Learning Objectives
1. Educate, inspire and stimulate interest in the big blue sea
2. Motivate individuals to change their behaviour and promote local and international action.
3. Have fun and enjoy the process of earning the badge and learning about the ocean and its importance.
Instructions
1. In your group, think about all the recreational activities you can do at the beach. How many can you come up with? Which ones have you already tried and which would you still like to try?
2. Conduct a survey in your area to find out which activities people have done at the beach.
3. Alternatively, go to your local beach and count how many people are taking part in the different activities. What is the most popular activity? Make charts to show your findings.
4. Make sure you record the date of your visit. That way, if you or another member of your group visits the same beach on another day, you can compare your findings. Have the numbers changed? Why do you think that might be?
5. Read the article “How tourism is taking the turtles from Kenya’s blue waters”: www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/dec/12/tourism-turtles- kenya-population.
6. Find out if tourism and recreation are having negative effects on the marine environment in your area. What can be done to help?
7.As a group, put together an action plan to make sure tourism and recreation don’t become a problem at your local beach, or at your favourite seaside destination.
8. Explore other activities in the Ocean Challenge badge and complete as per the requirements in order to earn the badge!
Relevant information if you are facilitating
1. To earn the Ocean Badge, the participant must complete one of the 2 compulsory acticities presented at the beginning of each section, and also do at least one additional activity in each of the sections.
2. As the coding scheme that suggests the age-approriateness of the activities is only indicative, use your experience and judgement to select the most appropriate activities for your group.
3. You can incorporate additional activities that are not listed in the booklet, but which allow you still achieve the educational requirements.
Materials required
- Internet
- Magazines or Newspapers
- Pens and Pencila
- Paper
- Camera
