2 Rockin’ Real-World STEM Videos

Most days, Kelly Moore puts on 100 pounds of scuba gear and swims in the chilly Pacific Ocean for hours. She’s an underwater park ranger at Channel Islands National Park in California, and it’s her job to monitor the kelp forests and ocean life that live in them.

Last summer, I had the unique opportunity to meet Moore and see what she does on the job. Wearing a thick wetsuit, I swam by numerous fish, spiny lobsters, and even a California sea lion.

It was a once-in-a lifetime experience. And I couldn’t wait share it with DynaMath readers.

Seeing STEM careers in action is one of the best motivators for a young learner. But not all students have the ability to connect with real people on the job.

That’s where DynaMath comes in. It’s our mission to make STEM subjects accessible to students of all backgrounds. Each month, our Cool STEM Jobs feature and hands-on activity shows how classroom inquiry-based learning applies to real-life careers.

Being in a kelp forest is like being nowhere else on the planet. Giant kelp supports everything from the tiniest microorganisms to giant blue whales.

Kelp is one strong substance. To give students a better idea of how strong kelp leaves are, we created a hands-on STEM activity that tests tensile strength.

Students compare the strength of two different lettuce leaves by attaching a cup to the leaves and filling pennies inside. The photo above shows all the materials needed for the experiment.

Have an idea of which leaf is stronger? I’ll give you one clue: it’s not the lettuce! Kale is a surprisingly strong substance. Trying the experiment myself showed me it’s quite the super food! 

In addition to her work as a scientist, Moore hosts free virtual field trips for any classroom nationwide so students have a chance to see the kelp forests like she does.

Every other Wednesday, Moore dives with her scuba gear and a microphone. Another diver records her with a waterproof video camera. The video is transmitted live into classrooms. Students can ask questions in real time and Moore answers them.

Our video editor Jill Feyer and myself had a chance to ask Moore our own questions while she was underwater. See below. (And please forgive my hair—I just emerged from the ocean!)

Interested in signing up for this free STEM resource? You can do on the Channel Islands’ website here.