Summer Marine Science Programs

Summer Marine Science Programs

Big Fish, Little Fish

Ages 2–5 Tuesdays & Thursdays (Pricing options described within below description)

Our Big Fish Little Fish program is a guardian/child program for kids ages 2-5. During the summer there will be a class each week on Tuesday and Thursday. You can enroll in all Tuesday ($285) and/or all Thursday ($285) sessions or drop into individual classes ($55). Please note that not all classes will meet at DBMS.

*The price is based on one adult attending with one child. For classes not involving a boat ride, additional adults can attend at no extra cost. Younger siblings can also attend at no cost, if they don’t plan to participate in the activities. For any activity with a boat ride, additional adults and siblings MUST REGISTER and PAY for a seat due to capacity limits on the boat. Please call the office at 781-934-7555 to add an additional participant for classes with a boat ride.

NEW PROGRAM: Drop-off Marine Science courses for 4-5 year olds!

BRAND NEW this summer: we are excited to offer a three-day drop-off program for participants ages 4-5. There are three weeks of programming with different themes each week, so sign up for one week or all three! Participants must be potty-trained to attend this program.

SURPRISING SEA CREATURES

Ages 4–5 Monday-Wednesday, June 24th-26th, 1:30-3:30 PM $200

We will surprise students with a lesson on a new creature from Duxbury Bay each class! Each day will include a lesson with a live animal, a craft or activity related to the lesson, and story time.

MARINE MAMMAL MANIA

Ages 4–5 Monday-Wednesday, August 12th-14th, 8:00-10:00 AM $200

We will learn about some of the ocean’s most lovable creatures, including whales, dolphins, seals & polar bears. Each day will include a lesson with a live animal, a craft or activity related to the lesson, and story time.

SHARK WEEK

Ages 4–5 Monday-Wednesday, August 19th-21st, 8:00-10:00 AM $200

Join us for our favorite week of the summer and learn about New England’s most notorious summer visitor! Each day will include a lesson with a live animal, a craft or activity related to the lesson, and story time.

Ages 5-7 Monday-Thursday 9:30 AM – 1:30 PM $395
When someone uses the term prehistoric, we typically think of fossils and museums showcasing statues of dinosaurs. However, there are creatures right here in Duxbury Bay that have been around since the time of the dinosaurs, and these creatures look almost identical to the ones found 500 million years ago! Journey back in time with as we learn about mass extinction events, prehistoric sharks, and study some real-life dinosaurs!

Ages 5-7 Monday-Wednesday, Friday 12:30-4:30 PM $395
*No class on Thursday July 4th
Ever wondered who exactly lives in Duxbury Bay? Participants will spend each day learning about different marine creatures in the bay, such as lobsters, horseshoe crabs, oysters, and so much more! Students will learn to set and bait a lobster trap, learn about local aquaculture, and conduct a scavenger hunt on Duxbury Beach. Each day will be an exciting new adventure!

Ages 10-12 Monday-Friday 9:30-1:30 PM $475
Did you know sharks are fish?! Along with learning what Bluefish and Great White Sharks have in common, participants will get plenty of hands-on experience on the water. Participants will learn how to set and cast a fishing rod on land before setting out to try and bring home dinner! Participants will also take a skiff ride out to Bug Light to try and spot a seal! Back on land, participants will be able to use our state-of-the-art Marine Science lab to dissect a dogfish shark.
*This program includes a field trip to Chatham for a Shark Receiver Tour.

Ages 8-10 Monday-Friday 12:30-4:30 PM $445
Dust off your pirate hat and embark on an incredible adventure across Duxbury Bay! Our first mates will spend the week learning about navigation, boat building, map making, and of course, hunting for treasure! We will learn about what happens to sunken treasure and artifacts as they sit in a marine environment for long periods of time, and even try to locate a two-hundred-year-old shipwreck in Plymouth Harbor.
*This program includes a field trip to the Whydah Pirate Museum in West Yarmouth.

Ages 10-12 Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-12:30 PM $445
Have an avid scientist that cares about the ocean? Have them spend the week with us as we learn about plastic pollution and ocean acidification! Students will travel to various beaches to conduct water quality testing and learn what factors scientists use to determine what a “healthy ocean” means. The week-long lab will conclude with a trip to Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute where students will be able to talk with local scientists and take a tour of the aquarium.

*This program includes a trip to Woods Hole, MA.

Ages 8-10 Monday-Friday 11:30-3:30 PM $445
Take a deep dive with us as we learn about the creatures found below the sunlight zone. Animals living at such depths must adapt to pitch black, cold water and immense pressure. The result is some strange-looking creatures with amazing adaptations that help them survive such extreme conditions!

*This program includes a field trip to Woods Hole Discovery Center.

Ages 5-7 Monday-Thursday 7:30-11:30 AM $395
*No class on Friday. August 9th

Tides pools, saltmarshes, mud flats, and sandy beaches are just some of the incredible local ecosystems that your kids will spend the week exploring! Whether they arrive by boat or van, participants will be able to dig their hands in and learn how each habitat differs and why we find such unique animals in each habitat.

Ages 8-10 Monday-Friday 11:30-3:30 PM $405
Get ready to roll up your sleeves and dive into hands-on activities designed to engage 8-10 year olds! The program will be a combination of indoor learning and outdoor exploration. Participants will get the opportunity to think critically and learn real-life engineering principals. This week will foster your child’s creativity while showing them that leaning can be fun! We will do a number of activities and experiments throughout the week, but the focus will be on building boats for our first “Recycle Regatta”!

Ages 5-7 Monday-Thursday 12:30-4:30 PM $395
*No class on Friday. August 23rd

Join us for our favorite week of the summer and come learn about New England’s most notorious summer visitor! Sharks might get a bad rep, but they are one of the oldest and most misunderstood creatures on planet Earth. During the week, participants will go on a boat ride to Bug Light to look for seals, hunt for shark teeth on Duxbury Beach, and participate in hands-on activities such as learning how sharks float, how big they are, and how good their sense of smell is! The week will be filled with crafts, games, and loads of fun. Participants will go home shark experts!

Catch ’em Fishing!

Ages 10+, Schedule coming soon.
Captain Tony is back for another awesome summer on Duxbury Bay! This isn’t classroom stuff, this is hands on meet up and go. Prepare for 3 days of fishing where you will go angling for the blues. If they aren’t keepers, you’ll go trapping for lobsters and digging for quahogs. Learn knot tying, bait and tackle tactics, cleaning and filleting the catch.