syllabus Catalan Coast

Curriculum Title: Discovering the ecosystems of the Catalan coast
Target Audience: 12–16-year-old students 
Duration: 4 Lessons (each 45–60 minutes) 
• 15–20 minutes e-learning content + online assessment 
• 30–45 minutes optional classroom/offline activity (Lessons 1–3) 
• 30–45 minutes BIIGLE Party Image Tagging Challenge (Lesson 4) 
Cooperating Marine Researcher: Marco Francescangeli
Location: ICM - Institut de Ciències del Mar (Barcelona)

Exploring the Catalan Coast is an engaging, interactive course designed for students aged 12-16 to dive into the wonders of the Catalan coastal ecosystems.

Through a mix of e-learning, hands-on activities and real-world marine science tools, students will uncover the beauty of local habitats, the impacts of human activity, and the role of technology in marine conservation.

The course culminates in an exciting "BIIGLE Party," where students actively contribute to real scientific research.

Foster curiosity, critical thinking and environmental awareness in your classroom with Deep Discovery!

Lesson 1

• Describing main aspects of the catalan coastal ecosystems

• Locate the catalan sea.

• Identify its coastal ecosystems: coral reefs, coastal dunes, estuaries, Posidonia MEADOWS.

• Discover the role of artificial reefs and their relationship with fish communities.

Lesson 2

• Impacts due to human activity and climate change

• Describe the impacts of human activity on coastal ecosystems: trawling, overfishing.

• Describe the impacts due to climate change: seawater temperature.

• Understand the consequences of these impacts on marine life.

Lesson 3

• Studying fish communities using OBSEA

• Explain how scientists study and monitor human impacts on such ecosystems.

• Be familiar with the OBSEA facility.

• Appreciate the diversity of the local fish community and most common species.

Lesson 4

• How to use BIIGLE

• Recognize the target species.

• Understand the Rewards score: Quality vs. quantity.

Each e-learning module will end with an online assessment, which may include multiple-choice questions, true/false statements, fill-in-the-blank tasks, or other formats.

Lesson 1: Describing the main aspects of the catalan coastal ecosystems

• Overview of the Catalan coast.

• Brief description of ecosystems on the catalan coast.

• Explain the importance of studying fish communities

• Explain the importance of Artificial Reefs: purpose and characteristics

Lesson 2: Impacts due to human activity and climate change

• Description of the trawling fishing method and its impact.

• Identify the main causes and effects of overfishing.

• Identify the causes and effects of climate change on the Catalan sea.

Lesson 3: Studying fish communities using using OBSEA

• Description of the different methodologies used to monitor coastal marine ecosystems.

• Description of the OBSEA underwater observatory platform equipment and structure.

• Description of the fish community studied at the OBSEA identifying its most common species.

• Explain the importance of students’ contribution to marine science research through the Deep Discovery project.

Lesson 4: BIIGLE Party – How to Tag Animals Like a Scientist

• How to identify target species

• Finding out what makes a good, scientifically valid use of BIIGLE

Lesson 1 

• Reading & Discussion: press article about overfishing

• Class Debate: Consider the effects of trawling — should it be banned or limited?

• Habitat Mapping Challenge: draw and label the locations of key marine habitats.

• Video & Reflection: Watch a video on creating and installing artificial reefs

Lesson 2

• Session Chronicle: Each group writes a short summary of the lesson

• Class Debate / Matching Exercise: Discuss additional threats to marine ecosystems.

• Ask Your Elders Interview: Interview older family members about past experiences at the coast

• Acidification in a Cup Experiment: Carry out a simple experiment to observe acidification

Lesson 3

• Live Camera Observation: Connect to OBSEA’s live underwater cameras.

• Data Analysis: Examine real OBSEA graphs on fish abundance and water temperature.

• Case Study Analysis: Review real marine conservation projects that use BIIGLE

Lesson 4 

• BIIGLE Challenge: species tagging competition 

• Group discussion on species recognition strategies 

Students reflect on what they have learned and consider actions to protect deep‑sea ecosystems. 

• Reflection prompt: 'What surprised you most about life in the deep ocean?' 

• Discussion: “What would happen if we didn’t protect coastal habitats?”

• Call to action: How can we reduce human-made impacts and support conservation? “What do I/ my family/ my community do that might be harmful to the sea?”

• Creative Project: Design an awareness campaign

• Short Written Reflection: “What would happen if we didn’t protect coastal habitats? What can I do to help the ocean?”

• Stakeholder Interviews: Speak with ocean scientists, technicians, members of the Fishermen’s Guild, or other relevant experts.

• Posidonia Workshop: Attend a workshop on Posidonia oceanica (e.g., CEM Sitges, Associació Anèl·lides, CREAC Calafell, or other local stakeholders).

●      Extra Resources:

•       https://posidonia.obsea.es/

•       https://slagreef.obsea.es/

• Formative quizzes (e-learning platform) 
• Participation in class activities and discussions 
• Reflective writing and creative projects 
• BIIGLE tagging accuracy and engagement 

The course is designed to be inclusive and accessible: 
• Subtitled videos and text transcripts available 
• Visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning pathways 
• Flexible assessment options: oral, visual, or written 
• Adaptive tech support for students with mobility or processing needs