For most Baldwin County kids, the beach is nothing new.

But even children growing up with the ocean in their backyards have something to learn about sea creatures and ecosystems, said Lisa Allen, director of Sea, Sand and Stars Science and Nature Center in Orange Beach.

After all, a typical day at the beach doesn’t usually include watching a shark dissection, touching stingrays, learning about constellations in a state-of-the art planetarium or holding horseshoe crabs.

At Orange Beach Elementary School, the Sea, Sand and Stars center is integrated into each grade’s curriculum all year long, and students learn and apply the scientific method through hands-on study of subjects like astronomy, botany and native plants, conservation and preservation, marine biology, geology and meteorology. Lessons are all cross-referenced with national and state mathematics, science and technology standards.

In addition to teaching students standard science principles, Allen and her teaching partner Rhonda Brantley also strive to impart knowledge about local ecosystems, coastal Alabama plants and animals and the history and economy of the area.

Hands-on activities are the best way to teach young students the concepts of science and keep them interested, Allen said.

“The root of science is in observation, and in order for children to understand how science works, you have to go to the basics of curiosity and discovery,” she said. “It’s not memorizing vocabulary words—it’s the concepts that are important. That’s how they get that deep appreciation. Those are the things they’re going to remember in their life.”

Sea, Sand and Stars, which first opened in 2007, is also a popular field trip destination for more than 4,000 students a year in Baldwin, Mobile and Escambia counties, as well as schools in Escambia County, Fla. 

Although the center is unique and in high demand, Allen said the goal is to always make Baldwin County students the first priority.

“There are some other programs that have bits and pieces of our program, but we’re one of a kind,” she said. “I think we’re a well-kept secret, and we need to stay that way." 

Allen, who has a degree in marine science and formerly taught high school marine biology, said teaching at Sea, Sand, and Stars is a completely different experience than the classroom setting.

“You get to really dive into an area specifically, and I know that the children here (at Orange Beach Elementary) have gotten into marine science and oceanography,” Allen said. “They are much more observant and discovering things because we are completely hands-on.”

Christie Watson, a fifth grade teacher at Magnolia Elementary in Foley, said taking her students to Sea Sand, and Stars is different from any other field trip.

“They’re always anticipating what’s next,” Watson said. “It’s not like walking through a museum where you can’t touch anything. They’re not just going to sit in a workshop or a conference. They are always excited to see what’s next, and they’re never let down. “

Sea Sand, and Stars is also an affordable field trip option for Baldwin County schools because it is local, Watson said. 

Pam Southern, a third grade teacher at Daphne East Elementary School, said she has tried to get on the list for a field trip for the past three years. She was finally able to get her class on the schedule for the upcoming school year, and she said the long waiting list is an obvious sign of the educational value of the program.

“We’ve heard wonderful things about the program—based on some of the things I’ve seen, it’s really geared for cooperative learning with lots of open ended questions and exploration,” Southern said. “I think the teachers are even more excited about it than the students. We’re thrilled to have the opportunity.”

Southern said although the field trip is only one of 180 days of instruction, it will provide valuable background knowledge that the students can continue to reference throughout the school year.

Allen said she also views her teaching as background knowledge—but she hopes the seeds of knowledge planted in local children’s minds will bloom into a passion for protecting Baldwin County’s ecosystems, resources and wildlife. 

“These are going to be our future leaders in the community,” she said. “The better foundation they have with the native ecosystems, the better they will be able to make wise decisions for the future of Orange Beach.”

Sea, Sand, and Stars Science and Nature Center at Orange Beach Elementary School began as a vision of Principal Steven W. Baker in 2002. It is a joint venture between developers Brett-Robinson, the City of Orange Beach, and the Baldwin County Board of Education.