Maine just celebrated 200 years. Today's lessons are all about Maine.
Elementary(ish) Age
- Listen to Chris Van Dusen read his story, The Circus Ship on YouTube.
- Chris Van Dusen is a Maine author. Read more about him HERE.
- Count to 200 using cheerios or beans or other small items.
- Draw the numbers 200 on a piece of paper or cardboard for your child – big and puffy. Have your child glue the cheerios or beans onto the numbers. To work on fine motor skills, have them use a Q-tip to dip the glue and dot it. (Controls mess when using white glue.)
- Learn about the Maine State Symbols. Color this page at Crayola.
- Watch this video on chickadees. Then go outside. Can you hear any? Can you see any? How many can you see? How many do you hear?
- Make a bird feeder. Gather pinecones while you are outside looking for chickadees. Smear them with peanut butter. Roll them in birdseed. Hang on trees. More detailed directions can be found HERE. (Be sure to observe the birds that come to eat! Keep a log and work to identify them.)
- The Maine State Tree is the White Pine. Can you find any where you live? Take some paper and a crayon (with no wrapper on it) and do a rubbing of the bark. Label it “White Pine.” What other kinds of trees do you have near you? Do some bark rubbings of those as well and label them.
- The Maine State Flower is the White Pine Cone and Tassel. Can you find any pinecones from a white pine? What does tassel mean? These are the needles on the tree. Can you find some pine needles on the ground? Gather enough to create a “200” on a piece of cardboard or paper. Either 200 needles or the number 200. Glue down.
- Draw a picture (or two) and send them to a local nursing home. Maybe make some “Happy Birthday Maine!” cards.
- Listen to this story being read about lighthouses.
- Draw a lighthouse and color it.
- If you were a lighthouse keeper, what would be the best thing about your job? Add this information to the picture you just drew.
- Using Legos or blocks build a lighthouse or a boat or any other Maine inspired item.
- Moose are the Maine State Animal. Have you ever seen a moose? They can be close to 7 feet tall at their shoulders. Measure how tall this is and then measure you child next to it.
- Moose coloring pages.
Middle School(ish) Age
- Find a Maine State Quarter (there is probably one in your house somewhere. Research what the items are on the quarter and why they were chosen. Watch this video to learn a bit more about the Maine State Quarter.
- Watch this video on Maine. (Start at 16:45 for just the Maine section) Did you learn anything you didn’t know about Maine? (I did!)
- Watch this video on chickadees. Then go outside. Can you hear any? Can you see any? How many can you see? How many do you hear?
- Make a card and send to a local nursing home. Maybe “Happy Birthday, Maine” cards.
- Begin reading a book set in Maine. Ideas include Sign of the Beaver, Sarah, Plain and Tall, Charlotte’s Web, Lost on a Mountain in Maine, Keep the Lights Burning Abbie, Homer Price. When you are finished, write a book report. (Print a report form from HERE. Or instead of a book report, create a project based on the book. Here are some ideas.
- How many lighthouses are there in Maine? Have you ever visited any? If so, gather any photos you have and write a description about your visit.
- What do you think the hardest thing would be about being a lighthouse keeper? Write a one page story describing it and how you would deal with the issue.
- Watch this 3 part series on how a lighthouse works (includes math & history).
- The Maine State Insect is the honeybee. Do you like honey? Watch this video on how honey is made. (This is a more in depth look at honeybees and how they make honey. It mentions reproduction including “sperm & eggs”. Use at your discretion.)
- Research honeybees how they are becoming endangered. How can you create a “bee friendly” environment? Draw your findings.
- If you have honey available, have a honey flavored snack. Here are 8 honey snacks. (Encourage your child to help make one with you.)
- Gather some large, flat rocks while you are outside. Paint friendship rocks or ones with Maine symbols on them. Ideas HERE. Hide them on walking paths for other people to find. You’ll bring a smile to their face.
High School(ish) Age
- The Maine State dessert is Blueberry Pie. The Maine State treat is whoopie pie. Make one. If you don’t have the ingredients on hand, make another Maine inspired dessert for your family.
- Pick one of the other Maine state symbols and research why it was chosen. Write up your findings and share this info with your family.
- The Maine State Cat is the Maine Coon Cat. The Maine State Dog is the Labrador Retriever. Pick a side – dog or cat – and have a (friendly) debate as to why one is better than the other. Serious or silly, you have to defend yourself with facts, so do your research first! You could also set this up like a courtroom if you have any people. Convince the “judge” why you are right!
- Watch this video on Maine. (Start at 16:45 for just the Maine section) Did you learn anything you didn’t know about Maine? (I did!)
- Video on the history of Maine including why it has the border it does.
- Make a card and send to a local nursing home. Maybe “Happy Birthday, Maine!” cards.
- Begin reading a book written by a Maine author. When you are finished, write a book report. (Print a report form from HERE.) Or instead of a book report, create a project based on the book. Here are some ideas.
- How many lighthouses are there in Maine? Have you ever visited any? If so, gather any photos you have and write a description about your visit.
- Video on 10 of the lighthouses in Maine.
- Watch this 3 part series on how a lighthouse works (includes math & history).
- You are working at the Maine Tourist Bureau and are in charge of creating a new brochure to entice people to vacation in Maine. Create your brochure. You can draw pictures, print things off the internet, add descriptions. Tell them the top 10 things they should do while visiting Maine. Be descriptive and detailed.
- Create a map of Maine using yarn or string. Glue it to a piece of cardboard. Label major mountains, rivers, and cities.
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