Mike starts the process by showing some of the common species located on the shelf and in the tide pools. Algae are included in the orientation, along with the animals. Then it's time to give the assignment. Students will spend about an hour looking for all the animals they can find. Each group is prepared with plastic vials and buckets so the animals can be kept alive.
People stay near the shore at first, but eventually wander out into deeper water.
When the animals have been collected, everyone gathers while Mike sorts the collection. He then goes through it, naming the species and making sure that everyone knows the proper taxonomic location. In the end, all the animals are properly returned to the ocean. The examples below show a little of the diversity that was found. People did pick up a bit of algae.