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.

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.

Measure the pH of solids like soils, gels, food, and more.

Measure surface temperatures with this infrared thermometer. Includes a built-in laser pointer, adjustable high alarm, two AAA batteries, soft case, and a wrist wrap.

Fablab ModelMaker software is used to render 3D shapes. The output initially shows the net of the shapes which can be printed on paper and cut out using a paper cutting machine (also available for loan). Each shape created includes additional information such as description, formulas (volume, surface area), parameters, and more for reference. These reference metrics allow students to learn more about each shape, as well as assess their understanding of geometric shapes, volumes, variables and ratios.

Note: For Macintosh users, the last version of macOS that is compatible with FabLab is 10.4, Mojave. If you require alternate computers to run FabLab, just let us know!

Explore the basics of gears with the Gear Car kit. The cars come in sets with two different gear ratios that allow students to investigate the effect of gear ratio on the car’s performance (speed and power). This tool comes with curricula that includes a powerpoint, a video link, and an investigation and can be used as is, or modified for your class. The lessons and cars can be used as a stand alone investigation or to prepare students for designing a Solar Car.

STEM Pre-Academy has put together a germination station to facilitate seed germination within the classroom. This kit provides a safe and controlled environment for seeds to germinate and grow, allowing optimal conditions before they are transplanted to the final grow-out placement.

Teachers have utilized this kit to involve their students in the germination process and teach them how to cultivate their own food.

The kit is versatile and can be used for Hydroponics, Aquaponics, or conventional soil farming techniques. It comes with an easily assembled PVC Frame, Grow Light, timer, and a germination tray with a humidity dome.

From the publisher:

Players work together to clean up the earth and slow climate change while the temperature rises with each turn. Can you and your friends slow it down before “Game Over” happens for you AND Planet Earth?

Draw and trade cards to find the best solutions to the environmental problems that emerge during the game – but make sure you have enough money to pay for those solutions. You may need to join forces with other players to avoid a catastrophe!

Playable by ages 10 and up, this game is especially fun for teens and adults!