Customized School Field Trips K-8

The Center for Community Education at HIMB offers an array of immersive marine science experiences for students. Venture to Moku o Lo‘e to connect with cutting-edge research, and learn about everything from marine microbes to megafauna.

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Bring Marine Science to Life For Your Students

Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology offers a 3.5-hour experience where students become junior marine biologists, exploring Kāne‘ohe Bay by boat and then engaging in an island walking tour. Students in grades 4 and up have the added option of a hands-on lab.

All programs run from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and require a signed waiver and program fees. Groups of 12 or fewer depart from Lilipuna Pier, while larger groups–of up to 30 participants–use HIMB‘s research vessel, Ka Noelo Kai, for a $200 fee. All participants must be at least five years old and able to handle moderate physical activity.

Contact & Helpful Links

For more information about field trips, please contact.

Name
[email protected]

The Field Trip Experience

1. Round Trip Transport to Moku o Lo‘e from Kāne‘ohe
1. Round Trip Transport to Moku o Lo‘e from Kāne‘ohe
A group of people ride a small motorboat on a lake with mountains in the background under a partly cloudy sky.
A group of people ride a small motorboat on a lake with mountains in the background under a partly cloudy sky.

An Island Journey

The adventure begins with a scenic boat ride across Kāne‘ohe Bay. As students travel to Moku o Lo‘e, they are surrounded by the Ko‘olaupoko Mountains and waters teeming with life, marking the start of a day of discovery.

2. Walking Tour of Moku o Lo‘e
3. Plankton Lab
4. Invasive Algae and Invertebrate Lab

How To Book

Hawai‘i K-8th Grade

  1. Plan for a weekday trip for your K-8th Grade Group (9:00am - 12:30pm)
  2. Ensure transportation to Kāne‘ohe is arranged for desired date (vans, buses, chaperones)
  3. Fill out HI K-8th School Request Form linked below
  4. Request your tour well in advance of the desired tour date
  5. If you have questions email [email protected]
Hawai‘i School Request Form
A group of children gathers around a touch tank outdoors, listening to an instructor by the water.

Out-of-State/Homeschool K-8th Grade

  1. Plan for a weekday trip for your K-8th Grade Group (9:00am - 12:30pm)
  2. Ensure transportation to Kāne‘ohe is arranged for desired date (vans, buses, chaperones)
  3. Fill out Non-HI K-8th School Request Form linked below
  4. Request your tour well in advance of the desired tour date
  5. If you have questions email [email protected]

Please note that we prioritize our in-state DOE school booking requests first due to limited bus availability. Mahalo for your understanding.

Non-Hawai‘i School Request Form
Children gather around tanks of water while a person gives a tour at an outdoor aquatic research facility.

See Students In Action

A group of children and a woman observe and discuss marine life in aquarium tanks outdoors.

Coral Resilience Lab Manager Madeleine Sherman breaks down coral thermal resilience for a group of elementary students.

A group of children and a woman observe and discuss marine life in aquarium tanks outdoors.
Four children and an adult examine a white 3D scanning device in a classroom or lab setting.

Elementary students visiting HIMB’s Geometric Ecology Lab get a tutorial in laser scanning a 3D-printed coral settlement with PI Joshua Madin.

Four children and an adult examine a white 3D scanning device in a classroom or lab setting.
Two women pour water into a device, illuminated by a bright light in a dark setting.

In HIMB’s Evening Plankton Experience, participants connect with the tiniest critters under the sea in a program that’s hosted under the stars.

Two women pour water into a device, illuminated by a bright light in a dark setting.
Three young people examine a handheld radio antenna outside near a building and palm trees on a sunny day.

In our HIMB immersive summer programs, aspiring marine biologists try tools and tech to investigate the marine world.

Three young people examine a handheld radio antenna outside near a building and palm trees on a sunny day.

What Attendees Have to Say

People gathered at the end of a pier over clear blue water, with palm trees and islands in the background.

“Thank you so much for hosting our students. It was an amazing experience. We appreciate your time and effort into planning for our students.”

Elementary School Teacher, May 2025

Four young women kneel on grass, each holding a white bucket filled with water and marine life near a shoreline.

“Thank you so much for the tour yesterday! I loved the different interactive stations and the walk around the island. I learned many things and viewed ocean research from a couple different perspectives. It was eye-opening!”

Middle School Student, March 2025

Two students examine a specimen with a microscope in a science classroom, notes and sketches on the table.

“Mahalo nui for a wonderful huaka‘i! This was our first visit, and we’re so pleased. We are finding valuable connections to the learning our haumāna have done and will continue to do in class. Upon returning to class, our homeroom kumu pointed out ‘ike kūpuna that she saw in today’s huaka‘i (how the gorilla ogo was not wasted but instead used for good – for fertilizing). She emphasized how our kūpuna were never wasteful and always found purpose and uses for things.”

Middle School Teacher, February 2025

FAQ

Resources For Educators

We look forward to hosting your students on their upcoming expedition to Moku o Lo‘e! To help prepare for an unforgettable day of marine science discovery, we have a few resources available to help you plan your visit.

Getting Here & Visitor Info

Downloads

To help you get ready for your trip, we encourage you to download and share these learning materials, which cover background information on Moku o Lo‘e and Kāne‘ohe Bay, along with details about the plankton and algae labs. Reviewing these materials beforehand will help make your visit more engaging and educational.

The Unnatural History of Kāne‘ohe Bay
Moku o Lo‘e Herbarium
What’s inside the algae? Species ID Sheet
Algae Data Sheet
Algae Vocabulary Quiz
Excel Data Sheet with BioD
Teacher Key
Plankton Guide
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