Learning with Whales: STEM, Stewardship, and the Blue Ocean Society

What if your next STEM lesson started with a 65‑foot whale and a beach cleanup scavenger hunt?For 25 years, Blue Ocean Society has been quietly protecting whales and marine life right in our New England “backyard.” In this ocean-focused episode, Dr. Diane talks with co-founder and executive director Jen Kennedy about how long-term whale research, monthly beach cleanups, and joyful, hands-on education invite kids (and adults) to learn through play while caring for the Gulf of Maine.Jen shares how photo-ID lets them follow individual whales like Pinball and Little Spot over decades, and what threats like entanglement, vessel strikes, warming waters, and shifting prey mean for species such as the North Atlantic right whale. You’ll hear how Blue Ocean Society turns data collection into citizen science, trash into art, and curiosity into real-world STEM/STEAM experiences—through their inflatable fin whale, microplastics toolkits, marine-debris art projects, and kid-friendly “scavenger hunt” cleanups.If you love whales, teach STEM/STEAM, or want playful, hopeful ways to connect curiosity, conservation, and hands-on learning, this adventure is for you.Chapters:02:11 – From whale intern to co-founder: the Blue Ocean Society story04:00 – Falling in love with whales, photo-ID, Pinball & Little Spot06:29 – Threats to whales: entanglement, vessels & a warming Gulf of Maine08:20 – Learning through play: inflatable whales, school programs & touch tanks09:46 – Beach cleanups & turning data into action12:36 – Microplastics, foam fragments & upstream choices families can make15:32 – Citizen science: Marine Debris Tracker, microplastics toolkits & kids as scientists20:49 – Dream research cruises, hidden whales & what still excites Jen22:39 – Joy, resilience & favorite whale facts 26:23 – How to donate, volunteer, adopt a whale & what gives Jen hopeLinksBlue Ocean Society Sign up for 2026 Blue Ocean SymposiumFollow on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedInCall to ActionReady to turn whale wonder into hands-on learning?Choose one single-use item to swap for a reusable option this week and invite your learners to do the same.Plan a “scavenger hunt” cleanup at your schoolyard, park, or local shoreline, and treat it like a STEM investigation.Support the showShare this episodeIf this conversation sparked wonder, gave you a helpful strategy, or offered a needed reminder of hope, please share it with a friend or colleague.Subscribe • Download • Review • Tell a friendStay updated with our latest episodes and follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and the Adventures in Learning website. Don't forget to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts! *Disclosure: I am a Bookshop.org. affiliate.