A Look Back at the Project Week for World Ocean Day 2026 in Valle Gran Rey, La Gomera
Around World Ocean Day on June 8, 2026, the teams from M.E.E.R. e.V. and Oceano Whale Watching La Gomera, together with the elementary school in Valle Gran Rey (La Gomera), planned a project day that took place on June 9. We welcomed around 65 children from grades 1 through 4 for an exciting day centered on the ocean. At four varied stations, the students were able to learn, discover, and get hands-on in a playful way, applying the knowledge they already possessed.
During a short “pond safari” at Charco del Conde Beach, the fascinating world of small coastal creatures was explored together with Volker Boehlke (marine biologist) and with the help of Rolf and Nicole (Oceano Whale Watching). With great curiosity, the children observed various animals and plants, which were then introduced in more detail.
Jule (Oceano) provided exercise and fun with a hands-on activity on the topic of marine pollution. Divided into two teams, the children tried to clear the “stomach” of a blue whale of plastic waste. A 30-meter-long rope symbolized the blue whale’s body and impressively illustrated its size. Then, a small orca symbolically set out on the hunt, and the other children had to navigate “the ocean” through obstacles like nets and other floating debris (going under and over a rope) to escape it.
During another station, in the Oceano office and the M.E.E.R. exhibition, the children learned about the marine food chain and the important role plankton plays in the entire ecosystem. Tatiana (a language assistant from the U.S.) introduced the children to this topic in English. This was complemented by the exciting story of a grain of sand that took the children on a journey from the Sahara to Garajonay National Park on La Gomera. The story was told by Noel (Captain Oceano) and accompanied by music from Nacho (manager of the Gomera Lounge). Through the story, the children learned how Saharan dust affects the island’s ecosystem and how closely the desert, forest, and sea are interconnected.
During a quiz game with Ricarda (Oceano / M.E.E.R.) and Helen (M.E.E.R.), the students were finally able to put their knowledge to the test and work together to answer questions about the ocean; here, too, the focus was on the English language.
In addition to the project day, two field trips were organized with the 5th-grade students. During one of these trips, they were very fortunate to encounter pilot whales, some of which swam very close to the boat.
As a small token of appreciation, all students received a giveaway we designed ourselves—a keychain featuring various motifs from the world of the ocean.
The project day gave the children the opportunity to learn about the ocean and its inhabitants from different perspectives and to discover the importance of treating nature responsibly in a playful way.