Discovering plankton the size of a person, piloting a robot through the intricacies of breath taking coral reefs, scrambling through jagged caves and observing the miracles of atomic-scale life.

All in a day's work for the Whitney Institute students who spent two days at the Bermuda Biological Station, on a learning expedition designed to "excite'' science.

Then, in a rare show of winter endurance, Bermudian kids leapt into the cooling waters near Flatt's Reef, braving fall season water temperatures that scare off most Bermudians.

Helle Patterson, Biological Station education officer, said: "It went very well. It's to get them excited. Science is often taught in the classroom -- like this, it's so much easier,'' she said.

The students slept in dormitories that normally host international students that have come to Bermuda to study.

Expedition leader and M3 teacher, Cindy-Lee Hamlin said the Biological Station is a wonderful resource but is not used enough.

"There are schools that come from (America) -- all the way around -- we have high schools that come and take advantage of it.

"Unfortunately, we don't take much advantage of it.'' Young Observer sat down with three of the fortunate students who spent Thursday and Friday last week, up to their ears in marine biology.

The trip began with a quick truck ride to the Biological Station, a immediate orientation tour and video on coral.

The first coral lab lecture followed after lunch.

Before each lab exercise, instructors would prepare the students for laboratory work, explain the exercises and brief them on what they would actually be working with.

During the labs, the students would interact with a variety of coral pieces, using microscopes and lab equipment to become more familiar with each specimen.

"That was really cool, some of us got to go snorkling.'' said Taylor Heron, whose enthusiasm in the programme was well-grounded in her desire to be a marine biologist.

Jamal Thomas, Meishka Zuill, and Taylor fired out the names of major coral species, including types of coral -- ie hard or soft.

That evening, the students were on a boat that dragged a net with a bottle at the end, trying to catch specimen of plankton, microscopic organisms that drift in the water.

"We learned about different kinds of plankton.'' Jamal said.

Taylor began listing the characteristics of plankton -- stopping only to mention that the largest plankton grow to be man-sized.

She admitted they did not find one.

Other highlights included a lecture on how Bermuda was formed by drifting continental plates.

They described how Bermuda, during its primal stages, was an underwater mountain and active volcano formed by lava -- liquid molten rock that the continents float on.

After a night's rest in the dormitory complex, the group was back at the education trail with a boat trip to film reefs with a remote operated vehicle, or ROV.

The ROV is a small submersible device that carries an on-board camera that sees for those in the boat, where the device is controlled from.

Mrs. Hamlin said: "It's like working a joy stick.'' Jamal, Taylor and Meishka said it looks like a submarine in a cage. The cage being a reinforcement and protection "bumper''.

Mrs. Patterson said it was the first use of the ROV for sometime.

At some point in the device's past, it was damaged but after being repaired, it was left to "collect dust''.

Mrs. Patterson said the students made a film on coral, using the ROV.

The film will be included in a module-style course for the other students at Whitney Institute.

All three students said they were glad to get a chance to learn about Bermuda.

But Meishka said she still wanted to be an accountant.

"I'm glad to have the experience and learn about the oceans.'' Jamal was thinking about a career in zoology.

Taylor displayed great aptitude with the scientific lingo associated with the normally tongue-twisting terms in marine biology.

Photos by Tony Cordeiro What's a coral?: Students from Whitney Institute listen while staff at the Bermuda Biological Station introduce them to the marine biology of Bermuda, during a two-day educational expedition.

Mini life forms: Whitney students at the Bermuda Biological Station observe the miracles of microscopic life during a two-day educational trip.