Summer Marine Science

Big Fish, Little Fish

Ages 2–5 Big Fish Little Fish Summer Schedule PDF Version

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 ($270) and/or all Thursday ($270) 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.

Fishing with Captain John

Ages 10+, Schedule varies by week. Click here to see schedules.
This isn’t classroom stuff, this is hands on meet up and go. Prepare for 4 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 fileting. Captain John takes you to where the fish are and makes sure you bring some home for sampling!

Click here to view all Marine Science schedules

Ages 8-10 Monday-Friday 11 AM – 3 PM $425
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 5-7 Monday, Wednesday-Friday 8-12 PM $375
*No class on Tuesday 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 11 AM – 3 PM $450
Invertebrates are the largest and most diverse group of animals in the ocean. They are also the group of animals that we are most likely to see in Duxbury Bay! During the week, participants will get their hands wet as we explore local habitats looking for animals such as sponges, sea squirts, marine worms, crabs, lobsters, and jellyfish; if we are lucky, we might even find some sea stars and sand dollars! Students will then journey to the New England Aquarium to learn about the different types of invertebrates found in the Pacific Northwest, the Amazon Rainforest, and the Indo-Pacific Coral Reef.
*This program includes a field trip to the New England Aquarium by way of the MBTA Hingham Ferry.

Ages 8-10 Monday-Friday 2-6 PM $425
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 create a shark journal, do experiments, and learn more about these magnificent creatures.
*This program includes a field trip to the Shark Museum in Chatham.

Ages 10-12 Monday-Friday 10 AM-2 PM $385
Last summer, our marine scientists worked hard to create an underwater robot. This summer, we are excited to finish the project and put it to use! Explore the world under Duxbury Bay as we learn about how technology has led to advancements in Marine Science. On Monday, the group will discuss problems the ocean is facing. At the end of the first class the group will decide on a project to address one of the major challenges facing the ocean. This will be a hands-on project that the group works together to complete by the end of the week.

Ages 8-10 Monday-Friday 2-6 PM $385
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 kayak, boat, or van, participants will be able to dig their hands in and learn how each habitat differs and how those differences impact the animals that live there.

Ages 5-7 Monday-Thursday 10 AM-2 PM $375
Dive deep into your imagination as we try and determine if some of the world’s wildest aquatic mysteries are fact or fiction?! Help us uncover the mysteries of mermaids, krakens, pirates, Lochness, megalodon, and more!

Ages 8-10 Monday-Friday 2-6 PM $425
Blue whales, the LARGEST animal on Earth are members of a diverse group of species that rely on the ocean for survival. These organisms are referred to as marine mammals and include animals such as seals, whales, manatees, sea otters, and polar bears. Throughout the week students will learn about feeding adaptations used by different species, why some marine mammals migrate, how mammals that live in polar habitats survive, and go on an adventure to the Whaling museum in New Bedford!
*This program includes a field trip to the New Bedford Whaling Museum.

Ages 5-7 Monday-Thursday 2-6 PM $375
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!