Schoolship Programs - Inland Seas Education Association

When you bring your class on board the schooner, your students will gain a unique insight into the basic ecology of the Great Lakes. Students become scientists for the day and assist seasoned volunteer instructors with the collection and analysis of Great Lakes samples, including fish, plankton, and organisms that live along the bottom (benthos). This hands-on field trip experience increases awareness of the Great Lakes and the development of stewards.

Schoolship Program Details

All Schoolship curriculum complements the Michigan Science Standards and can be easily modified for students in grades 4-12.

Length: Next Gen (3.5 hours); Diving Deeper (4 hours); Early Elementary (2.75 hours)
School fee: $825 (Thanks to the generous support of our individual donors and foundations who subsidized the remaining cost.)
Size of group: 32-35 students/adults (Total capacity dependent on selected ship)

Spring Season: May through Mid-June
Summer Season: Late-June through August
Fall Season: September through Mid-October

CLICK ON PROGRAM BELOW TO LEARN MORE

Next Gen Schoolship Program

Best for groups who want a fun and introductory experience with the Great Lakes, plus a student leadership experience since some students become the teacher for part of the program. This program is appropriate for learners in 4th through 8th grade.

Diving Deeper Schoolship Program

Best for high school groups looking for an authentic research experience complete with developing and testing a hypothesis and presenting results to peers. This program is appropriate for learners in 7th grade and higher.

Early Ed Schoolship Program

Best for groups who want a fun and high-energy experience with the Great Lakes, with shorter stations. This program is appropriate for learners between kindergarten and 3rd grade.

Program Locations

Schooner Inland Seas:
All programs aboard schooner Inland Seas are conducted in Suttons Bay at 100 Dame St.

Schooner Alliance and ROV:
All programs aboard schooner Alliance and our ROV engineer and explore programs are held at Discovery Pier (13271 S W Bay Shore Dr, Traverse City, MI 49684)

“As my students go on to become all kinds of professionals—physicians and lawyers and engineers and business people, etc.—they take with them the feeling of how precious the Great Lakes are, and a sense of personal ownership in protecting the Great Lakes.”
Past Teacher Participant

African American girls steering the ship

“I have had two students go on to gain advanced degrees in water-related science areas. One has her master’s degree and works for NPR. The other has his doctorate in environmental toxicology and works for the EPA. Both attribute their work today to the things we did in our high school limno class like sailing!”
Past Teacher Participant