Instilling Community Kuleana Through Experiential Learning

The CRL in partnership with Mālama Maunalua visits school groups as part of the NOAA Bay Watershed Education Training (B-WET) program. We have developed a three-part coral curriculum with an emphasis on coral bleaching and coastal protection. Materials are available to download for educators across Hawai‘i on our resources page. Students start with an introduction to what corals are through the visual media Lost Cities. Students will learn common corals found in Hawai‘i, how baby corals are made, the biggest threats corals are facing, what our lab is doing to restore corals, and ways everyone can help corals. To help visualize coral bleaching, students are guided through a bleaching demonstration and get introduced to the concept of resilient corals. Additionally, we have a wave tank to demonstrate the importance corals provide for coastal protection. Supplemental lessons are also available for all ages and include a virtual tour of CRL, a virtual coral density transect tour, and an in-person reef ecological survey tailored for students grades K-5.

Since it’s inception in 2021, our organizations have collectively educated 3,500* students on our B-WET curriculum. Mahalo to all of the teachers and students who participated!

We are also available to participate in various outreach events and community expos to provide information to the public about our scientific and outreach efforts. Note: We will provide our own pop up tents, tables, educational materials, activities, and social media support.

If you are interested in scheduling with us or want to learn more about our Education and Outreach opportunities, please contact Madeleine Sherman at mosherm@hawaii.edu.

*Updated August 2023