As of September 2002, many students will be aboard a 57-foot former shrimp boat on the Texas Gulf Coast learning the many wonders of the sea. The traditional classroom is being replaced by the floating classroom. The Floating Classroom Program teaches students in grades K-12. It is operated by the Texas Marine Advisory Service, the joint outreach program of the Texas Sea Grant College Program. Both are components of the Texas A&M University System. The hands-on program that gives students opportunity to explore the Gulf Coast environment. The program is run by experienced marine educators and coastal naturalists. A usual day on the R.V Karma consists of a coastal cruise and a shore-side lab. Students will be tested on their knowledge of the material they learned in the classroom. The classroom holds 60 people and the cost is $1,000 a day. After receiving a grant from the Texas Coastal Management Program and the Matagorda County Navigation District #1, as well as a generous contribution from Mrs. Virginia Corn of Port Aransas, Texas, the marine education board obtained the R.V. Karma for Texas A&M University. The R.V. Karma was restored and prepared to give students hands-on activities, collect samples of plankton and other marine wildlife for teaching. The Floating Classroom is located in Matagorda Bay, although it does not have to stay specifically in that area. On the deck of the boat students can use plankton nets, water samplers, test kits, microscopes, and more. Being able to use these items and many other, students can study the many living organisms of the Gulf Coast. Many things looked at under the microscope can be seen on large televisions. This is a great way for a teacher to show one water sample to the whole class at one time. The R.V Karma gives students the chance to study ecology and explore water creatures, and the impact that the environment has on them. This explains why the water is the color it is and how sea creatures survive in it. All wildlife collected during these classes will be returned to the water after use in class. Because the R.V. Karma is located in the Gulf Coast it will also give the students the opportunity to study the Texas ocean and its phenomena. Students can investigate topics such as marine biology, ecology, fisheries and oceanography. Not only does the R.V.Karma give the students the opportunity to learn about these subjects, but it shows them about adaptation, the number and variety of organisms living in a specific area and their habitat. Many of the topics learned while on the Karma will be taken to the shore to show the importance of the lesson. These options are pre-selected by the instructor. These options included side trips to the nearby marsh and Gulf Coast. Teachers may also use critical thinking exercises to put the lesson into play. This “floating classroom” wasn’t designed just for students who study oceanography, marine biology and ecology, it can also be used in art zoology and many other subjects taught in school. The mission of the Floating Classroom is to encourage interest and enthusiasm in people of all ages. Not just in science and technology but in the planet’s environment. | 
