Grade Level
All
minutes
15 min - 1 hr
subject
Life Science
stem practices
Asking Questions and Defining Problems
Activity Type:
informal education, STEAM, family activities
This June, Science Friday Educate is celebrating National Oceans Month with a variety of exciting activities! There’s lots of ways to participate: explore the murky depths during a livestream with scientists studying the ocean floor, discover new and familiar ocean creatures as part of our Read-a-Thon, connect with members of the Science Friday Book Club as we read Many Things Under a Rock, or host a ink-credible cephalopod-themed educational event.
Live From The Ocean Floor With E/V Nautilus
- When: Tuesday, June 17 at 2:00 pm ET / 11:00 am PT
- Where: Science Friday’s Zoom
- Tickets: Free!
On June 17, join Science Friday, Ocean Exploration Trust, and NOAA for an exciting ship-to-shore interaction with the crew of the Nautilus Exploration Program. This year we’ll be visiting the Mariana Trench Marine National Monument, and exploring the largest mud volcanoes on Earth. Participants will view live footage from the ROV Hercules as it collects samples, gaining a deeper understanding of this intriguing ecosystem and the biodiversity it supports.
Meet the crew of the E/V Nautilus as they explore the deep ocean floor live! You’ll be invited to ask ocean scientists, engineers, and experts questions as you learn more about life onboard the ship and the vital research they do.
The event is free and open to all ages! This interactive educational experience is fun for everyone, but please note that we will prioritize questions from young learners.
Oceans Month Read-A-Thon!
Discover the extraordinary world of octopuses, squid, and all the amazing creatures in the ocean as you read books from your local library, bookstore, or home. We’re challenging you to read twenty minutes a day from June 13-20, 2025. Everyone, regardless of their age, is invited to participate. You can read a book, graphic novel, article, or other written work, or listen to an audiobook. The goal is to learn and share with our oceans-loving community.
Every participant who logs their reading time during the designated week will receive a virtual high-five. Those who meet the reading goal of 140 minutes will get a special set of vinyl stickers. Those who log the most minutes, will get a special mention on SciFri’s social media and in the Educate newsletter. So, let’s have some fun, learn some science, and explore the ocean together this June.
Need reading suggestions? Check out our list of fantastic books about octopuses, squid, and all their ocean friends. Want to talk about what you’re reading? Join the Ocean’s Month Read-a-Thon online community!
What to do to participate:
- Bookmark this page so you can easily find it again.
- Your goal is to read 20 minutes each day between Friday, June 13 and Monday June 20, 2025, for a total of at least 160 minutes over the course of the week.
- Each time you read a book, graphic novel, article, or other written work or listen to an audiobook return to this site and log it.
- You are also welcome to track your time independently and enter the total at the end of the Read-a-Thon, if you prefer. You can use our old-school printable SciFri reading log to help you track your reading.
- Enter your email, name, age, the book’s name, and how many minutes you read (or listened) to your book.
- If you are under 13, please have a caregiver or educator log your progress using their email. If you are under 13, please feel free to use just your first name or a nickname to protect your privacy. Caregivers and educators, you can use the same email address to log the reading of multiple children.
Read Many Things Under a Rock with the SciFri Book Club
This June the SciFri Book Club will read Many Things Under a Rock: The Mysteries of Octopuses by David Scheel. Octopuses live incredible lives in the oceans—shifting colors, outsmarting predators, and engaging with the world in ways that question our ideas about intelligence. Marine biologist David Scheel has spent decades studying these unreachable animals off the coast of Alaska and beyond. In Many Things Under a Rock, he welcomes us into their underwater world. We’ll learn not just about the biology and behaviors of octopuses, like how they hunt, hide, and maybe even dream, but also the cultural and ecological links that affect their lives, such as climate change. Scheel combines scientific discovery with personal reflection to reveal the complexity of one of nature’s most mysterious animals.
Host An Ink-Credible Adventure
Celebrate the coolest animals in the ocean with our free toolkit that’s filled to the brim with ideas for events, STEAM projects to try, books to read, and artwork to help you create ex-ceph-tional activities for your location—wherever that may be. The Ink-Credible STEAM Adventure Guide is a digital kit that makes it easy to plan exciting events for your favorite marine explorers. Mix and match these materials to build the perfect program for your learners!
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Meet the Writer
About Sandy Roberts
Sandy Roberts is Science Friday’s Education Program Manager, where she creates learning resources and experiences to advance STEM equity in all learning environments. Lately, she’s been playing with origami circuits and trying to perfect a gluten-free sourdough recipe.