MARSH MADNESS 2025
Battle of the Coastal Birds
brought to you by the Class of 2025 Fifth Graders
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MARSH MADNESS CHAMPION
Congratulations to the 2025 Marsh Madness Champion - the Roseate Spoonbill
The Roseate Spoonbill beat Wilson’s Plover by a vote of 8-7 homerooms, which shows that EVERY VOTE MATTERS!
The Roseate Spoonbill joins past MM winners -
the Brown Pelican, Jekyll Island, and the Ghost Crab - as a OGE Marsh Madness Champ! Congratulations!
Thank you: to all the students and teachers who voted; to our 5th Graders for their research; to partners Tim Keyes (DNR*) and Georgia Graves (SINEER*); to The Oak Grove Foundation for their support; to our Marsh Madness Committee - Mrs. Deery, Mrs. Hopkins, Mr. McCarthy, Mrs. Stuhr, and Mrs. Xides;
and to all the amazing coastal birds of Georgia!
*DNR-Department of Natural Resources SINEER-Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve
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LAUGHING GULL
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These books are available in the Garden Nook to borrow.
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Check out our 2025 contestants:
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Meet Wildlife Biologist Tim Keyes who led a shorebird workshop that several OGE teachers attended.
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Only 5 shorebirds stick around in the summer - learn how to keep their nests safe.
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Does Georgia have the same coastal birds at South Carolina?
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RESOURCES
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Georgia Barrier Island Word Search
NASA Time Lapse of changes to Cape Cod's barrier islands over 36 years Barrier Islands: Sands and Lands in Motion by NASA's Earth Observatory Barrier Island Ecosystem - 5 minute video by Archaeo-Tech Tybee Island Coloring Sheet Driftwood Beach on Jekyll Coloring Sheet Gullah-Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor |
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Visit the Georgia Coastal Atlas to learn more about the islands
on our 100 miles of coastline in Georgia
What are barrier islands, how are they formed, and why are they important?
on our 100 miles of coastline in Georgia
What are barrier islands, how are they formed, and why are they important?
Why we celebrate MARSH Madness?
The one hundred miles of Georgia's coast has over 1/2 million acres of marshland. Twice daily, tides rise and fall 6 to 8 feet in the salt marshes between the Georgia barrier islands and the mainland. The salt marsh is a unique ecosystem that can be a harsh environment for wildlife which have adapted to quickly shifting tides and temperatures. Many land and water animals take shelter in the marsh and more than 75 percent of fisheries species, including shrimp, blue crab, and many finfish begin their lives in the salt marsh. Salt marshes also act like an enormous filter, removing pollutants such as herbicides, pesticides, and heavy metals out of the water flowing through it.
Georgia offers many types of ecosystems, many of which are threatened. Marsh Madness helps raise awareness of the importance of our wetlands, coastal, and marine ecosystems in Georgia. Since most of us are familiar with some of our larger marine life like sea turtles, Right whales, dolphins and sharks, this year's marsh madness will highlight some the lesser known but equally important organisms living in our amazing Georgia Coast.
The one hundred miles of Georgia's coast has over 1/2 million acres of marshland. Twice daily, tides rise and fall 6 to 8 feet in the salt marshes between the Georgia barrier islands and the mainland. The salt marsh is a unique ecosystem that can be a harsh environment for wildlife which have adapted to quickly shifting tides and temperatures. Many land and water animals take shelter in the marsh and more than 75 percent of fisheries species, including shrimp, blue crab, and many finfish begin their lives in the salt marsh. Salt marshes also act like an enormous filter, removing pollutants such as herbicides, pesticides, and heavy metals out of the water flowing through it.
Georgia offers many types of ecosystems, many of which are threatened. Marsh Madness helps raise awareness of the importance of our wetlands, coastal, and marine ecosystems in Georgia. Since most of us are familiar with some of our larger marine life like sea turtles, Right whales, dolphins and sharks, this year's marsh madness will highlight some the lesser known but equally important organisms living in our amazing Georgia Coast.
MARSH MADNESS 2024
Battle on the Georgia Coast
brought to you by the Class of 2024 Fifth Graders
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE GHOST CRAB
Winner of the Marsh Madness Popular Vote 2024
Winner of the Marsh Madness Popular Vote 2024
Congrats to the Blue Crab and Horseshoe Crab for moving on to the next round.
Don't be crabby sand dollar and plankton - you're still a very important part of the Georgia Coast!
Don't be crabby sand dollar and plankton - you're still a very important part of the Georgia Coast!
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Take a virtual dive into Grey's Reef Marine Sanctuary here.
This bulletin board was created with images from the book "Georgia's Amazing Coast". We received permission from the University of Georgia press to reproduce these images to use for research during our lantern parade. You may order a copy of the book here.
Marsh Madness 2023- Battle of the Barrier Islands
CONGRATULATIONS TO JEKYLL ISLAND - OUR 2023 MARSH MADNESS CHAMPION!
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Teachers -Please vote for the Barrier Island Champion by NOON on Friday
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Jekyll Island
St. Simon's Island
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Cumberland & Lil' Cumberland
St. Simon's Island
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Sapelo Island
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Sapelo Island
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Wednesday, March 29 - Tybee & Little Tybee Island vs. Sapelo Island
congrats to Cumberland & Lil' Cumberland Island - another close contest!
Last round before the FINAL FOUR - both FF matches up will occur on Thursday
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Tybee & Little Tybee
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Sapelo Island
Tuesday, March 28 - Cumberland & Lil' Cumberland Island* vs. Little St. Simon's Island
congrats to <Big> St. Simon's Island for eliminating Ossabaw Island (by another narrow margin)
*Why is Cumberland & Lil' Cumberland together but St. Simon's and Lil' St. Simon's are not? Cumberland Island and Little Cumberland are very similar, but St. Simon's Island and Little St. Simon's are very different including amount of development, accessibility and uses.
Cumberland & Lil' Cumberland
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Little St. Simon's Island
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MONDAY, MARCH 27 - St. Simon's Island vs Ossabaw Island
Visit the Georgia Atlas to see maps with location videos
Congrats to Jekyll Island for a strong victory over Wolf Island
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St. Simon's Island
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Ossabaw Island
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Friday, March 24 - Jekyll Island vs Wolf Island - our first match-up in the "Elite Eight"
Sapelo Island defeated St. Catherine's Island by a very narrow margin in our closest match-up so far!
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Thursday, March 23 - Sapelo Island vs St. Catherine's Island
(check out the Georgia Atlas for flyover videos of both islands)
congrats to Ossabaw and Lil' St. Simon's Island for moving forward in the bracket
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Sapelo Island
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Sapelo Island
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St. Catherine's Island
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Wednesday, March 22 - Blackbeard Island vs Little St. Simon's Island
(note: the winner of yesterday's match-up will be announced once absentee ballots have been received)
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Blackbeard Island
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Little St. Simon's Island
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Tuesday, March 21 - Wassaw Island vs Ossabaw Island -
winner will be announced after absentee ballots have been received
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Wassaw Island
Wassaw Island
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Ossabaw Island
Ossabaw Island
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Monday, March 20 - Sea Island vs. Wolf Island: Wolf Island moves to the next round!
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Sea Island
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