Students in Tiffany Oliver’s class experienced hands-on learning this week when some new additions to the classroom were introduced. The class received sea urchins and a starfish to reside in the well-known aquarium at the back of her classroom, supplied by a former Robinson graduate Michael Sipes who also was the president of Oliver’s Marine Biology Club. Oliver studies these echinoderms, which are invertebrate animals with spiny skin that are found in the ocean, when she is not busy teaching.

“I’m using them in all of my classes to teach the ecology and also biology of the animals,” said Oliver. “A lot of students have only seen pictures and videos and have not actually held them.”

Students examined the specimens under a light microscope and were allowed to hold and pass them around.

“I thought they were really cool. It’s good to see life-like examples- your book really comes alive,” said Sydney Brumfield (’14) about the eye-opening educational experience.