LiMPETS Rocky Intertidal Monitoring Teacher Workshop

LiMPETS (Long-term Monitoring Program and Experiential Training for Students) is a state-wide community science program that monitors the coastal ecosystems of California and helps young people develop a scientific understanding of the ocean. The LiMPETS Network provides hands-on field science experiences at beaches and tidepools, empowering students with a sense of agency and connection to place, which in turn nurtures their ability to be positive advocates for and stewards of their local ecosystems and communities.

Beyond the educational value of the program, the power of LiMPETS lies in the large quantity of data collected at more than 60 sites and over 600 miles of California coastline. Annually, thousands of people collect baseline data that informs marine resource management and the scientific community. By monitoring, teachers, students, and community groups become the eyes and ears for our coastal beaches and rocky shores, collecting evidence of human impact from climate change and coastal development. 

LiMPETS consists of two types of programs:

• Sandy Beach Monitoring (SBM) (open to 6th grade and above) takes students to beaches along the California coast to survey the distribution and abundance of the Pacific mole crab (Emerita analoga), which are among the most abundant species in the sandy beach ecosystem and a critical link in the food web.
• Rocky Intertidal Monitoring (RIM) (open to 9th grade and above) takes students to tide pools to study over two dozen invertebrate and algal species, including ochre sea stars (Pisaster ochraceus) and owl limpets (Lottia gigantea). 

Logistics of the LiMPETS program:

1. Teacher training workshop -  this is required to participate in LiMPETS programs.

• Sandy Beach Monitoring workshop is in September.

• Rocky Intertidal Monitoring workshop is in January/February.

2. Student pre-trip evaluation survey - before any training

3. Student training - approx. 1.5 hours (2 class periods) - led by LiMPETS staff for new teachers, led by teachers for those with LiMPETS experience.

4. Field trip!

5. Data entry back in the classroom - students input their field data into the LiMPETS database.

6. Student post-trip evaluation survey

7. (optional) Research project or Community Action Project based on their field science experience.

8. Teacher survey