Ocean Commotion

Exhibitor Information

Join us for Ocean Commotion at LSU’s Pete Maravich Assembly Center. This will be a day to share knowledge about our coast and environment with Louisiana K-8 students. The event runs from 7 am –3 pm (including set-up and tear-down). Students will come in two waves: middle school in the morning, elementary in the afternoon. Parking, lunch, and a t-shirt are included.

Register your exhibit: More Information Coming Fall 2026!

We hope to see you this fall!

For exhibitor related questions about Ocean Commotion, contact Vanessa van Heerden at vanheerden1@lsu.edu .

2025 Ocean Commotion Exhibitors

Save the Swamp!
Tulane University Center for K-12 STEM Education
https://sse.tulane.edu/k12-stem
In this board game, players become protectors of the wetlands! Students draw cards that highlights either a way to help wetlands thrives like planting marsh grasses or reducing pollution or a factor that harms wetlands, such as littering or invasive species. The first player to reach the finish line has successfully navigated the challenges and has saved the swamp!

Aquifers
Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality
https://www.deq.louisiana.gov/
Learn where your water comes from, why it is important to protect it and how you can protect it.

Walnut Bayou
Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality
https://www.deq.louisiana.gov/
Walnut Bayou is a model that showcases fluvial geomorphology processes of a flowing water body. Using a water pump for circulation and crushed walnut shells as a substrate, it demonstrates the ability of moving water to transport and deposit sediment in a dynamic environment such as a river or stream. We discuss environmental and other stressors that impact the quality of water and movement.

Web of Life
Baton Rouge Zoo
www.brzoo.org
This exhibit will showcase biofacts and live animals used to demonstrate food chains and webs.

Westdale Middle Aquaponics
Westdale Middle Aquaponics
www.westdalemiddle.org
Dive into Aquaponics: Hands-on activities introducing STEM into the classroom.

To the Stratosphere, Louisiana From 100,000 FT
Louisiana Space Grant
Every year student teams from Lousiana colleges design experiments and launch them to 100,000 ft as part of the LaACES program. Come learn about scientific ballooning in Louisiana.

Swamp in the Heart of the City
BREC’s Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center
brec.org/swamp
Live animal encounters (snakes, turtles, baby alligators) along with touchable artifacts from the Swamp.

Something’s Fishy!
LA Department of Wildlife & Fisheries
https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/
Practice your fish identification skills by looking at REAL, native Louisiana fish!

Pipeline Pressure Challenge
LA STEM
https://capitalareastem.org/
Interactive demonstration that simulates the design, assembly, and testing of a miniature pipeline system. Using clear tubing, connectors, and syringes to simulate pressure, students will experiment with how fluid moves through a system, how leaks occur, and how to build more efficient and reliable designs.

Step Into the Storm: A Virtual Hurricane Experience
Coupled ocean Modeling Group at LSU
https://faculty.lsu.edu/zxue/ and https://flood.lsu.edu
Imagine putting on special VR goggles and suddenly standing in the middle of a city during a huge storm. You can feel the wind blowing harder, hear the roar of the storm, and watch the water rising as a hurricane moves in. This safe, virtual adventure helps students understand what hurricanes are really like and why it’s so important to be ready.

Louisiana Art & Science Museum: Under Pressure
Louisiana Art and Science Museum
https://www.lasm.org/
Explore fossil samples, pressure changes, and vacuum chamber experiments with LASM as we explore being Under Pressure.

Louisiana’s Wildlife
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries – Wildlife
Come learn about how we work to protect and manage Louisiana’s wildlife, including alligators, Louisiana black bears, and whooping cranes.

International Crane Foundation: Whooping Cranes
International Crane Foundation
https://savingcranes.org/
Our exhibit will be centered around one of Louisiana’s endangered species: the Whooping Crane. You will have the chance to learn about the important habitats to Whooping Cranes, discover the many food items that they enjoy, and see how tall you are compared to a Whooping Crane.

Exploring the Estuary and the Importance of Water Quality
Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program (BTNEP)
Water is at the heart of the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary, the 16-parish region between the Atchafalaya and Mississippi Rivers. Learn about the importance of water quality on habitat, wildlife, and people through an interactive exhibit.

Fight The Bite
East Baton Rouge Parish Mosquito Abatement and Rodent Control
Learn about the ways we control mosquitos and how you can help.

Losing Ground
Louisiana 4-H Youth Wetlands Program
https://www.lsuagcenter.com/topics/kids_teens/projects/ywp
Students will learn about the phenomenon of subsidence and its impact on coastal Louisiana through an engaging, hands-on activity led by the 4-H Wetland Ambassadors.

What Bees See!
LSU EnvironMentors Program
https://www.laseagrant.org/environmentors
Bees and other pollinators don’t see colors the way that we do. Put on your very own goggles, become a bee, and try to find the correct flower in this interactive expereince.

Touch Boxes
LSU EnvironMentors Program
https://www.laseagrant.org/environmentors
Explore and identify native and nonnative plant and animal species in Louisiana through this interactive activity.

