The labs are a vital part of the program. Students learn the special care and discipline it takes to perform lab procedures correctly. Whale students use gel electrophoresis (above), Oyster students incubate the oyster disease, Dermo, and identify it under a microscope, and Crab students conduct a behavior study.	Students in the Whales program use gel electrophoresis to compare whale DNA. The equipment and methods available at Notre Dame might not otherwise be used until college.
Students from all programs participate in a debate, which culminates their learning. They are encouraged to use their notes from the session as support for their arguments. Students love dressing up to fit their role!	On “canoe day”, at Days Cove, there is much more than just canoeing. Students try their hand at seine netting, which, as you can see, takes teamwork!
Once the seine net has been pulled in, everyone works together to identify which animals live in this fresh water ecosystem, a branch of the Chesapeake Bay.	The best way to learn about an animal’s anatomy is through a hands-on dissection! Oyster and Crab students dissect their critter, while Whale students dissect a fish and compare its anatomy to the whale.