Join Maine Master Naturalists for ecology exploration at Hidden Valley Nature Center!
Search for animal tracks in the snow, learn how Maine mammals move, and discover their hidden habitats. Venture to the pond to check out a beaver lodge and talk about the amazing adaptations of this busy builder. Bring your binoculars to focus on birds and learn to identify those you spy. Examine mosses and lichens of all kinds on rocks, trees, and the forest floor. Delve into the role mushrooms play in the balance of the forest, how they grow, and what kinds flourish locally. Venture to a vernal pool to explore what lies beneath the surface and the importance of these seasonal wetlands. Find a quiet spot under a special tree to sketch the bark or write the feelings of the forest.
Participants of all ages welcome so lace up your boots or grab the kids for a morning of engaging outdoor learning.
Each Saturday will offer a different topic to be explored in depth, led by a Maine Master Naturalist but guided by the interests of the group. The series runs from March 16th until December 21st.
A note to educators
There is immense value in getting students outside, even for short amounts of time, to explore the natural world. Research is continuing to show that taking kids outdoors benefits social-emotional learning and leads to greater focus when students return to the classroom. For many teachers, this may seem daunting for a plethora of reasons from short class blocks, behavioral concerns, ticks, access to trails, and the perceived difficulty of meeting learning goals in an unconventional setting. Teachers may also be new to learning about the ecology of their setting. This Naturalist Workshop Series is designed to help address the concerns and challenges of taking students outside and grow your comfort level facilitating class learning goals within and beyond the playground.
Each program will provide an opportunity to observe an educator teaching to a group of students. We will provide supplemental materials for teachers to bring back to school, content you can use with students, and time at the end to ask questions and brainstorm ways you can transfer the lesson to your school's unique setting.
We hope you will step outside with us and bring what you experience back to your schools!