Marine Debris 101 Educational Kits for Kids and Families

March 21, 2022 – On Saturday, March 12, students and families on the island of Kaua‘i kicked off Spring Break with Marine Debris 101 Educational Grab-and-Go Kits. Designed for both student and family learning by the Marine Debris Program, these educational kits provide a hands-on introduction to the marine debris issue. 

A marine debris booth at a convention.
Marine debris educational grab and go kits. Credit: NOAA.

The Office of National Marine Sanctuaries’ Kaua‘i Ocean Discovery has collaborated with various organizations to create and distribute educational kits to students, organized around a variety of environmental topics, since the start of the pandemic to supplement distance learning. The following questions guide the Marine Debris 101 learning experience: 


  • What is Marine Debris?

  • What Are the Impacts of Marine Debris?

  • What Can We Do About Marine Debris? 

250 kits, full of lessons, activities, workbooks, and bookmarks, were distributed across several locations throughout Kaua‘i communities. Digital accessibility is an important element in education, but physical materials are also imperative to the learning experience. The Marine Debris Program and OR&R team members from across the country contributed to making these kits possible through content creation, project support, supply procurement, printing, assembly, and shipping for a true one NOAA effort. 


Marine debris is a very large and serious problem, but through learning and taking action we can all work together to keep the sea free of debris!


For more information, please contact Shanelle.Naone@noaa.gov.

Last updated Tuesday, November 8, 2022 1:41pm PST