After-School Science & Sailing

After-School Science & Sailing –Middle School

Long Island Sound offers an exceptional environment to learn how to sail, develop navigational skills and study a wide range of marine life and habitats, as well as human impact on the environment. The SoundWaters After-school Science and Sailing program offers middle school students the unique opportunity to go sailing at the end of the school day. Through sailing we foster stewardship of Long Island Sound as well as camaraderie among peers. We offer high quality sailing instruction with US Sailing certified instructors for all levels of experience. From novice to seasoned sailor SoundWaters will help students further their sailing skills.

The program meets twice a week for 3 hours a day after school for 10 sessions. Transportation from school to SoundWaters is provided. Parents are responsible for pickup at Cove Island Park.

Spring 2020 Sailing Groups:

Group 1: Dolan, Cloonan, Rippowan

Group 2: Rogers, Scofield, Turn of River

All participants must be in grades 6-8 at one of the above schools and must be comfortable in the water wearing a life jacket.

$45 registration fee

Group 1:Dolan, Cloonan, Rippowam

Mondays and Wednesdays

Program Dates:

April 13, 2020
April 15, 2020
April 20, 2020
April 22, 2020
April 27, 2020
May 4, 2020
May 6, 2020
May 11, 2020
May 13, 2020
May 18, 2020
May 20, 2020
June 1, 2020

Group 2: Rogers, Scofield, Turn of River

Tuesdays and Thursdays

Program Dates:

April 14, 2020
April 16, 2020
April 21, 2020
April 23, 2020
April 28, 2020
April 30, 2020
May 5, 2020
May 7, 2020
May 12, 2020
May 14, 2020
May 19, 2020
May 21, 2020

Activities

Boat Anatomy
Students will learn the name and function of boat parts as they practice rigging and sailing on Holly Pond. Sailors will be able to rig their boats to sail efficiently based on the wind conditions of the day. What do sailboats and airplanes have in common? Learning is reinforced through fun team games and challenges.

Navigating a boat
Sailors have been using their engineering skills for hundreds of years to help them navigate the world; now it’s your turn! Use real charts, compasses, and simple tools, to discover our location and track our speed and progress through the Long Island Sound on an afternoon trip aboard our 80-foot Schooner. Learn how to read the “road signs” in our harbors and the importance of different navigational buoys.

Sail Handling
Learn how to make your boat go, stop, and even sail backwards by controlling the sails. Beginner sailors will gain the necessary skills to conquer any wind conditions through proper sail control. Sailors will learn to steer the boat using a rudder and how the direction of the boat and wind affects the sails. These skills are reinforced by playing games like sailing basketball and sponge tag. Sailing students will also learn the importance of body positioning on boats and the effect it can have on the way their boat moves through the water.

Points of Sail
Learning the points of sail enables students to sail confidently in any direction. Learn how to zig-zag tack upwind, gybe, and ultimately circumnavigate Holly Pond. Students will play games on land to practice each point of sail and then head out on boats to do sailing courses and play follow the leader

Reading the Weather & Harnessing the Wind
Use the power of observation to discern wind direction and speed by utilizing landmarks such as flags, reading the water for changes in wind speed, and being able to simply feel the wind direction. Learn firsthand to read the tide and current and predict how it will affect the way your boat is sailing

Animal Adaptations
Long Island Sound is teeming with life! Through sailing students will encounter a wide variety of marine life and learn the role that different species have in our environment. Students will have the chance to catch some of the unique species that live in Holly Pond through the use of nets. Learn about what makes the creatures we find uniquely suited to their habitats, and get an up close and personal encounter with each species. See firsthand the impacts that humans have on their environment and learn what coastal communities can do to mitigate impact

NGSS Alignment

Science & Sailing is:

Creative and STEM oriented: complements academic learning, outdoor exploration and the natural beauty of the Long Island Sound watershed;
Investigative and project oriented: focusing on observation, interpretation of science through art and various media;
Aligned with NGSS Components: supporting and amplifying specific grade content and directly fits in the classroom instructional sequence.
- Practice 1 Asking Questions and Defining Problems,
- Practice 3 Planning and Carrying Out Investigations,
- Practice 6 Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions
- Practice 8 Obtaining, Evaluating and Communicating Information
- Math: MP1, MP2, MP5, MP6, Science: SP1, SP3, SP4, SP6, SP2, SP5, SP8, ELA: EP1, EP3, EP4.

Sample Schedule

Pricing

Science and Sailing is open to middle school students during the academic year.

The cost to register your student is $45.

The total program cost for a 10 week session, after school from 2:30pm -5:30pm for 20 students costs $10,000. This is under $20 per student contact hour and includes 2 certified sailing instructors, all gear, boats, lab materials, live animals and a final on the water sailing showcase for family and friends at the SoundWaters Coastal Education Center.

For more information or to schedule a program please contact education@soundwaters.org.

Next Steps