Happy Fall!
We hope you all are doing well as summer transitions into fall and the start of school. Staff at Blueberry Cove and Tanglewood have begun their "fall semester" working to support the safe and successful reopening of our local schools. Throughout the fall, the staff at Tanglewood and Blueberry Cove will work with four different schools at Camp, virtually, and on school grounds, to help create healthy learning experiences for students.
Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, our teams have found ways to safely get more kids outside. It is wonderf ul to hear children's voices and laughter in the woods and along the seaside again. We are grateful to be able to carry out this work and continue to serve our mission!
This pandemic has taught us a lot so far, most namely is the need for adaptability. Did we ever think we'd be teaching over a computer? No; however adapting our work allows us to expand our capacity to serve the people of Maine, and that's pretty exciting.
Over the next few months, we will share updates and ideas on Facebook and our website to inspire you all. Thank you for your continued support; we wouldn't be here without you!
|
|
UMaine 4-H Centers in the News
UMaine 4-H Centers partner with Maine K–12 schools to provide outdoor and STEM education for students
University of Maine Cooperative Extension’s 4-H Learning Centers will play a pivotal role in the education plans of K–12 schools in Maine communities this fall by providing venues for vibrant outdoor learning, and experiential STEM and outdoor education lessons that add depth to standard grade-level curriculum.
“Outdoor learning centers are playing a significant role in the reopening of schools across the country,” says Ryder Scott, state director of UMaine Extension 4-H Camps and Learning Centers. “With strong community relationships, program-ready facilities and talented education staff, the UMaine 4-H Centers are rapidly becoming leaders in partnerships between outdoor learning centers and public school districts in Maine.”
Read the full article.
|
|
Outdoor Learning Experiences Expand
by Brook Reilly
The University of Maine Cooperative Extension’s 4-H Learning Center programs are playing a key role in the lives of some children across the state this school year.
“Those programs are curriculum tied,” said Ryder Scott, state director of UMaine Cooperative Extension’s 4-H Camp and Learning Center. “They have an outdoor focus, typically a science and leadership development focus.”
This school year, UMaine is partnering with six school districts statewide to assist with and provide space for outdoor learning opportunities.
“We’re utilizing our facilities and our staff to support education during this time when it’s not necessarily so healthy for everyone to be inside together all day long,” said Jessica Decke, director of UMaine 4-H Center at Tanglewood Blueberry Cove.
See the video and read the full article.
|
|
A Recipe from Camp
Kale Chips
Ingredients:
Bunch of flat or curly-leaf kale washed with hard stems removed
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 375*F
Line cookie sheets with parchment paper for an easy cleanup
Dry the washed kale as best as possible.
Lay flat on cookie sheets, making sure pieces don't overlap (this takes up a lot of space).
Drizzle the kale with olive oil, spreading on the leaves so they are lightly coated.
Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
Bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes until crispy and not overly browned.
|
|
|
|
Try It!
Meet-a-tree
With a member of your household, select a leader and a meeter. The meeter will close their eyes, and the leader will lead them to a nearby tree, shrub, or plant. To make this more challenging, the leader might choose to take the meeter on an indirect path to their tree.
When the meeter gets to their tree, they use their senses (except sight & taste) to "meet" their tree. They might feel the bark, listen to the sound of its leaves in the wind, smell its branches... When they are finished, the leader brings them back to the starting point and they open their eyes.
The meeter must find their tree! They may have to go back and sample nearby trees using their senses to correctly identify theirs. Switch roles.
What advice would you give to a leader in this activity?
What is it like to be lead by another person without using your sense of sight?
How do you know when you truly trust someone?
Check out our Facebook page to see Tanglewood staff demonstrating this activity and the Educational Resources page on our website for additional activities you can try at home!
|
|
|
|
Alumni Memories:
To see alumni memories or submit your own memory, visit the alumni page on our website!
|
|
|
Support Us!
Visit our website to see ways you can support our programs! |
|
|
|
|
|
The University of Maine is an EEO/AA employer, and does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender expression, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, genetic information or veteran’s status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Director of Equal Opportunity, 101 North Stevens Hall, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5754, 207.581.1226, TTY 711 (Maine Relay System).
|
|
|
|
|
