Educator Resource Library
This webpage is a library of resources for educators including supplies, professional development, curricula, and community partnerships.
Need 1:1 support? Anna Sommo, Director of School and Community Partnerships can help connect you to resources, other community partners, and answer your questions about outdoor learning and environmental education in schools.
Email Anna at info@meeassociation.org
Sign up for the educator monthly newsletter to receive regular updates on resources, events, funding, jobs, and more.
Coming in Fall 2025: Educator Professional Development Workshops
-
Building a Culture of Teaching Outside Workshops
Check back for Fall 2025 workshop dates! Are you a Maine educator teaching outside at your school, but feel like you’re the only one? Join us for a workshop to explore strategies to support taking students outside! These workshops are in-person throughout Maine for educators to network, build skills, and learn about open source resources to sustain a culture of outdoor learning in their schools and programs. MEEA partners with Teach ME Outside to host these workshops. Participants will receive a $100 stipend and contact hours for attending.
-
Wabanaki Studies Workshops
Check back for Fall 2025 workshops! There will not be any workshops during this summer. This three-part hybrid in-person and online workshop series is facilitated by Brianne Lolar, a Panawahpskek citizen and Wabanaki Studies specialist for the Maine Department of Education. You’ll build foundational skills with current Wabanaki studies resources available and support one another through a cohort of educators. This material represents a continuing collaborative effort between the Wabanaki nations, Indigenous and non-Indigenous educators, districts, and other organizations.
The Maine Climate Education Hub offers free resources to teach about climate change.
Standards-aligned educational resources to support Maine educators in incorporating climate literacy into their curriculum
Free Lesson Plans
Click the (+) plus sign to read about and view the website for each free resource.
-
View lesson plans here. Seven different modules that include multiple lessons and resources created by Brianne Lolar, Panawahpskek Citizen & Wabanaki Studies Team Leader at the Maine Department of Education, working with many Wabanaki advisors.
Grade Level: Pre-K - Grade 12
-
OpenSciEd exists to change the status quo and remove the predictability about who succeeds and shows affection for the STEM fields. These lessons are intended for classroom educators.
Grade Level: 6-8; NGSS Aligned
Topics covered: Light and matter, thermal energy, weather, climate, chemical reactions, metabolic reactions, matter cycling
Learn more and view curricula here. -
View resources here. Winter Kids’ Learning Outside Guide makes it easy for educators to integrate fun, outdoor activities into their winter lessons. Early Childhood, Common Core Standards Aligned. Includes an online training module.
Topics Include: Art, Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies, Physical Education
Grade Level: K - 8
-
View resources here. Teach ME About Food & Farms offers free lessons about Maine agriculture. Common Core Standards Aligned, Maine Learning Results Aligned
Topics Include: Maine agriculture, aquaculture, school gardens, nutrition
Grade Level: Pre-K - Grade 12
-
View Learning Resource Hub here. GMRI designs science learning resources to support educators to engage their students in authentic and current science about climate and ecosystem change. NGSS and Common Core Standards Aligned.
Topics Include: Climate Change, Data, Ecosystems, Fisheries, Gulf of Maine, Invasive Species, Modeling, Outside, Scientific Investigation, Scientific Writing, Species Identification, Watershed
Grade Level: K - 12
-
Audience: Educators in outdoor science education settings
Grade level: Primarily Grade 3-8 but adaptable for older and younger students
Click the links to view lessons:
Outdoor Science Experiences
Classroom and Schoolyard Experiences
Equity, Inclusion, and Cultural Relevance -
View resources here. Project Wild is a series of activities designed for all educators in PreK-12 settings. Project Wild activities provide wildlife-based conservation and environmental education meant to foster responsibility towards wildlife and natural resources. Aligned with NGSS, Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework, and CCSS standards.
