How to be a Great Chaperone
You don’t need special knowledge to be a chaperone- just common sense and a willingness to jump in
and get involved. Here are a few tips to help make your trip a good one:
What will I be doing as a chaperone?
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You will supervise a small group of students, help them learn, assist the ranger when called upon,
and make sure students behave appropriately.
What will my role be during the program?
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Throughout the day, your job will be to monitor the behavior of the students, provide for their safety,
and facilitate the learning process while insuring a fun visit for the students.
You may be asked to work with specific students and help guide them through program activities.
You may want to ask the teacher for information about the program, including background information and vocabulary words, to familiarize yourself with the topic. The more you are able to interact
with the students, the better their experience will be. Attached are some really good, inquiry-based
questions you could use with students about the different tidepool organisms.
What do I need to tell the students about touching in the tide pools?
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Encourage students to touch gently. When touching tide pool animals, wet your hands in seawater
first. Most tide pool animals have a coating of slime to protect them. Touching them with a dry hand
can damage their slime layer and harm their delicate surfaces.
Do not pick up or remove the animals.
Follow the guidance of the park education staff.
How can I help students get the most out of their visit?
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Be sure you understand the plan for the day, as instructed by the students’ teacher.
Ask the teacher whether the students have specific projects to work on, and how you can help them
during the visit.
Interact and have fun with the students.
Ask questions of each student in your group. There will always be a few who have all the answers.
Encourage the shy or quiet ideas to share ideas, too.
What else do I need to know?
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Please leave small children at home if possible. They distract you from your duties as a chaperone.
Avoid visiting with other adults at the expense of your chaperone duties. Remember that your
primary job is to chaperone the students, not to visit with other parents.
Students must stay with you, their chaperone, at all times. Their behavior is your responsibility.
INQUIRY QUESTIONS
Giant Green Anemone
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Why are Giant Green Anemones green?
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Why are Anemones sticky when you touch them?
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What do Anemones eat?
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Why do Anemones cover themselves with rock and shell
pieces?
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Why do Purple Sea Urchins have spines?
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Why are the Purple Sea Urchins “sitting” in holes in the tide
pools? What makes those holes?
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Where is the mouth of a Sea Urchin? How do they get food
to their mouth? What do they eat?
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Do Hermit Crabs grow their own shells? Where do Hermit
Crabs get their shells?
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What do Hermit Crabs eat?
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What do Hermit Crabs use their claws for?
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How big can hermit crabs get?
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Why do Mussels live in large groups (beds)?
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How do Mussels stay attached to the rocks?
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Why are Mussels blue?
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How do Mussels eat? Are there animals that eat Mussels?
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Why is Coralline Algae pink?
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Why does Coralline Algae look like coral?
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How does Coralline Algae get food?
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Can you think of any animals that would eat Coralline
Algae?
Purple Sea Urchin
Hermit Crab
California Mussel
Coralline Algae
INQUIRY QUESTIONS
Acorn Barnacle
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How do Barnacles eat?
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Can Barnacles move? How do Barnacles stay attached to
the rocks?
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Where do you see barnacles? Can you think of any
animals on which they can be found?
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Why are Tide Pool Sculpins hard to see?
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Can a Tide Pool Sculpin live out of the water?
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Why is the Tide Pool Sculpin “resting” or laying on the
bottom of the tide pool?
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How big can a Tide Pool Sculpin get?
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Why are Sea Stars different colors?
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Why are some of the Sea Stars “humped-up” on the rocks
or in the tide pools?
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Where is the mouth of a Sea Star? How do they eat?
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What do Sea Stars eat?
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Are all Turban Snails black? Why are some pink?
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What do Turban Snails eat?
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How fast can Turban Snails move?
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Can you think of an animal that is a Turban Snail
imposter?
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Why is Rockweed green?
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How does Rockweed get its food?
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Can you find pockets of air in the leaves? What do these
air pockets do?
Tide Pool Sculpin
Sea Star
Black Turban Snail
Rockweed