La Serna High School freshman biology students took their first steps as marine biologists, with a deep dive through the San Pedro Channel and observing the Pacific Ocean ecosystem, through a unique, immersive multimedia experience brought to campus by the Natural History Museum’s (NHM) “An Ocean Experience” Mobile Museum program.
Inside the mobile museum, meticulously transformed into the submersible DSV Sea Nettle to simulate a deep-sea expedition, students received a closer look at underwater species, including squids, sea turtles, sharks, shellfish, and myriad other obscure yet vital organisms that live in the ocean.
Led by NHM educator Augie VanDeVeer, who posed as captain of the DSV Sea Nettle, the submersible set off in search of an “anomaly” – in this case, a blue whale carcass lying at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean – and discussed its ecological impact and the efficient way that ocean species use organic biodegradation to keep its ecosystem thriving and robust.
The program was brought to La Serna by biology teacher Yvonne Medina, who first saw a virtual demonstration of the museum in 2021. Although the NHM Mobile Museum is used exclusively throughout Los Angeles Unified, Medina applied for and received a grant to bring the program to Whittier Union on a pilot basis.
“By exploring Southern California’s marine biodiversity, we hope to inspire students to engage in authentic scientific inquiry, appreciate the significance of museum collections, and consider future careers in marine science,” Medina said. “Students really enjoy these types of hands-on activities. It stimulates their interest in science and encourages collaboration.”
The NHM Mobile Museum staged 12 virtual deep-sea dives over two weeks for La Serna College Prep and Honors freshmen biology students. Medina hopes to expand the experience to all freshmen biology students for the 2025-26 school year.
To prepare for the Ocean Experience program, students engaged in fieldwork that simulated the real-world experiences of a marine biologist, asking open-ended questions, and then exploring complex ideas to support their conclusions with evidence.
“The Ocean Experience program challenges students to develop original, open-ended scientific inquiries based on their direct observations,” Medina said.
For La Serna freshman Genevieve Connlee, the virtual tour and classroom lesson were eye-openers.
Connlee said she was fascinated by the diversity of ocean creatures, eager to touch the marine animals held in specimen jars, and wowed by the fact that a baby whale’s ribs are as big as her entire body.
“The mobile museum was a really fun experience,” Connlee said. “I am interested in a career in marine biology, either as a mycologist or a toxicologist. I think learning about the different types of mushrooms and the different types of poisons is cool.”
Also included inside the mobile museum was an “Investigation Station,” which included dozens of specimen jars of ocean species the students were allowed to examine and handle, including the hagfish, a slimy eellike fish that is the only known animal to have a skull but no spine, and can absorb organic matter through its skin and gills.
The NHM Ocean Experience also included a classroom lab section, where students got an introductory lesson on biology research and learned about taxonomy (the study of naming organisms) and the difference between vertebrates and invertebrates.
“The Mobile Museum is an amazing and impressive learning experience. NHM staff are friendly, knowledgeable, and connect well with our students,” La Serna Principal Griselda Castro said. “Thank you to Yvonne Medina for all her hard work in bringing this innovative and exciting program to La Serna. We look forward to seeing it again next year.”
PHOTO CAPTION:
WUHSD_MUSEUM1: La Serna High School freshmen biology students examine ocean species such as squid, sea stars, and sea urchins inside the Natural History Museum’s “An Ocean Experience” mobile museum exhibit. The museum, which simulates a submersible taking a deep-sea dive in the San Pedro Channel, allowed La Serna students to explore the Pacific Ocean and learn about the obscure yet vital organisms that live there.