Early this year, NRCM accepted applications from Maine middle school educators across the state interested in incorporating more science learning projects into their classrooms. The goal of these projects is to engage students in the nature of Maine and provide them with opportunities to learn more by interacting with their local environment. NRCM chose eight… Continue Reading
science
Findings from the Alford Lake Survey by Hope Elementary Students
In May, the Hope Elementary School 7th graders conducted the fieldwork portion for their project funded by the Natural Resources Council of Maine. The students were extremely excited to finally get out into the field to survey Alford Lake for their investigation into aquatic invasive species. On this day we had special assistance from several parent… Continue Reading
Long Journeys for Conservation
In the Year of the Bird, as the Natural Resources Council of Maine joins other groups in celebrating 100 years since the signing of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, it is exciting to know that some of the biggest players in bird conservation today are not necessarily ones many bird enthusiasts know or recognize. A… Continue Reading
Lincolnville Students Prevent Pollution and Design Watershed Map
Lincolnville Central School seventh grade students have been studying our local watershed all year. We aimed to answer three questions: What is a watershed? How is a watershed important to our community? What animals do we think live in this area? We went outside and recorded our observations during art class and used them to… Continue Reading
Engagement and Challenges at Hope Elementary School’s 7th Grade Invasive Species Project
The last seven weeks at Hope Elementary School have been full of lesson plans and practical experiences to get the students prepared for their field study by the middle of May. Denise Blanchette, a biologist with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), has provided immense support to the project through her instructional visits to… Continue Reading
Science in the Woods—Creating an Outdoor Classroom
Forty Days in the Woods is a science program I designed at the Center for Teaching and Learning in Edgecomb, to engage K-8 children as citizen-scientists and future stewards of the environment through use of an outdoor learning center and curriculum. Students have conducted ecological, arboreal, and animal studies in collaboration with mentor scientists and… Continue Reading
Athens Community School Middle School Students Learn about Local Wildlife
At Athens Community School, we have a unique Friday afternoon program called Learning Power. In this mock community, students choose a group to join for the year where they learn and practice real-life skills. This year, my group is a 4-H Club. In 4-H, children “learn by doing” while applying life skills, strengthening the fundamentals… Continue Reading
Whistleblower Denounces Trump’s Failure to Tackle Climate Change
by Steve Collins, Staff Writer Sun Journal news story As the climate policy chief for the U.S. Department of the Interior, Falmouth native Joel Clement had his work cut out for him. For almost seven years, his job required him to come up with ways to deal with fast-changing conditions that threaten everything from national… Continue Reading
Hurrichange is Here: Denial in the Time of Accelerating Climate Change
“So there is a desire to advance this climate change agenda, and hurricanes are one of the fastest and best ways to do it. You can accomplish a lot just by creating fear and panic, you don’t need a hurricane to hit anywhere.” —Rush Limbaugh, 7 September, 2017, a day before he evacuated from… Continue Reading
