Year 6 Marine Biology | Embley, Private School Hampshire

Year 6 visited the Senior School for a captivating hands-on Marine Biology lesson with Dr Reed.

With the support of our Marine Biology Club, who have been raising moon jellyfish (Aurelia aurita), Year 6 had the opportunity to witness their remarkable life cycle up close. The children learnt how environmental cues, such as a drop in temperature, can affect the life cycle causing polyps to transform into strobila stacked segments that bud off tiny jellyfish called ephyra. These ephyra grow into adult medusae, the stage most people are familiar with.

The children were able to observe four of the five life cycle stages up close: polyp, strobila, ephyra and medusa. Using magnifying glasses and their own video footage, they identified the distinct characteristics of each stage. This rare hands-on experience sparked the children’s curiosity and deepened their understanding of biology in a memorable way.