As part of the Middle School Environmental Science curriculum, on December 19th Dr. Arthur Kopelman, SUNY professor and president of  the Coastal Research and Education Society of Long Island (CRESLI), joined our 7th & 8th graders  to present his research on the seals who live in the harbors of Long Island. The presentation serves as preparation for an upcoming research trip that the classes will be taking in the early 2019.

Dr. Kopelman shared photos of the various harbor seals he has observed during his work with CRESLI, explaining that he has observed and tracked more than 180 seals. Of those seals, 80 of them are yet to be named, so he asked our 7^th and 8^th graders to help name them based on their unique markings.

In January and March, the 7th and 8th graders will be joining Dr. Kopelman and CRESLI, at Cupsogue Beach Park to help catalogue local seals. They will observe, count, and discover the unique characteristics of the seals in our area. Students will bring their findings back for discussion during their Environmental Science class, where they have been primarily focusing on oceanic and marine ecosystems with an emphasis on Long Island this semester. The students are excited to experience this marine ecosystem and the lively seals firsthand, providing them a deeper understanding of the natural world and our part in it.