what chris and his teacher joel rodriguez catch in their net will determine if these students got today'ssignment right. before we see what they find, let's take a look at how the day began. >> what we're doing today is we're actually gonna get into the water. we're gonna do some water-quality testing. we're gonna test the water, see if it's any good. >> these teens came to the beach strictly for science. >> it just gives you a chance to really get out there in the field for whatever you want to do, and i really like the program. >> coastal classrooms teaches teens about the waterways near their home, from coastal ecology to aquatic habits. >> hands-on experience is always good for any student. it helps them really get a feel for what they're doing and learning more about their environment or wherever they're living at. >> today, students are looking for levels of the chemicals phosphate, nitrate, and oxygen. they won't find the test results by standing on the beach. >> now, if you feel a coolness in the waders, it is not water. it might be sweat.is not water. >> that's probably not the g