Merge EDU Brings Elementary Science to Life

Science in elementary school can be full of wonder—but it can also be abstract. Students are asked to imagine ecosystems, cellular structures, planets, or the water cycle, and traditional textbooks or diagrams often fall short of making these concepts tangible and understandable. That’s where Merge EDU apps come in, transforming elementary science classrooms into immersive, hands-on learning environments.

Touch, Hold, and Explore Science

At the core of Merge EDU is the Merge Cube—a small foam cube that becomes a portal to digital 3D objects when paired with an iPad, Chromebook, or other compatible device. Through the Merge Cube, students can hold and manipulate virtual fossils, explore planets, or dissect a frog (humanely!)—all in the palm of their hand. But the real power comes from the apps that bring these experiences to life:

• Merge Explorer: Over 100 interactive STEM and science simulations and experiments let students investigate plant cells, examine sharks, or hold the solar system in their hands. Concepts that once felt distant or abstract become interactive experiences.
• Merge Object Viewer: With access to over 1,000 digital teaching aids, students can explore various rocks, minerals, life cycles, and anatomy and so much more. Teachers can even upload custom 3D models, tailoring lessons to local ecosystems or classroom projects.
• Merge HoloGlobe: Earth science comes alive with real NASA and NOAA satellite data! Students can track weather patterns, watch global climate events, or explore the planet from any angle.

These apps work together to provide multisensory learning experiences, engaging visual, auditory, and tactile senses, and helping students understand and internalize complex ideas.

Curriculum-Ready and Standards-Aligned

Merge EDU is built to complement elementary science standards. Each app offers content aligned to K–5 NGSS and US state science standards, making it easy for teachers to integrate AR experiences into existing lesson plans. Activity plans guide teachers step-by-step, so students can explore independently while learning core science concepts.

For example, a unit on ecosystems can incorporate:

• Viewing and interacting with digital 3D models of  plants and animals
• Simulating food chains and predator-prey relationships in Merge Explorer
• Observing real-time Earth data in HoloGlobe to understand weather impacts

By turning abstract concepts into concrete experiences, Merge EDU helps students retain knowledge while sparking curiosity and wonder.

A Merge Cube Study: Embodied Learning of Science Concepts Through Augmented Reality Technology

The study’s findings clearly indicate that incorporating AR into science education through embodied learning can substantially enhance student engagement, understanding, and collaboration.

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Encouraging Creativity and Critical Thinking

Merge EDU apps encourage students to think like scientists, questioning, exploring and discovering. Students can even 3D scan real-world objects, upload and edit models with Merge Creator, and present their findings using augmented reality. This hands-on approach encourages problem-solving, collaboration, and creativity, preparing students for future STEM challenges.

A Future-Ready Classroom

Introducing Merge EDU into elementary classrooms can also help students develop the skills they’ll need in tomorrow’s world. Spatial reasoning, digital literacy, communication, and collaboration become part of everyday learning. Students don’t just memorize facts—they interact with them, test hypotheses, discuss with each other, and see results in real time.

5 Ways to add Hands-on Learning with Merge Cube + NGSS to Your Science Classroom

By combining the Merge Cube with NGSS-aligned Merge EDU activities, you can transform your science classroom into an immersive, hands-on learning environment.

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Bringing Science to Every Student

The beauty of Merge EDU is that it makes science accessible, engaging, and joyful. Whether a student is at the front of the class or exploring at home, the apps provide consistent, high-quality learning experiences that reach every learner. Teachers gain a flexible set of tools for differentiated instruction, while students enjoy an active, immersive classroom.

Transform Your Classroom Today

With Merge EDU, elementary science learning goes beyond textbooks. Students touch, hold, and explore scientific concepts in ways that spark curiosity and inspire learning. From the smallest cell to the vast solar system, the Merge suite brings the wonders of science to life, one hand-held digital experience at a time.

Explore the full suite of Merge EDU apps by signing up for the free trial at trymerge.com, and discover how your classroom can become a hub of interactive, future-ready science learning.