Acadia National Park welcomes Touch Tank for Kids!

"I learned about the touch tank from my new Chief. I had seen some in
schools and was interested in a small one.

Initially while our building is being rehabbed, the touch tank will live in
temporary classroom space or our public auditorium. We are still working
out the details on that.

We lead tide pool visits and population surveys 2-4 times a week. We will
use the tank before hand to help children learn to identify the creatures
we are studying. We will also use the tank with public programs and
possibly conferences. Our program offerings are growing as the Research
Learning Center comes on-line and grows.

I had my first batch of kids through our residential education program this
week. We will have about 750-800 kids, plus chaperons this year. Of the
small group I had today (12) two of the children had never seen the ocean.
They came from Northern Maine.

We also plan to use the tank for virtual field trips via SKYPE where
classrooms can SKYPE in and ask rangers questions about the park. The SKYPE
program will be a new program for us.

We also intend to use the tank with our artist in residence program. In
the past I had led a few sketching by the sea programs where local folks
join an artist and sketch creatures from the tide pools. A number of the
local folks who came to this activity stated that they never knew so much
lived in a tide pool. A number of our art participants are older and do not
get around on the rocks very well, the tank will allow me to bring the sea
creatures up to those who can not access the intertidal zone safely. I
think it will increase our ability to connect people with the ocean
environment."

Kate Petrie
Acadia National Park