MARINE SCIENCE PROGRAMME:
OCEAN LITERACY
The Marine Science and Diving programme incorporates the seven principles as outlined in “OCEAN
LITERACY”. The knowledge required to be considered ocean literate is in accordance with the National
Science Education Standards (NSES) of the United States. The St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School Marine
Science programme has been certified by Associate Professor Michael Williamson from Wheelock
College, Boston as meeting the requirements of “OCEAN LITERACY”. Ocean literacy is an understanding
of the oceans influence on you and your influence on the ocean.
Seven Essential Ocean Principles are:
 The Earth has one big ocean with many features.
 The ocean and life in the ocean shape the features of earth.
 The ocean is a major influence on weather and climate.
 The ocean makes Earth habitable.
 The ocean supports a great diversity of life and ecosystems.
 The ocean and humans are inextricably linked.
 The ocean is largely unexplored.
www.NMSFocean.ORG
The Marine Science and Diving programme includes the following components
 Year 8 camp:
 SSI Snorkelling course.
 Phylum identification.
 Year 9 Marine Science.
 Advanced snorkelling techniques including PADI Underwater Digital Photography Course
Level 1 (snorkelling)
 Oceanographic techniques.
 Marine Biology.
 Maritime Archaeology.
 Oceanography.
 Year 10 Marine Science.
 Marine Biology – cetaceans, pinnipeds, ecosystems and PADI Project Aware.
 Oceanography – physics and chemistry.
 Option – Aquaculture, Research or Underwater technologies.
 Year 11 and 12 Marine and Maritime Studies:
The Marine and Maritime Studies course is designed to facilitate the achievement of three
outcomes:
 Outcome 1: Marine and maritime knowledge
Students gain knowledge of: oceanographic concepts, aspects of marine life and the
relationships between components of the underwater world, maritime engineering
concepts, nautical concepts and Western Australian maritime history.
 Outcome 2: Marine and maritime skills
Students develop: seamanship skills, nautical skills, water–based skills
(swimming/snorkelling/scuba) and scientific investigation and research skills.
 Outcome 3: Marine and maritime application
Students investigate: management of marine resources, aspects of maritime archaeology
and interrelationships within the marine environment.
o Year 11
Unit 2AMMS
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This unit examines types of Western Australian marine ecosystems, ocean currents, marine
protected areas and the state of the marine environment.
Common nautical craft design features are investigated. Maritime history and archaeology are
introduced in this unit and historic sea routes, exploration and mapping of the Western
Australian coastline are studied. Nautical concepts such as trip planning, rules and regulations,
safety equipment, emergency situations and maintenance associated with small boat handling
are examined.
Unit 2BMMS
This unit examines the cycling of matter through the marine ecosystem, the interdependence
of organisms, global ocean currents, global atmospheric circulation and properties of seawater.
Students investigate issues and strategies involved in the management of local Western
Australian fisheries. Maritime history and archaeology understanding is developed further
through the investigation of laws protecting wreck sites, local shipwrecks and the historical
significance of artefacts. Seamanship skills associated with power boating are developed as
well as charting skills.
o Year 12
Unit 3AMMS
This unit examines the importance of plankton and coral communities in the marine
environment. Major resource management issues affecting Australia’s marine environment,
including pollution, water quality and over-fishing, are investigated. Students investigate design
features of specific hulls. Students also investigate methods of locating shipwrecks, formation
and decay processes, excavation and conservation of artefacts. Concepts, including some
scientific principles, behind snorkelling and diving are considered.
Unit 3BMMS
This unit examines the impact of global warming, the process of coastal erosion and coastal
engineering structures. Environmental and resource management is considered, including the
role of governments in the protection of the marine environment. Vessel design is considered
across a range of uses and students further explore the maritime history of Western Australia
through the example of the Batavia shipwreck. Students have the opportunity to develop skills
relating to snorkelling and diving.
Year 11 camp – WHALENET/MICSPIX - Whale identification and population studies.
Marine Science/scuba diving expeditions – habitat surveys, species identification, population
surveys and water quality analysis.
 PADI Project Aware - Coral watch.
 MICSPIX – Manta Rays.
MICSPIX programme - MICSPIX is a database developed by US and Canadian whale researches to
manage the matching and storage of marine animal photo-ID data. As far as we know St Mary's is
the only institution in the world that has such a database online, where outside people have access.
The database has been setup at St Mary's by Associate Professor Michael Williamson from
Wheelock College and founder of WHALENET. The School has been using the programme to match
southern right and humpback whales observed off our southern and south west coasts. Eventually
we hope to establish a large enough database and information for students to determine things
such as;
 Migratory patterns.
 Population sizes and return tenacity etc
The diving programme begins in Year 8 where all year 8 students participate in the SSI (Scuba Schools
International) snorkelling programme. Snorkelling skills are then further developed in the Year 9 marine
Science programme where the girls are introduced to underwater digital photography, night snorkelling
and rescue skills.
The students in Year 10, 11 1nd 12 then can either participate in the extra curricula scuba diving
programme where they complete the following SSI courses;
 Open Water
 Advanced Open Water (Navigation, Low Visibility, Underwater Digital Photography, Deep and
Perfect Buoyancy)
 Rescue diver
Or they can participate in the Advanced Diving Option offered to Year 10 students which includes;
 Open Water
 Advanced Open Water (Navigation, Low Visibility, Wreck Diving, Deep and Boat Diving)
 Equipment Specialist.
 Underwater Digital Photography Specialty.
 Underwater Naturalist Specialty and
 Respond Right Senior First Aid.
The students participating in this option also have a dive camp at Albany which includes diving on the
wreck of the HMAS Perth.
Students in Years 10, 11 and 12 are also offered other diving course options including Rescue Diver, Deep
diver, Nitrox, Drysuit and Master Diver. All qualifications achieved are recognized worldwide.