Where curiosity meets critical thinking
Xplorlabs is designed to combat the curiosity cliff — that age when students lose their passion for learning science. Xplorlabs reignites students’ passion for learning with resources built by educators for classrooms and communities.
What is Xplorlabs?
Designed to inspire and engage the future of safety science
Our education and safety science research teams designed Xplorlabs to encourage students to solve through science. It is especially focused on engaging middle-school students to encourage their continued interest in science at the critical juncture when students develop scientific identity.
Through a blended model of high-quality online interactive activities, videos, instructional experiences, hands-on classroom investigations, and creative classroom challenges, the Xplorlabs platform is a free, STEM-focused experience that creates interesting opportunities and STEM resources that create engagement, skills, knowledge, and action in the science of safety.
Problem-based and phenomena-driven learning engages students. Inquiry-driven instruction encourages students to investigate real-world phenomena relevant to their lives and solve problems the same way scientists and engineers do.
Students develop the skills to ask questions that drive learning, develop investigations, and explore those questions, then engineer solutions to problems in safety and sustainability.
Xplorlabs materials are reliable and valid content based on trusted research emerging from UL Research Institutes, tied to key science concepts that students need to know, and contextualized within students’ experiences.
Educational resources build students’ agency and motivation to explore careers and engineer solutions that have an impact on safety science.
And that’s not all. Expect new capabilities and prepare to investigate new topics as Xplorlabs continues to evolve and expand.
What is safety science?
Safety science is the study of how to keep people, environments and things safe. Safety science empowers students to engineer solutions in their own communities and pursue careers that spark their curiosity about making the world a safer place.
Meet our team
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Xporlabs is built by educators whose passion is to build resources to help support other educators through the development of high quality, free science resources.
How is Xplorlabs being used?
Frequently Asked Questions
Teaching Xplorlabs
How should I teach an Xplorlabs pathway?
Xplorlabs creates learning pathways initiated by a phenomenon and generating a trail of inquiry using a series of driving questions. Engaging phenomena include lithium-ion battery fires in e-scooters and hoverboards in the Science of Thermal Runaway, e-waste as a global safety issue in the Science of Extraction to E-waste, and creating a claim based on evidence and reasoning to solve a fire mystery in The Science of Fire Forensics. The pathways are designed to complement classroom curriculum related to science, engineering, and technology and to be relevant to education settings outside of schools. The Resource Library contains interactive videos, online experiences, classroom activities, or challenges – that can be done independently of one another and in any order.
How does this look in a classroom setting?
Teachers and educators know what is needed in their classrooms. The pathways, the Science of Thermal Runaway, the Science of Extraction to E-waste, and the Science of Fire Forensics, are narrative storylines that combine individual assets to fully explore the science and impacts of a phenomenon. The asset library allows teachers and students to pick which individual asset(s) they want to explore. This flexibility of the resources allows teachers to build the experience they want for their students. Check out our teacher testimonials to hear how Xplorlabs is being implemented in classrooms across the country.
Do these educational materials meet Next Generation Science Standards?
Yes, every Xplorlabs pathway was carefully created to align with NGSS, including crosscutting concepts, application of science and engineering practices and attention to disciplinary core ideas. The landing page for each module lists the specific standards covered.
The website looks different. Are the old materials still available?
Yes! We have updated Xplorlabs to be an even more flexible resource. You can access all of the Xplorlabs resources you know and love here – the website just looks a little different. With the updated look comes additional features. You can now directly link to specific educational assets and pages within our pathways. This allows more flexible use of the content.
Xplorlabs Content
Will additional modules be added over time?
Yes! As Xplorlabs continues to develop, new topics, modules, resources, and capabilities will be added. Emerging phenomena in safety science also drive the science explored at UL Research Institutes and ultimately inform our Xplorlabs resources. Sign up for email updates at the bottom of this page to stay informed.
Do I have to do the entire module with my students?
No, the pathways are modular. Educators and students can choose to explore Xplorlabs resources at the pathway, driving question, or from the Resource Library.
Can my students do this independently?
Yes, the interactive videos and simulations can be done independently or as a class. Many of the hands-on investigations are structured so that students can work in small groups.
Safety Science
Where does the science in Xplorlabs come from?
Xplorlabs uses the knowledge derived from UL Research Institutes to build Xplorlabs learning materials for secondary students and educators. Learn more about UL Research Institutes and our work.
How can I learn and teach more about the science of safety?
Please explore our Future of Safety Science webinar series to learn more about opportunities in safety science such as anti-counterfeiting, autonomous vehicles, data science, careers, and young professionals.
How do I partner with fire safety professionals in my community?
Xplorlabs recognizes the importance of building relationships in the community. We are proud of the opportunity that The Science of Fire Forensics provides for educators and fire experts to collaborate on educating students. Local fire departments often have a Community Risk Reduction division composed of fire safety educators. This is a great way to start engaging with your local fire department. You can also explore this webinar discussing how Cobb County School District and Cobb County Fire and Emergency Services forged their partnership. We also encourage partnerships with other community members. Consider other professionals who have expertise about the problems explored in Xplorlabs pathways.
Still have questions? Get in touch with our team for more in-depth information
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UL Research Institutes is a leading independent safety science organization with global reach that is committed to building a safer, more sustainable world.