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Field Trips

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All SARC field trips include a classroom session where the students learn the basics of aquaponics, then move out to the SARC greenhouse for the full experience. They’ll get to see our aquaculture & hydroponics systems, meet the fish, and see first-hand the effects a recirculating system has on water retention! Field trips can also include lunch at the Armstrong Campus Galley, a short campus tour, and a tour of the Biology Department greenhouse. Longer campus tours are available if desired!

We’re also happy to customize our aquaponics discussions toward topics of interest to your class – a focus on sustainability, nutrition, ecology, or the scientific process is common!

  • Weekday fieldtrips are $5 per student (no lunch) $15 (with lunch)
  • Weekend fieldtrips are $10 per student (no lunch) $20 (with lunch)

Contact the director or curator if you would like to discuss a field trip for your group!

Unable to visit in person? Virtual class meetings are available too, especially if your class has their own aquaponics system they want to chat about.

Farming with Fish

Can you grow floating food with fish poop? We do! Students will learn about the integrated agricultural ecosystem that is aquaponics via a short lecture & activity. They’ll finish up by touring our 7,000+ gallon research system in the greenhouse, including ~8 lb tilapia!

What are we doing?

  • Meet the Fish!
  • Learn the basics of aquaculture and hydroponics
  • Biology greenhouse + classroom session
  • Tour the Armstrong Campus of Georgia Southern

Attire: Shoes appropriate for walking on coarse gravel in a greenhouse and on the tour around campus.

Armstrong Campus Galley Meals Request Form View an Example Agenda for This Trip

Potential Learning Outcomes from SARC Field Trips

General

  • What is aquaculture? Hydroponics? A biofilter?
  • How does a greenhouse work?
  • Where does our food come from?
  • What is sustainable agriculture?
  • What is a food desert?
  • What can be grown using aquaponics?
  • Why is aquaponics more sustainable?
  • How is aquaponics an ecosystem?
  • What is replication using independent systems?
  • How do scientists monitoring environmental and water quality parameters?

Hydroponics

  • What is hydroponics?
  • How do you care for plants in a greenhouse?
  • What is a pest? A pathogen? Integrated pest management?
  • What is biomass?
  • How do farmers plant seeds for growing in water?
  • When are various vegetables in season?
  • What nutritional deficiencies can plants have?
  • How do you fertilize in hydroponics/aquaponics?

Aquaculture

  • What is aquaculture?
  • How does a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) work?
  • How do you properly care for fish? What is fish husbandry?
  • What water quality are needed for various fish
  • How do you tell when a fish is sick?
  • Can you raise fish eggs/fry?
  • What is the purpose of including the fish?

Outreach Resources

Ecology of Aquaponics (ppt for download) (Google Slides) – This presentation was created by SARC curator Brigette Brinton to use during k-12 field trips to the facility (more information here) or as a brief introduction to aquaponics for collegiate or continuing education courses. It contains a link to a 5-question Kahoot quiz at the end, and includes slides that are intended to be used with the DIY Aquaponics and Ecology of Aquaponics handouts. Please feel free to use these resources, and contact SARC with any questions or feedback!

The Southern Regional Aquaculture Center (SRAC) has two publications on creating small-scale aquaponics systems that could potentially be used in a classroom. These are fairly extensive, functional systems. SRAC 5010, SRAC 4501

Display systems can be a small scale method of showing students about aquaponics. SARC has a very simple 55-gallon display system in the Science Center building, with these posted as placards so that any students who come by can learn about the system. Download this pdf if you would like a text version.

The Southern Regional Aquaculture Center and Northern Regional Aquaculture Center (NRAC) both have many reliable resources about aquaculture and aquaponics.

Texas A&M AgriLife has compiled lists of aquaculture and aquaponics resources from several locations, including SRAC and University of Florida. Their page on diseases is particularly extensive.

Upstart University and Bright Agritech have good aquaponics video series and posted information. Some of their resources are not free, others are not. Student Resource Page

The Aquaponics Source is a good general purpose resource and is a company that can assist with designing your system.

Email us if you’re a local teacher or grower and need more information or help troubleshooting!