Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is updating its school programs. It is cultivating curiosity in students through two new initiatives - developing standards-based educational units and revamping its website for place-based learning. It is also recruiting teachers for its Neonaturalists program, which will involve writing standards-based units in four content areas and conducting website research and development focused on bringing Maine history alive for students.

1. Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
SCHOOL PROGRAMS UPDATE
February 16, 2012 Bosarge Family Education Center

2. OVERVIEW
• Cultivating curiosity
• Neonaturalists

3. CULTIVATING CURIOSITY
• Writing standards based units
• Revamping the website
• Policies

4. NEONATURALISTS
• Writing standards based
units in four content areas
• Websiteresearch and
development
• Funding
• Recruiting teachers

5. TEACHERS
• Combining this type of place based education with technology taps into two
very strong motivations for this age level. Additionally, this initiative appears to
focus on bringing parts of Maine history alive. This is content that is
traditionally not easy to engage students in a hands on manner and the
opportunity to work with an array of educators in order to design such a
unit is compelling. AR Kennebec Region
•Ablend of outdoors and learning and technology sounds really good!!! BW
Penquis Region
• Our librarian suggested that your initiative may be a good fit with what we
try to do with our students in the 7th grade. My teammates and I have
always tried to give our students as many real-life experiences as possible.
SK Aroostook County Region
•Iam a team player, and a good organizer. I bring an open mind and an ability
to work with others in the creative process. WM Mid-coast Region
• The most intriguing part of this initiative is its collaborative nature; I love the
idea of students being in contact with other students from other schools, and
sharing their findings. This is a vital part of the conduct of science, and it is
something we do not always have the opportunity to pursue. DB
Western Maine Region