Texas Surf Conservancy
Education
The Science of Oysters is an environmental education initiative created by the Texas Surf Conservancy that explores how oysters support biodiversity, provide vital habitat, and serve as a keystone species in Texas coastal ecosystems. This program introduces elementary students from kindergarten through fifth-grade to oysters and the rich marine life found right in our backyard of the Coastal Bend of Texas.
Big Idea: Oysters as Ecosystem Builders
Oysters are more than food or water filters, they are foundation species. Their reefs support life in our bays, providing shelter, spawning grounds, and protection. By learning how oysters create community underwater, students are introduced to key ecological concepts of interdependence, biodiversity, and habitat restoration.
Keystone species (noun): A species of plant or animal that produces a major impact on its ecosystem and is considered essential to maintaining ecosystem structure.
Example: Oysters as a Keystone Species
• Habitat builders: Oyster reefs provide shelter and nursery grounds for fish, crabs, and other marine life.
• Biodiversity hubs: A single oyster reef can support many different species.
• Ecosystem balance: Their presence influences predator-prey relationships and helps stabilize the food web.
The Texas Surf Conservancy offers the “Science of Oysters” program at no charge to elementary schools in the Coastal Bend. The program is administered by an environmental educator and is available on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays throughout the school year. To schedule your classroom session, please click here and complete the online form with your school, leadership, and classroom information and be prepared to request up to three tentative dates.
Click the button below to download a document that highlights the “Science of Oysters” learning objectives and Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) alignment from kindergarten through fifth grade.
The "Science of Oysters" educational outreach initiative was created with initial funding from our friends and partners at CCA Texas as part of a $4.5 million dollar investment in oyster conservation, restoration, and education projects along the Texas Coast.
From environmental education in elementary schools to promoting the benefits of farmed oysters to restaurateurs, the Texas Surf Conservancy strives to educate and engage our community on sustainable seafood practices and sound coastal policies.
