The Ritz-Carlton, Dorado Beach

ACTIVITIES: THE RITZ-CARLTON, DORADO BEACH

Coral Reefs - Cities Under the Sea: Ever wonder what is a coral reef? Is it a plant or an animal or both? Through games, multi-media, and crafts, explore the magical ecosystem known as the “City Under The Sea”.

Fish Form and Function: Fish come in all shapes, sizes and colors. Through a variety of activities, we’ll discover the clever and weird ways to learn a lot about a fish’s life just by looking at its color and shape.

Wonders of Water: Water truly is unique! It is what makes planet earth different than other planets! What makes water so special? Join the adventure to learn more!

Gardening Gurus: Come dig in and explore everything plants have to offer. Join us as we plant seeds in the organic garden or native vegetation plot, harvest herbs, fruits and veggies for a snack or for organic cooking, and understand what is compost! We learn about the plants the Taíno farmed and used for medicine.

Fun in the Sun: The sun is the closest star to earth and the center of our solar system. We learn to use the sun to our advantage as we create our own food, power, and crafts using free solar energy from the sun.

Creatures of the Night: We experience the heightened sensory awareness that comes from being outdoors at night, including sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell and intuition. We watch and learn how other species far surpass our limited abilities to function in the dark and become entranced by this other-world of mystery and beauty when the sun is down.

Be An Archaeologist For A Day: Learn and experience what it is like to be an archaeologist. After using discussions and games to explain what archaeology is, what methods archaeologists use, and who the Taíno were, guests will engage in a simulated “dig” and visit the Taíno museum on property.

Taino Arts and Crafts: With a focus on the art, music, dance, and belief system of the Taíno, guests will complete a series of art and craft projects that imitate Taíno crafts. We’ll learn about the Taíno lifestyle and interaction with their natural environment. We close with a reflection on how a spiritual connection to nature results in respect for it and ultimately good stewardship.

Pictures in the Sky: Discovering the constellations in the night sky instantly connects us with the history of our species, through the myths and legends that have been constructed around them. A closer look through our telescope at these glowing balls of gas helps us understand what stars really are.

Kitchen-EcoChefs: Explore our Chef’s Garden. Learn about organic practices and discover vegetables, herbs and fruits. Create tasty snacks using our solar ovens while learning about how food affects our health and our world.

From Junk to Funk: Using recycled materials that would have otherwise been thrown away, this “eco-art” activity helps us better understand how nature recycles and reuses everything. We also discuss how human consumption and waste can affect nature.

Living Green I: Through a treasure hunt that leads through the Ambassadors center, see what makes this a LEED Platinum certified. Next, each guest will select his or her favorite green building element and then the group will discuss it. Through fun activities, guests will learn to apply what they have discovered about sustainability in homes and at school.

Living Green II: What does it mean to ‘live green’? Through activities and experiments showing the value of water and energy conservation, renewable energy, reducing waste, guests will learn about their ecological footprint. Guests will design a sustainable community, design an eco-home and build a solar oven.

Taino Way of Life: Explore the way of life of the Taíno through a scavenger hunt , Taíno cooking, gardening, and storytelling. We’ll understand how the Taíno lifestyle was sustainable, and understand lessons we can learn from these indigenous peoples about how to manage our natural resources.

Lights, Camera, Take Action: Share your own ideas on being an Ambassador through a video production as we research, write, direct and star in our own public service announcements. At the end you will have a DVD of your own to share your message with your friends and family back home.

Reef Adaptations: The reef holds much more than coral and fish! This snorkel excursion will explore plants, algae, and invertebrates. We will explore how they are adapted to their environment and ecologically connected to each other, how all communities are connected, and the connections between land and sea.

Ocean Kayak and Snorkel Adventure: Sardine Bay provides endless opportunities to learn about Puerto Rico’s many ecosystems. Through a combo-kayak and snorkel excursion, we’ll explore the bay, including how weather, waves, geology of the mountains inland, the sea grass beds and the coastal plain converge to give us Sardine Bay with its rich biota and productivity.

Night Life on the Reef: With flashlights and trained Naturalists, we take the curious and adventurous on an excursion of a lifetime to discover the fascinating world of the reef at night. Previous snorkeling experience required.

Forest Pterocarp Eco Hike: Explore the unique Pterocarp wetland ecosystem, host to a great variety of species, each with interesting adaptations that enable them to survive in a complex community. In the Ambassadors Center we introduce the differences between reptiles and amphibians and native versus invasive species through the use of slideshows and critter cards. On the hike, we engage in a scavenger hunt, several interactive discussions, and challenge activities.

For the Birds - Survey: Become an ornithologist and discover the many bird species that make this property their home. We’ll learn about birds – biology, adaptations, and even do a bird census / monitoring survey. We will differentiate resident bird species from those who migrate thousands of miles to visit Puerto Rico.

Forest Karst Hike: Discover the geology and ecology of Puerto Rico, with a focus on native plant and animal species that live in the mountains directly behind the property. We will demonstrate that our mountains are made of ancient coral reef material (calcium carbonate). We will also explore evidence of the ancient Taino culture and consider how these people survived in this region.