Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)
Explore all workshops in the STEM learning track below!
4-H Aquarium Club
- Thursday, July 6 and August 3
- 5:30 pm
- Open to all youth
- Maximum 10 attendees
The 4-H Aquarium Club is open to youth ages 5-18 who are interested in being members of a community of youth aquarium hobbyists! This group is for youth who already have an aquarium hobby, or who are looking to start one, to come together to talk about their love for fish and aquaria. The club is led by aquaculture experts Dr. Scarlett Tudor from UMaine’s Aquaculture Research Institute, and Melissa Malmstedt from the UMaine Center for Cooperative Aquaculture Research (CCAR).
4-H Citizen Science
- Wednesdays, July 5 – August 2
- 3:00 – 4:00 pm
- Open to all youth ages 9 and up
- Maximum 15 attendees
Did you know that YOU are a scientist and can contribute to the science community?!? This virtual 4-H citizen scientists club encourages youth to practice citizen science in their own backyard, with a variety of citizen science opportunities to consider, and report their observations while making connections with fellow citizen scientists in their community and around the state. Youth will need outside access and the ability to take and share photos online. Register by June 23.
Flatbread Fun with Fermentation
- Wednesday, July 18, from 9:00 – 9:45 am, and Thursday, July 19, from 9:00 – 10:30 am
- Open to all Maine youth ages 10 and up
- Maximum 10 screens
Calling all curious and adventurous youth and teens! Join us for an exciting workshop where we delve into the magical world of sourdough and fermentation while creating delicious flatbread from scratch. Get ready to roll up your sleeves and embark on a culinary adventure that will awaken your taste buds and inspire your creativity. During this hands-on workshop, you will discover the ancient art of sourdough baking and explore the fascinating process of fermentation. Our expert facilitators will guide you through the journey of transforming simple ingredients into a flavorful and nutritious flatbread using the power of naturally occurring microorganisms. We request that an adult accompany any youth who aren’t comfortable using an oven. Tuesday will be preparation day: making and prepping your dough, Wednesday will be shaping and baking. Register by July 7.
Learn to Love Pollinators
- Wednesdays, July 5 – August 2
- 11:00 am – Noon
- Open to all Maine youth ages 9 and up
- Maximum 12 attendees
Do you like insects that pollinate? Do you like to explore gardens, meadows, and plants that are native to our environment? Join this workshop series to learn more about pollinators, and how and why they are important. Each week we will explore something new related to Maine’s pollinators. Activities will include exploring bee anatomy, dissecting a flower, designing a virtual pollinator garden, exploring the area around you and discovering how it does or does not support pollinators and more. Materials will be provided and mailed to participants. Some gathering of items from outdoors will be required to participate. Register by June 23.
Owl Pellet Detectives: Uncovering the Secrets of the Woods
- Tuesdays: July 11, 18, and 25
- 3:00 – 4:00 pm
- Open to all Maine youth ages 10 – 16
- Maximum 15 attendees
Join us to discover facts about owls native to Maine and what they eat. Participants will each receive an owl pellet to dissect. Materials will be provided and mailed to participants. Session three will feature a guest speaker to share more about owl pellets and how they can help with research. You will also learn how to be a citizen scientist and help collect data! Register by June 30.
Seaweed Lava Lamps
- Friday, July 28
- 10:00 – 11:30 am
- Open to Maine youth ages 9 and up
- Maximum 10 attendees
Do you know all of the amazing properties of seaweed? In this workshop, you will learn about some of these wonders by harnessing seaweed’s “gelling” abilities to make Seaweed Lava Lamps right at home! This workshop will be led by 4-H Aquaculture Interns. Youth must register by July 17 for supplies to be mailed to attendees’ homes.
Squid Dissection
- Friday, August 4
- 10:00 – 11:30 am
- Open to Maine youth ages 9 and up
- Maximum 9 households (each youth will receive their own squid)
Youth will learn about the anatomy of a squid during this hands-on dissection, led by Melissa from UMaine Center for Cooperative Aquaculture Research (CCAR). Your frozen squid will be mailed to your home before the workshop along with some basic dissection tools. We’ll meet on zoom to do the dissection together as a group! Register by July 26.
Tick Trackers
- Tuesdays, July 13, 20, and August 10
- 10:00 – 11:15 am
- Open to Maine youth ages 9 and up
- Maximum 10 attendees
Join the mission to monitor and study ticks in your community! Join Farmer Kristin of Lone Spruce Farm and Carla from the 4-H Tick Project for an interactive exploration of ticks in Maine. This workshop will explore ticks by collecting and preserving your own, identifying species, investigating where ticks are found in Maine, taking safety precautions when outdoors, and more. Participants will conduct tick drags to collect tick specimens in their local area. Specimens are returned to Hancock County 4-H, and then submitted to the UMaine Diagnostic Research Laboratory Tick Lab for identification and disease testing, which contributes to the lab’s Tick Surveillance program. Youth data also contribute to a community science (aka “citizen science”) project called the Maine Forest Tick Survey, which is a multiyear, multidisciplinary research project established to determine how forest land management practices impact tick populations and disease risk across Maine. The project provides youth an opportunity to explore ticks and tick-borne diseases, which is a connected story of climate, ecosystem change, and public health.
All materials will be provided and will be available for pick up at your local county Extension office prior to the first meeting. Register by June 16.
Virtual Touch Tank
- Friday, July 14
- 11:00 am – noon
- Open to youth of all ages
- Maximum 15 attendees
Melissa and interns from the UMaine Center for Cooperative Aquaculture Research (CCAR) will introduce participants to some of Maine’s common sea creatures! Youth will visually explore and learn about some of Maine’s sea creatures. Register by July 13.
Winged Wonders: Birds in Your Backyard and Beyond
- Monday, July 10, 17, 24, 31, and August 7
- 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
- Open to youth ages 12 and up
- Maximum 15 attendees
In this series, youth will learn what birds and dinosaurs have in common, learn to identify birds around them, explore bird flight, and learn about feeding birds in their backyard. We will meet weekly to get to know each other, share and reflect on what we have learned, and to introduce new topics. This series will require about an hour of independent work between sessions with materials accessed through our virtual classroom. Register by June 26.