Texas students and teachers will have a new opportunity to learn about the mysteries and wonders of Texas' Gulf coast beginning in September. That's when the Floating Classroom program begins its inaugural voyage from the historic village of Matagorda. Floating Classroom is the newest offering of the Texas Marine Advisory Service (MAS). A 57-foot teaching vessel was purchased with grant funds from the state's Coastal Management Program and private donations. The boat will provide Texas students and teachers in grades 4-12 with hands-on experiences and firsthand observations of the Gulf coast's natural resources, environments and enterprises. "We want students to learn vicariously," said MAS marine education specialist William R. Younger, "through touching, inquiring, experimenting, seeing and hearing. This program will help students understand the coastal environment and its relevance to their individual lives." Floating Classroom uses a curriculum developed in accordance with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) standards while encouraging creative thinking and demonstrating basic ecological concepts. A typical class experience will include a two-hour coastal discovery cruise complete with collection and examination of biological, geological and hydrological specimens and samples; a two-hour shoreside lab to enhance students' understanding of the natural and manmade phenomena revealed during the cruise; and pre- and post-testing of students to determine both acquisition and retention of new knowledge and skills. This agenda is flexible within specified limits. Teachers also will have access to references and curriculum materials before and after the Floating Classroom experience. Up to 60 individuals from grades 7-12, including students, teachers and aides, can enroll for a day's program. Those in grades 4-6 have the option of selecting the standard schedule for 60 persons or of increasing the number of participants to 100 by shortening the cruise time to one hour. The cost for either schedule and class size is $1000 per day. Privately funded scholarships are available to defray the costs and will be awarded on a basis of need as determined by the scholarship committee. The Texas Marine Advisory Service ultimately hopes to affiliate with a coastal environmental education center being planned by the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) at the mouth of the Colorado River near Matagorda. This town is situated approximately one hour driving time from Houston, two hours from both Victoria and Corpus Christi. The Texas Marine Advisory Service is a cooperative effort of the Texas Sea Grant College Program, Texas Cooperative Extension and participating county commissioners' courts. Further information on Floating Classroom is available by contacting Younger by mail at P.O. Box 18, Matagorda, TX 77457, by telephone (979) 863-2940, or by e-mail at . | 
