Office of Naval Research as part of the National Naval Responsibility for Naval Engineering contributes to the advancement of STEM literacy with Sea Perch
January 31, 2011

Sea Perch curriculum to be integrated into the innovative Learning Management System of The STEM Academy to capture student outcomes for continuous improvement and curriculum impact measurement. SeaPerch is an innovative underwater robotics program that trains teachers to teach their students how to build an underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV). Students build the ROV following a curriculum that teaches basic engineering and science concepts with a marine engineering theme. Building a SeaPerch ROV teaches basic skills in ship and submarine design and encourages students to explore naval architecture and marine and ocean engineering concepts. It also teaches basic science and engineering concepts and tool safety and technical procedures. Students learn important engineering and design skills and are exposed to all the exciting careers that are possible in naval architecture and naval, ocean, and marine engineering. Students learn best by doing, and during the process of building SeaPerch, they follow steps to completely assemble the Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV), test it, and then participate in launching their vehicles. After the SeaPerch robot is constructed, students are encouraged to test their vehicles, deploy them on missions, compete in a culminating event, the SeaPerch Challenge A district-wide one-day design competition, to take what students have learned to the next level. The Challenge fosters an end goal, rewards sportsmanship, spirit and presentation skills, as well as mastery of the concepts.