go into a little room with microscopes  and look at tiny sea animals. An HSU student then gives a presentation on intertidal animals.  Afterwards we are given the freedom to walk around the room and observe  intertidal animals that are held in saltwater tanks.  Misti, another Junction student, exclaimed "I like witnessing life of the sea creatures!"

     Our class then goes into the main hallway that is lined with even larger salt water tanks.  They have animals like octopus, big starfish, lots of different kinds of fish, crabs, lobsters, and more.  This field trip is a good experience and I hope the class keeps going. 
 

                                       INTERVIEW/QUOTES

QUESTION: What did you like best about the end of the year field trip?

HP: Seeing dead animals at the research lab.

GP:  Learning about the research lab.

MG:  I liked witnessing the life of the sea creatures.

TH:  Finding little crabs and tidepool animals.

TG:  I liked the HSU guys when they taught us stuff.

PT:  I liked learning about the starfish.

CC:  Learning about all the different kinds of starfish we found.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THE MARINE LAB?

8 people said the FEEL TANK
1 person said the LOOK TANK
1 person said the RESEARCH LAB

DO YOU PREFER GOING TO THE MARINE LAB OR THE TIDEPOOLS?

3 people liked the research lab best.
7 liked the tidepools best.

                                                               STARFISH 
                                                           by Chelsea Gayle                                         

     Starfish are really interesting creatures.  You can find a starfish on rocky shores where there are mussels and seaweed.  The starfishes hide in the seaweed because it protects them from the sea gulls and sun.  Most species of starfish have 6 arms, but one species has up to 50 arms!! 
     Most starfish live beyond the low tide zone.  They eat clams, oysters and other shellfish.  When a starfish is torn into two parts, each part usua

lly grows into another whole starfish.  Some starfish reproduce by pulling themselves apart.  Half of the starfish's body moves one way, while the other half moves in the other direction.  Starfish usually live 3 to 5 years.