SQUID4KIDS
"From the moment it was out of the box till the very end, students did not want to stop!"
- Rob Yeomans, Newburyport, MA
"It was a fantastic experience. Even kids who normally are not interested in science were engaged and asking questions. The 'ick' factor enhanced the interest and intrigue!"
- Leslie Adler-Ivanbrook, West Marin, CA
"The beak was really interesting, how it looked like a bird's beak. The suckers on the arms and tentacles were really neat. And the inside was really cool. Smelly, but cool."
- Student at the Aquarium of the Pacific
Squids4Kids offers free science education materials based on the huge, mysterious Humboldt squid. This fascinating animal has recently expanded its range into California, though its numbers fluctuate wildly depending on climate, predators, and other factors still unknown.
When Humboldt squid are abundant, we collect them in conjunction with ongoing research or from sport fishermen who donate their excess catch. We then provide these frozen specimens to educators, along with a step-by-step dissection guide, and sometimes even a real live scientist for schools in the Monterey Bay and San Francisco Bay areas. Applicants accept responsibility for shipping costs and complete a survey after their activity. The squid themselves are free of charge (and they are NOT food grade).
However, when Humboldt squid are scarce and the Squids4Kids stock is depleted, we switch our focus to providing electronic resources--modeling our behavior after the highly adaptable animal that inspired this program!
Look at our teaching materials, linked below, for educational videos and short readings about ecology, fisheries, neuroscience, climate, and more.