Amazing Marine Mammals!
LSU EnvironMentors Program
https://www.laseagrant.org/environmentors
Learn how different types of whales eat and what they eat!

Can there be life on Mars?
Park Forest Middle Magnet School
This exhibit models channels that were found on Mars that may have shown signs of water (which means life!) After replicating these channels, step into the future with our 8th grade students and experience their vision in virtual reality of their design for a possible colony on Mars.

Water Filtration
Engineering Development Ambassadors
We will be explaining water filtration with a demonstration, explaining where our drinking water comes from and why water filtration is important.

Louisiana Freshwater Sponges
LUMCON/BRCC/UNO
http://www.laspongehunters.com
Come learn about Louisiana’s freshwater sponges! Most people don’t know much about sponges, but they are amazing animals that help keep our waterways clean.

Riding the 3D Wave
AGGRC
www.AGGRC.com
Explore how 3D printing can be used to design innovative tools and devices that support science, conservation, and education. From ocean-inspired models to real-world engineering applications, see how additive manufacturing helps shape the future of aquatic research.

Planting the Future
St. Scholastica Academy
Make a mini-composting bin and a “flowering necklace” made from a seed. Once the seed sprouts, plant it in the mini compost bin and watch your plant grow!

One fish, Two Fish, Blue fish, Plastic fish
St. Scholastica Academy
Practice catching (fake) fish in a sea of plastic pollution and learn about the effects of plastic pollution on marine life and ways to prevent it and to clean it up.

Crabs, Drills, and Thrills: Oyster Predators
Louisiana Sea Grant
Students will learn about the predators of oysters, including crabs and oyster drills. Live animals and a match card game will be available for students to see.

WHOOO’S In Your Backyard at Night?
Westdale Heights Academic Magnet
https://westdaleheights.weebly.com/
Our exhibit will introduce your students to the native animals living in their backyards. Students will learn about the special adaptations that help these animals survive in the wild and what to do if they encounter an injured or orphaned animal.

Roots to the Rescue
Dogwood Alliance
https://dogwoodalliance.org/
Students will discover how trees act as natural flood fighters in Louisiana by absorbing water, while comparing how plants soak up water versus how hard surfaces like concrete do not.

Don’t Get Foiled
Society of Peer Mentors
Students will design and build a foil boat, aiming to see how much weight it will hold before sinking.

Flood Fighter Challenge: Protecting a Home from Flood Water
Louisiana State University Agricultural Center – LaHouse Research & Education Center
https://www.lsuagcenter.com/topics/family_home/home/lahouse
Students will get an in-depth look at flooding and experiment with a flood barrier STEM challenge.

Discovery Hall Programs touch table!
Discovery Hall Programs – Dauphin Island Sea Lab
https://www.disl.edu/dhp/
Our exhibit is an assortment of wet and dry preserved marine specimens for the students to see, touch, and learn about!

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: Find Your Wild!
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service / Southeast Louisiana National Wildlife Refuges Complex
www.fws.gov/refuge/big-branch-marsh/
Explore the various habitats found in SE Louisiana – from the beaches of Breton National Wildlife Refuge in the heart of the Gulf, to the swamp basins of Atchafalaya and the pine savannahs of Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge. Wild places are where we find our true nature – #FindYourWild

Shrimping with MissDelta
MissDelta Initiative
missdelta.org
Our exhibit will have a fun activity for kids to explore ” tragedy of the commons” and talk about the importance of coastal wetlands.

Alligators are Thriving in Louisiana
Louisiana Alligator Farmers and Ranchers Association
Learn about one of Louisiana’s greatest conservation success stories: the American Alligator. See how conservation biology can include many different partners.

Atmosphere Academy
Coastal Meteorology Lab
https://faculty.lsu.edu/paulmiller/comet_lab.php
See and experience wild weather first-hand, while learning about nature’s most hazardous hazards.

Chemical Movement and Community Impacts
Coast and Environment Graduate Organization (CEGO)
We will show students how chemicals move in the environment and where they eventually end up. Based on different fates, students will learn what kinds of organisms are in those habitats and can be impacted by chemicals.

Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority
Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority
coastal.la.gov
Learn more about the work being led by the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority along Louisiana’s coast. Meet members of the 2029 Coastal Master Plan team to discuss plans for the future of our coast!

Love your Waterways with Keep Louisiana Beautiful
Keep Louisiana Beautiful
keeplouisianabeautiful.org
Our table will feature a fun magnet “fishing” game where students try to avoid litter while fishing, alongside an interactive board where they can share what they love to do on the water and their hopes for the future of Louisiana’s waterways.

Wetland Watchers
Wetland Watchers
https://hurst.wearescpps.org/extracurricular/wetland-watchers-clone
Wetland Watchers is a nationally recognized service-learning initiative at Hurst Middle that engages students in hands-on wetland conservation through field trips, community events, and outreach. Interact with live animals at our booth.

