Here are a few of our favorite resources:
Fifth graders at the Sebago Elementary School created this Mushroom Guide
Wishtree by Katherine Applegate is an great read for ecology and social science, told from the point of view of an old red oak. Check out the book trailer to see if it speaks to you. For more info, here is a teaching guide and activities to the story.
Picture leaf guide created by 5th graders at Sebago Elementary. Project Budburst about plants and the changing of seasons.
LEA’s tree coloring pages (all ages; color pages, go outside and find the leaf buds, seeds, and the leaves to match pictures)
Leaves in the forest (for younger elementary students learning about fall)
Nature Journaling guide with tips, prompts, and more resources to get you and your students started with a few simple tools (journal, paper, colored pencils/ watercolors, and time).
Gulf of Maine Research Institute – Findings from the Field – Students from around the state contribute articles from their ecology investigations, go through a peer-reviewed process, and are published in the journal.
The Gulf of Maine Research Institute – resources for teachers and home-school families
Of Pools and People is an incredible online resource with videos and tutorials about vernal pools, including a vernal pool comic, song, and coloring book for younger students.
The Secret Pool read aloud video – a children’s story about vernal pools.
Frog and Salamander Egg Mass Identification Video for kids. Video from Greater Lovell Land Trust for older kids and adults.
Mount Washington Observatory has worksheets and activities exploring various aspects of weather, and previously recorded videos are linked on their website.
Do It Yourself Lake Science from Lawrence Hall of Science
Crafts, snacks, and activities for younger kiddos to get them outside
Forest inventory growth plot – great for homeschool students. We have materials you can borrow to measure and identify trees. Contact emlyn@mainelakes.org for more information.
Nature’s Notebook and Signs of the Seasons from the University of Maine are great ways to engage in Phenology.
iMap Invasives is a citizen science tool to document the spread of invasive species across Maine and the rest of the United States.
Please reach out to us at LEA to access nature books, borrow materials like microscopes, and discuss teaching ideas.
