Waves of Innovation - Ocean Engineering STEM Kit

Where buoyancy meets bravery, and ancient science meets the classroom.

The Waves of Innovation Ocean Engineering STEM Kit is a complete, everything-included activity kit that brings together physics, engineering, and Pacific Islander heritage in a single hands-on experience.

Students explore the real science of buoyancy, stability, and wind propulsion by building a model outrigger canoe — the same design that Polynesian navigators used to sail thousands of miles across the open Pacific without GPS, maps, or compasses. They float-test their canoe, load it with cargo, adjust their ballast, and sail it with wind force — using the same engineering principles perfected over centuries by some of history's greatest ocean navigators.

This kit is part of the TP Designs STEM + Culture series — because representation in STEM starts with what we build, what we celebrate, and whose stories we tell.

What's Included

Every kit includes: 

• Foam hull base 

• 2 bamboo outrigger arms

• Foam outrigger float

• Plastic sail

• Wooden mast dowel

• Rubber bands + metal binder clips

• Ballast block

• Ruler

• Twine

• Waterproof marker

• Student worksheet

• AAPI Culture Card 

• Resealable poly bag 

Note: A small plastic basin or storage tub (for float testing) is the only additional item needed.

Who It's For

 kit was built for parents, after-school programs, enrichment providers, and educators who want to go beyond the worksheet — programs that believe every student deserves STEM that reflects who they are. 

Ideal for:

•       After-school and out-of-school time (OST) programs

•       Elementary and middle school classrooms (Grades 2–8)

-•       AAPI Heritage Month celebrations (May)

•       STEM nights, science fairs, and family engagement events

•       Library programs, community centers, and youth organizations

Age range: 7–14 years (two built-in learning levels for Grades 2–5 (Explorer) and Grades 6–8 (Navigator))

Time to complete: 60–90 minutes

Facilitator Guide Add On -$10

STEM Skills

One kit. Five disciplines.

 🔬  Science — buoyancy, Archimedes' Principle, surface tension

🏗  Engineering — outrigger design, hull stability, cargo load testing

⚓  Physics — wind force, sail mechanics, center of gravity

📐  Math — ratio, proportion, displacement volume, load efficiency

🌏  Social Studies / Culture — Pacific Islander wayfinding, Mau Piailug, Hōkūle'a

Supports Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) alignment for grades 2–8. 

Hōkūle'a = Star of Gladness (in Hawaiian) 

Educational & Cultural STEM Engineering Kit for Kids & Teens

NOTE: ADULT SUPERVISION RECOMMENDED FOR ALL ACTIVITIES IN THIS KIT