MarineLab Environmental Education Center

05/29/2026

Creature Feature 🦈
Meet the Caribbean reef shark!

These sharks are often seen around coral reefs in the Florida Keys, usually cruising through the water or hanging near the bottom. Their streamlined shape helps them move quickly and efficiently through the reef.

They feed on fish, squid, and other marine animals, playing an important role in keeping reef ecosystems balanced.

While they might look intimidating, they’re typically not interested in people and tend to keep their distance. And if one makes an appearance on a field trip, it usually ends up being everyone’s favorite part of the day 🤩

What creature should we feature next? 👀

05/27/2026

Work bestie requirements:
🤿 Loves marine science
🤿 Likes working outside
🤿 Can spend a lot of time on the water
🤿 Enjoys teaching students
🤿 Thinks plankton is cool

We’re hiring Marine Science Instructors for the 2026-2027 season in Key Largo, FL!

You’ll help lead student groups through field-based marine science experiences in the water, on boats, in the classroom, and in the lab 😎🔬🚤


Apply now at the link in our bio or marinelab.org/instructor 🌊

05/26/2026

Spoiler alert: it involves snorkels, field observations, lab activities, and a whole lot of exploring the Florida Keys ecosystem 😎🤿

Here at MarineLab, students connect classroom lessons to real marine habitats through programs designed to make marine science engaging, memorable, and easy to understand.

Ready to bring your students to the Florida Keys? Send us a message to learn more about our programs📲

05/26/2026

05/22/2026

The only thing both teams agree on is that lettuce sea slugs are wildly underrated 😎

05/22/2026

Our hearts are full 💙
A few weeks ago, after their visit, Anna and Jordana chose to donate $5 to support our programs.
It meant a lot to our team, and it stayed with us.

It got us thinking…
What could happen if more people did the same?

This May, we started something simple: our High Five for Marine Science Challenge🫸🫷
So we’re inviting our community to be part of this by giving $5, and we’ll match every single donation that comes in.

We’re already at $425, and we’re so grateful. It’s been really special to see this grow from that one thoughtful gesture.

Join us by giving $5 through the link below. It truly means a lot 💙
👉 https://givebutter.com/5-in-may-jxw6sv

05/21/2026

We had such a great time at STEAMapalooza this weekend! 🌊🔬

It was awesome getting to meet so many Girl Scouts and families while sharing a little bit of marine science and what makes the Florida Keys ecosystem so unique. The energy around our plankton races all day was so much fun, and it was great getting to mix marine science with a little friendly competition!

Thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth and to the organizers for putting together such a great event. We always love opportunities like this to bring marine science beyond the classroom and connect with the community 💙

Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida
Museum of Discovery and Science

05/20/2026

Want to spend your days on the water teaching marine science in the Florida Keys? 🌊🐠⚓️

We’re hiring Marine Science Instructors to join our team in Key Largo, FL, for the 2026–2027 season. You’ll play a key role in leading student groups through field-based marine science experiences in the water, in the classroom, and out in the field. One day might include teaching fish identification, leading a coral reef snorkel, running an evening plankton tow, or helping students explore mangrove ecosystems from the boat!

In this role, you’ll:
🤿 Lead snorkeling field trips in seagrass, mangrove, and coral reef habitats
🤿 Teach marine science lessons and hands-on evening labs
🤿 Serve as crew aboard Coast Guard-inspected vessels
🤿 Supervise and lifeguard student groups in and out of the water
🤿 Help maintain boats, snorkel gear, labs, and educational equipment
🤿 Work with 5th-grade through high school students from around the country

📅 This position runs from August 26, 2026 to August 10, 2027
🎓 Includes paid training + American Red Cross Lifeguard Certification
🏠 Shared staff housing provided
⚓ Opportunity to gain experience aboard our education vessels
💲$550/week stipend

If you’re passionate about marine science, education, and working outdoors, we’d love to hear from you! 🤩

🔗 Apply now at marinelab.org/instructor

05/19/2026

Top 5 horror movies MarineLab edition 🎥🫣😅

05/18/2026

Marathon High School traded the classroom for the reef 🌊🪸

Students spent the day snorkeling the coral reef and getting a closer look at the ecosystem they’ve been learning about in class. Along the way, they practiced identifying reef fish, talked about why coral reefs are so important in the Florida Keys, and got to see firsthand how much life depends on a healthy reef system.

This trip was made possible through our Saltwater Superheroes Fund, helping local students experience marine science out on the water at no cost to their school 💙