Wetland and Aquatic Biogeochemistry Lab, LSU
Coastal Wetlands and Carbon Cycling
https://faculty.lsu.edu/whitelab/index.php
Wetlands provide many benefits to humans and to the environment, including carbon storage and nutrient cycling. We will teach the students about the environmental and human benefits by highlighting how carbon and other nutrients cycle in a wetland.

USCG Auxiliary
USCG Auxiliary
We promote protecting our wetlands. Our interactive Trash Game will be at our display for testing the students knowledge of the time it takes everyday items to disintegrate.

Go With The Flow
Louisiana Sea Grant
laseagrant.org
Learn how commercial shrimpers use gear to reduce unwanted catch.

Shrimp Catch Sorting
Louisiana Sea Grant
laseagrant.org
Sort catch just like a commercial shrimper does on deck!

LSU Coastal Roots Program
LSU School of Education
https://www.lsu.edu/coastalroots/
Plant seeds to help restore the Louisiana coastal forests.

Delta and river table
Department of Oceanography and Coastal Science – Mariotti’s Lab
https://www.lsu.edu/cce/academics/graduate/docs/index.php
Using a large delta table, students will see how rivers and deltas work, how water and sediment move, and how land is formed and destroyed. You might get wet and dirty, if you choose to.

Circuit Challenge
Louisiana Department of Energy and Natural Resources
www.dnr.louisiana.gov
How much energy can you create? Hop on our generator bike and put your power to the test! As you pedal, you’ll light up a towering 10-foot LED panel that fills with vibrant rainbow colors. Reach the top, and you’ll trigger a dazzling fireworks-style light show! A live display tracks your wattage, so push your limits, see your power in action, and compete for a prize!

Voyage of the Blue Crab
Louisiana Sea Grant
Explore the different life cycle stages of the blue crab as it moves through the Louisiana marshes. See if you can help the crab complete its life cycle.

Aquatic Invertebrates of Southern Louisiana
Jean Lafitte Historical Park and Preserve
Explore the diversity of aquatic invertebrates from Southern Louisiana waterways! Students can assess water pollution based on the species present.

From Trees to Shining Seas: And Everything In Between
LSU AgCenter
Celebrate Louisiana’s wild spaces from forest to coast! Create leaf rubbings using real laminated native leaves while learning fun forestry facts. Explore how trees, wildlife, and watersheds help protect our Gulf Coast and beyond, all the way to our shining seas.

Sowing Green from Land to Sea: Blast into Botany
4-H STEM Board
Create clay seed bombs using lavender and chamomile. Discover how native plants and pollinators help protect soil, reduce runoff, and support ecosystems that stretch from backyard gardens to Louisiana’s shining seas.

Water and Weather
NOAA/National Weather Service
weather.gov
Learn about the atmosphere and the environment with a hands-on tornado simulator, a hurricane toss game, and a river hydrology model.

Marine Mammals and Sea Turtles in Louisiana
Audubon Aquarium Rescue
https://audubonnatureinstitute.org/audubon-aquarium-rescue
Learn about marine mammals and sea turtles found in Louisiana waters

Sustainable Seafoodies
Gulf United for Lasting Fisheries (Audubon GULF) – Audubon Aquarium
https://audubongulf.org
Learn all about the seafood we have in the Gulf and how you can be a seafood hero by supporting sustainable fisheries!

Growth of a River Delta
Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, LSU
Have you ever wondered how rivers create land in along the coast? The very ground we stand on was built by a river delta thousands of years ago. This eexhibit will explore how river deltas like the Mississippi River Delta are built and how they change over time.

Freshwater Mussels of Louisiana
Fish and Mussel Ecology Lab, Louisiana State University
We will have information, games, and activities to teach participants about what a freshwater mussel is, their unique lifecycle, and conservation in Louisiana!

Marine Fish of Louisiana
Fish Ecology and Ecosystem Dynamics Lab
We will have 2 juvenile bull sharks and an assortment of inshore fish (i.e. redfish, sheepshead, speckled trout) to introduce students to native marine fish of Louisiana.

Shark Senses
Fish Ecology and Ecosystem Dynamics Lab
Is smell a shark’s best sense? Come test your knowledge on all the shark’s senses and learn which work at close range and which are long-range.

U.S. Coast Guard Helicopter
U.S. Coast Guard
www.cscg.mil
Climb aboard one of the U.S. Coast Guard’s helicopters, see the equipment used on assignments, and learn about procedures for rescues at sea.

Jr Angler Fishing – Casting Game
National Park Service – Jean Lafitte Historical Park and Preserve
Learn how to cast a fishing line, trying to catch the “big one!”

Louisiana Coastal Wetlands Protection
Coastal Wetland Planning, Protection, and Restoration Act (CWPPRA)
www.lacoast.gov
Students will learn about Louisiana’s coastal wetlands through gameplay including wetlands trivia, animal-habitat matching, and land change pattern recognition.