Grades 3–12 for Lessons 1, 2, & 3
Grades 6–12 for Lesson 4

This kit explores plankton and their global importance through four lessons and an optional extension activity. Plankton are tiny plants (phytoplankton) and animals (zooplankton) that are incapable of swimming against major currents in the ocean.

In Lesson 1 (40 minutes), students learn about plankton through a narrated PowerPoint presentation and investigate and identify various phytoplankton.

In Lesson 2 (45 minutes), students design their own phytoplankton.

In Lesson 3 (50 minutes), students investigate zooplankton with a microscope.

In Lesson 4 (60 minutes), students use an educational CD and virtual microscope to explore phytoplankton, learn about environmental factors that affect phytoplankton growth and distribution, and run a computer simulation to generate phytoplankton blooms.

Lessons 1, 2, and 3 are suitable for Grades 3–12, whereas Lesson 4 is geared toward Grades 6–12. Computers (not provided) are required for Lesson 4, and the students (or the teacher) must provide the supplies for the optional extension activity. Pre- and post- surveys are included.

Grades 6-12 for Lessons 1, 2
Grades 9-12 for Lesson 3

This three-lesson kit introduces random sampling, one of the key concepts employed by scientists to study the natural environment, including microbial communities.

In Lesson 1, students study the abundance and diversity of marine microbes. Colored beads in a bag represent different species of microbes, and the bag itself represents the ocean. Working in groups, each student randomly selects ten “microbes” from the “ocean”, and records the data. The students then compare the species composition of the samples they obtained to that of the entire population.

In Lesson 2, technology is introduced. Students enter and graph data from Lesson 1 using Excel (a Microsoft Office program).

In Lesson 3, statistics provide a means for students to assess how well their samples represent the total population. Lessons 1 and 2 are suitable for grades 6–12, and Lesson 3 is geared toward grades 9–12. All of the supplies in this kit are in support of Lesson 1. Computers (not provided) are required for Lesson 2 and may be optionally used for Lesson 3. If computers are not available, Lesson 2 may be omitted, and Lesson 3 can be taught directly following Lesson 1. Each of the three lessons requires approximately 50 minutes of class time.

Capture activities and learning moments through photos or videos with this ideal DSLR camera. It’s particularly useful for recording teacher demonstrations or student projects. The package already comes with an SD card, a 50mm lens, and an 18-135mm lens. Additionally, you can request tripods, external microphones, and other media equipment as necessary.

Explore the foundations of encryption, pattern recognition, and algorithmic thinking with the Cipher Disk Kit, which includes a Alberti Cipher Disk and a Mexican Army Cipher Disk. These physical cipher tools allow students to encode and decode secret messages, introducing key concepts in computer science, cybersecurity, modular arithmetic, and substitution ciphers.

Developed by the Coral Resilience Lab at the Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology, this activity seeks to bring a tangible visualization of coral bleaching and will give students a better understanding of how ocean warming events and other stressors affect the health of corals, and that of those which do not experience bleaching. As a parallel, students will be able to see the physical change that the animal undergoes when exposed to a warming event. Students will be able to answer the following questions:

• What is a coral and what happens when coral bleaches?
• What causes coral bleaching?
• What are resilient corals and how are they beneficial?

Download the curriculum resources here.

The Coral Reef Wave Energy Activity Kit immerses students in the dynamic relationship between ocean waves, coral reef structures, and sea level rise. This NGSS-aligned, hands-on kit uses a tabletop wave tank and a force sensor buoy to measure the energy of waves under different conditions. Students can conduct experiments by adding 3D-printed coral reef models and altering water depth to simulate rising sea levels—revealing how natural barriers like coral reefs protect coastlines from wave energy.

Designed for middle school classrooms, the activity encourages students to build models, collect real data, and explore the effects of climate change through inquiry-based learning.

With these slides, students are introduced to the unique organisms of the mesopelagic (twilight) zone and their specialized adaptations. They receive a set of Deep Sea ID Cards and carefully handle real preserved specimens. Then, students research each species to learn about adaptations such as bioluminescence and vertical migration. Teachers can guide a discussion on how these traits help deep-sea organisms survive in low-light, food-limited environments.

• 10x Deep-sea Organisms Jars
• 10x Laminated Identification Card Sets
• 10x Laminated Observation Card Answer Key Sets
• 10x Observation Trays
• 10x Forceps
• 10x Wet Erase Pens and cleaning cloths
• Box of Disposable Gloves

The Density Cube Set is a hands-on tool designed to help students explore the relationship between mass, volume, and density. This set includes 12 uniform 1-inch cubes made from a range of materials—metals (aluminum, brass, copper, steel), plastics (acrylic, nylon, PVC, polypropylene), and woods (oak, pine, rosewood, lignum vitae). With consistent volume across all blocks, students can easily measure and compare mass to calculate and analyze density.

These digital microscopes are an upgrade to the conventional microscope and have an integrated LCD and software that allows users to view, record, or photograph subjects easily. The microscope has a magnification range of 10X – 2000X and is a stand-alone tool with all necessary components. It also features an HDMI port for projecting images onto larger screens (requires HDMI cable and HDMI compatible device).

The Digital Multimeters measure electricity, primarily as current, voltage, or resistance. Students can measure the output of batteries, solar panels, or other generators, or troubleshoot electronic devices.

The Digital Scale is a precise, compact tool for measuring mass in grams and ounces, perfect for classroom experiments involving mass, density, material properties, and engineering design. With a high-contrast digital display and a tare function, this scale enables students to accurately measure individual items or components in lab investigations.

Are you looking for a hands-on demonstration of Newton’s First Law? The Eisco Force Table uses a series of pulleys and weights to help demonstrate how multiple forces acting in different directions affect the movement of an object. The kit is easy to assemble and has everything your students need to set up the activity.

The Eisco Direct-Vision Spectroscope is a rugged, easy-to-use instrument designed for middle school classrooms. Featuring a durable plastic housing and an diffraction grating (≈ 500–600 lines/mm), students can confidently explore and decompose visible light (400–700 nm) and accurately measure spectral lines with ±5 nm precision. With an engraved scale directly on the spectroscope, learners can view and quantify emission lines from gas tubes, flame tests, or common light sources—turning glowing colors into data.

The Energy and Light Learning Stations Kit is a hands-on, inquiry-based activity set that engages students in exploring energy transfer, light absorption, reflection, insulation, and material science through a series of interactive experiments. This kit features six station folders with built-in experiments, materials like felt and cups, and a heat lamp for testing.

Each station challenges students to observe, measure, and interpret how energy moves through different materials—such as comparing light absorption in colored felt or testing insulation in plastic, paper, and Styrofoam cups.

These stations are an excellent complement to the Solar Oven engineering design project.

The Erosion Wave Kit is a hands-on Earth science activity that helps middle school students investigate how moving water reshapes land over time. Using sand, a simple wave generator, and a shallow container, students can model wave action and directly observe erosion, deposition, and changes to shoreline features.

This kit is especially effective for making abstract Earth processes visible and testable. Students can vary wave strength, direction, and starting landforms to see how small changes lead to different erosion patterns. These investigations support evidence-based reasoning as students connect observations to real-world phenomena such as coastal erosion, beach formation, and the impact of storms on shorelines.