Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary
Gray’s Reef is part of the National Marine Sanctuary Program which serves as the trustee for a system of 14 marine protected areas encompassing more than 150,000 square miles of ocean and Great Lakes waters. The system includes 13 national marine sanctuaries and the Northwestern Hawaiian Island Marine National Monument. The sanctuary program is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary, designated in January 1981, is one of the largest near shore live-bottom reefs in the southeastern United States. The sanctuary is located 17.5 nautical miles off Sapelo Island, GA.
Through Sanctuary educational and interpretive programs, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration seeks to broaden public awareness and understanding of the marine resources at Gray's Reef. Direct access to the reef itself requires experience in open-ocean diving, thus limiting the opportunity for a firsthand encounter with the Sanctuary environment. For this reason, the educational programs focus on land-based interpretive themes and exhibits.
To support teachers locally and throughout the state and those not able to bring students to the coast, Gray's Reef has developed several different educational programs. The modules help teachers instruct their students about endangered species in their own backyards, motivates students to investigate fresh water and ocean ecosystems and reveals the fascinating secrets of the northern right whale. These modules include a teacher's guide with work sheets for copying, complete activity video tape as well. The activities have all been classroom tested and deemed educational and fun by participating students. The modules are targeted for different grade levels and are free for the asking.
Gray’s Reef NMS also provides teacher training opportunities. Partnering with other NMS programs as well as in-state programs like the Georgia Aquarium, Gray’s Reef offers a variety of field based workshops that highlight the unique landscape of the nation’s coastlines.
In addition to the distant learning programs and the educational modules, Gray's Reef provides the opportunity for local area high school students to participate in the Student Ocean Council program.
Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary
Through Sanctuary educational and interpretive programs, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration seeks to broaden public awareness and understanding of the marine resources at Gray's Reef. Direct access to the reef itself requires experience in open-ocean diving, thus limiting the opportunity for a firsthand encounter with the Sanctuary environment. For this reason, the educational programs focus on land-based interpretive themes and exhibits.
To support teachers locally and throughout the state and those not able to bring students to the coast, Gray's Reef has developed several different educational programs. The modules help teachers instruct their students about endangered species in their own backyards, motivates students to investigate fresh water and ocean ecosystems and reveals the fascinating secrets of the northern right whale. These modules include a teacher's guide with work sheets for copying, complete activity video tape as well. The activities have all been classroom tested and deemed educational and fun by participating students. The modules are targeted for different grade levels and are free for the asking.
Gray’s Reef NMS also provides teacher training opportunities. Partnering with other NMS programs as well as in-state programs like the Georgia Aquarium, Gray’s Reef offers a variety of field based workshops that highlight the unique landscape of the nation’s coastlines.