Dr. F working on the floating classroom at the Savin Hill Cove in Dorchester
Dr. F working with students in Zadar, Croatia. She will be working with us in the Kids’ Biomimicry Lab too!
When Dr. F visited our classroom and brought oysters for us to observe. We got to ask her a lot of questions.
Dr. F and some of the scientists she works with talking to students in Croatia
Dr. F came to set up a slice of the cove in our classroom. She brought us oysters and water snails, shown here.
Helping to create our classroom tank for the Kids’ Biomimicry Lab in our dramatic play area.
Our Questions for Dr. F
Why is the seaweed turning white? Why does it have brown stuff on it?
Do you know how to build an oyster cage like Ms. Alicia did?
When do oysters sleep?
How old are some of the oysters? How can you tell?
What is a baby oyster called?
Do you have names for all of your oysters?
If they don’t have names, can we give them names?
Can we set up an oyster garden at the Kids’ Biomimicry Lab?
How can you tell the oysters apart?
Can you bring in lots of oysters so we can each observe our own?
Can we visit the Kids’ Biomimicry Lab?
Why did you want to teach kids and grown ups about oysters?
Where did you get your cool hat?
What inspires you?
Can you show us the drones that keep track of what the oysters are doing?
Can you bring the drone to our school?
Are Dr. Peter and his students coming to the Kids’ Biomimicry Lab when we visit?
What equipment or tools do you use?
Can you visit our classroom Kids’ Biomimicry Lab Dramatic Play area?
How can we adopt our own oysters?
Can you and Dr. Peter come back and visit us?
What do we need to learn in school to be a scientist and do what you do with oysters?
Why are some of the parts of the snail moving?
How do the snails stick to the walls of the tank?
Do we need to worry about the snail getting out of the tank?
What are the little dots that look like they might be snail eggs?
Questions about her trip to Croatia (for Dr. F and Deniz, who works with her)
What are you teaching kids in Croatia?
Do they have an oyster garden in Croatia?
Are they measuring oysters there?
Was it a long plane ride to Croatia?
Did you bring any oysters with you on the plane trip from Boston?
Who are is the other scientist who went with you on the trip?
2014-2015 Kindersteam at the Pauline Agassiz Shaw School 
Thank you for all the questions! I will respond to all of them soon.
I didn’t bring an oyster with me to Croatia as it is not allowed to bring non native species of plants and animals to other countries. Deniz and Rrezarta went with me on this trip and it took us a whole day to come to Zadar: two plane rides and one bus ride. Yes, scientists and students are measuring oysters and other shellfish, we are discussing how to improve conditions in the urban harbors in the Adriatic sea, but the coastal waters are still clean and beautiful here and we are learning and teaching how to protect them.
More when I come and visit you in the classroom.
see you soon
Dr. F.
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