Middle School: Adventures Under the Sea
MARI-90057
Get ready an around-the-world under sea adventure!
Students will get an introduction to Ocean Science. They will learn about the taxonomy of ocean animals, including the differences between invertebrates and vertebrates. The class will explore the relationships among living things in ocean ecosystems, including food webs and predator-prey relationships. Students will gain an appreciation for the great diversity of life, ecosystems and relationships in the ocean. The class offers an intriguing introduction for students interested in further studies of oceanography or marine biology.
What you'll learn
- Explore Ocean Science to learn what factors affect marine ecosystems.
- Understand that Earth has one big Ocean with many features.
- Get an introduction to the great diversity of life and the many ecosystems in the Ocean.
- Know the differences between marine vertebrates and invertebrates.
- Understand the dynamics of food webs and predator-prey relationships in marine ecosystems.
- Learn about the habitats and ranges of different sea creatures.
Course Information
Course sessions
Section ID:
Class type:
All class meetings held in-person according to published location, dates and times. Students may be expected to engage with course content online during the published course dates.
Textbooks:
All course materials are included unless otherwise stated.
Policies:
- No refunds after: 5/31/2025
- 1st meeting mandatory
- Early enrollment advised
- No UCSD parking permit required
- No visitors permitted
Schedule:
| Date | Day | Start | End | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7/21/2025 | Mon | 1:00 p.m. | 4:00 p.m. | Room 307, UCSD Division of Extended Studies University City Center, 6256 Greenwich Drive, San Diego |
| 7/22/2025 | Tue | 1:00 p.m. | 4:00 p.m. | Room 307, UCSD Division of Extended Studies University City Center, 6256 Greenwich Drive, San Diego |
| 7/23/2025 | Wed | 1:00 p.m. | 4:00 p.m. | Room 307, UCSD Division of Extended Studies University City Center, 6256 Greenwich Drive, San Diego |
| 7/24/2025 | Thu | 1:00 p.m. | 4:00 p.m. | Room 307, UCSD Division of Extended Studies University City Center, 6256 Greenwich Drive, San Diego |
| 7/25/2025 | Fri | 1:00 p.m. | 4:00 p.m. | Room 307, UCSD Division of Extended Studies University City Center, 6256 Greenwich Drive, San Diego |
Instructor:
Jessica Levenson
BS Bio: Ecology, Behavior, Evol - UCSD NA Select Courses in Marine Bio - Mira Costa College
Jessica is currently a research assistant at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, marine science instructor for the San Diego Floating Lab and instructor for SRS Summer Academy.
After graduating from UCSD Sixth College in 2012 with a B.S. degree in Biology with a focus in Ecology, Behavior and Evolution, Jessica began teaching for the San Diego Floating Lab and re-found her love of for the ocean and all its mysteries. Around this time, she assisted in developing curriculum and courses for SRS to continue educating a large range of students (3rd grade through junior college) in basic marine biology/oceanography methods including animal taxonomy and identification, navigating through plankton and mud samples, as well as several physical oceanography modules. In 2018, she was accepted into the Master of Marine and Environmental Science program at the University of the Virgin Islands in St. Thomas, USVI, and moved to the Caribbean. While completing her thesis on Hawksbill sea turtle genetics she worked with NOAA’s Marine Mammal and Turtle Genetics Lab with a goal of publishing her thesis (in prep). Jessica also assisted with many other essential projects including treating and assessing coral disease and restoration throughout the region, fisheries surveys, community outreach/education, spent time working with South American sea lions to assess their hearing and sensitivity to ambient noises, became an AAUS scientific diver and managed the Sea Turtle Club at the university. After graduating, she returned to San Diego with a continually growing passion and curiosity for the ocean. Jessica recently accepted a job at SIO in a coral research lab where she investigates and analyzes coral reefs in the South Pacific with the goal of accurately assessing overall reef health.
