On March 31st, the Brewer Community School science classes held an open house so that parents and community members could learn more about the Maple Project. The Mobile Sugar Shack was on full display and people were able to go inside and see how sap becomes syrup. Several enthusiastic students waited inside to explain the Read More
Students Engaging in the Nature of Maine
Many middle school classrooms and programs across the state were awarded “Engaging Maine Middle School Students in the Nature of Maine” grants from the Natural Resources Council of Maine. Hear from the students and teachers about their creative and exciting projects designed to explore, understand, and protect Maine's environment.
Northport Students Study Aquaponics
What is Aquaponics? Aquaponics is a form of farming in which plants receive nutrients from fish waste in a symbiotic relationship, decontaminating the water. The fish produce waste, and plants use that waste for nutrients to grow. This creates a cycle, with the fish eating, the plants purifying the water, and us, the farmers, harvesting Read More
Tapping Students’ Interest in Maple Trees in Brewer
The Brewer School’s Community Maple Project has been busy over the last year. In the spring of 2016, we planted sugar maple saplings in our 10-acre forest. Currently our sugarbush is dominant and emerging is a class of red maple. In the long run it would be good to have some sugar maple to replace Read More
Students Reopen Deer Isle Stonington School’s Nature Trail
The seventh and eighth graders at Deer Isle Stonington Elementary School were busy in the fall of 2016 reopening the school’s Nature Trail, which had been closed for 12 years. The students carried science from the classroom and applied it to collecting and analyzing data, identifying native species, and learning about the relationships between the Read More
Engaging Future Generations of Nature Guardians
As Mainers, we are fortunate to live in such a beautiful state. Maine offers endless outdoor landscapes on the coast, in the mountains, and anywhere in between for us to explore and enjoy. With such an abundance of natural beauty, it becomes easy to take it for granted. More and more, state and local governments Read More
NRCM Awards 2017 Middle School Grants
Happy 2017! The New Year brings an exciting opportunity to eight middle school classrooms in Maine to utilize grants awarded to them by the Natural Resources Council of Maine. The purpose of these grants is to aid classrooms in teaching and creating enthusiasm amongst students about Maine’s environment and how to protect it. Each school Read More
“Think About It!” Freeport Interact Club Starts School-wide Recycling Program
On our final school visit, Gabby Grunkemeyer and I headed to Freeport Middle School’s “Interact Club” meeting to hear about their NRCM grant project designing and implementing a school-wide recycling system. As we entered the school, we were greeted by teacher and club leader Lucy Lloyd and a lively group of middle schoolers eager to Read More
A Day of School Visits with NRCM!
On June 6th, three NRCM staff members took a trip to Windham and Gorham middle schools to get the inside scoop on how their “Engaging Maine Middle School Students in Protecting the Nature of Maine” grant projects are shaping up. NRCM staffers had a fantastic time this Monday as we visited Windham and Gorham middle Read More
Camden-Rockport Middle Schoolers Study Maine Organisms
Seventh grade Camden-Rockport Middle School teacher Patty Crawford inspires her students one science experiment at a time. Whether it’s filling tomatoes with eggs through osmosis, constructing worm composting bins, sketching natural area as they change through the seasons, or releasing classroom-raised salmon, the students are engaged in hands-on learning that they are not likely to Read More
