Program areas at MarineLab
Our Marinelab onsite programs introduced over 4,500 students to Marine science concepts through hands-on labs, discussion activities, and snorkeling explorations by boat on our us coast guard inspected vessels. For many of our students, this is their first experience of the ocean. In addition, we hosted over 50 teachers in several professional Development workshops, including 12 teachers from caribbean nations. Our curriculum is based on peer-reviewed science, and concepts are reinforced throughout the program. Field experiences have been proven to increase retention of knowledge - plus the students are experiencing nature unplugged in an increasingly plugged-in world. Participation in citizen science projects and advanced programs is available for high school age students. For students who cannot travel to key largo, we offer our emarinelab virtual programs which include interacting with a live Marine science instructor, here on location (sometimes from a boat) at our key largo campus. We have also developed learning Resources for teachers to use in their classrooms, ranging from videos to games and lesson plans.
Our location on key largo provides unparalleled access to the ecosystem protected by the Florida keys national Marine sanctuary, everglades national park, and the crocodile lake wildlife refuge. We host individual researchers and organizations conducting field work in these protected areas.
The Marinelab undersea laboratory hosted research and educational programs while it was submerged in our lagoon from 1985 - 2018. After it was removed from the water in 2018, it was renovated and turned into an interactive museum, designed to provide an experience that mimics the feeling of being in a working undersea research station.