Grade Level: Pre-K - Grade 12
Topics Include: Terrestrial Wildlife, Habitats, Aquatic, Ecological Concepts, Wetland Wildlife, Birds, Student Connection to Wildlife and the World -
View resources here. Project Learning Tree provides multi-disciplinary, hands-on lessons for all grade levels to help develop awareness, knowledge, and appreciation of the environment, and to build students’ skills to make informed decisions for sustaining the environment. Common Core, NGSS, C3, and Head Start Aligned.
Grace Levels: Early Childhood, K-12, Family activities
Topics Include: Multidisciplinary activities to connect children to nature; Sensory exploration to understand objects, spaces, people and interactions; K-2 learners’ relationship with nature and trees
Click the (+) plus sign to read about and view the website for each resource.
-
Located in Brunswick, non residents can also obtain a library card for $75/year. Lots of gardening supplies/tools, science kits, outdoor learning equipment.
Click here to view the library website and check something out!
-
Trunks are located throughout the state and must be picked up with a security deposit. Topics include Bats, Birds, Loons, Wildlife. Include skulls, pelts, books, posters and lesson plans.
Each kit contains a list of materials and some ideas of how to use the materials. Each kit can be signed out by calling the office where it is available.
-
PWD loans educational resources to support students’ learning about water. We offer complete lesson kits, field equipment, sampling supplies, models, and more.
Watershed, water cycle, pollution, bugs and fish. All are NGSS aligned, list of lessons is here. Check here for kit availability and link to request. Kits are picked up in Standish.
Loaning requirements
All requests must be received a minimum of two weeks prior to date needed
All resources may be loaned for a maximum of two weeks
The requestor is responsible for picking up and dropping off resources at the Sebago Lake Protection Office in Standish
The resources must be returned in the same condition as they were loaned
To request a resource, please contact the Education Coordinator here.
-
A wide variety of kits for grades K-12 are available from either the Orono or Lisbon Cooperative Extension Offices. For more information on what is and is not included with individual kits, email 4-HScience@maine.edu.
-
These education kits include teacher activity guides and hands-on materials.
To reserve a Traveling Trunk, call 207-646-1555 ext 110.
Topics include trees, estuaries, feathered friends and safari in a box. Fees from 0-$75, pick up is in Wells.
-
Outdoor equipment for recreation and exploration. Camping, hiking, snowshoeing, etc. Sliding scale fee for membership, pick up is in Brunswick.
We offer deeply discounted memberships to groups doing equity-based work to foster those connections.
We have a large inventory of outdoor equipment for hiking, camping, and backpacking.
Groups can purchase an annual membership to access gear. They use our online reservation system to check it out for their trips and programming.
When they return the gear, we wash, maintain, and store it for the next user.
Supplies for Loan
Free & Low Cost Field Trips
Click the (+) plus sign to read about and view the website for each resource.
-
Located in Wells, staff- guided and self- guided field trips available. Fees range depending on the number of participants, scholarships available. Explorer backpacks available to rent.
-
Located in Gray. View rehabilitated Maine wildlife including bear, deer, moose, birds, amphibians and reptiles. Educational exhibits and presentations are included with admission. Cost is $7.50-$10.00 per person, contact the park if you are planning to visit with a group: (207) 822-6460.
-
Locations in Holden, Scarborough Marsh and Falmouth. Programs range from 60-120 minutes and cover Maine wildlife and habitat as well as other topics. Early childhood- high school students are welcome. Prices range from $55-$120/HR and also depends on the number of students. Inquiry form is here.
-
LabVenture is for 5th-6th grade students and takes place in Portland. Participation is free and includes transportation. Topics include hands-on scientific inquiry inside the lab about Gulf of Maine Ecosystems.
-
Located in Cape Neddick, 2 hour visits for up to 75 students include viewing animals, the nature center and trails as well as staff- led activities.
-
Located in Boothbay, 60-120 minute guided visits include topics such as pollinators, botany, birds, apple cider pressing and more. Therapeutic visits and career exploration are also available. Admission to the Gardens is $95 for up to 25 students and guided visits are $25-$50. Reservations and pricing policy here. Grants available for admission and bus subsidies for Title 1 schools.
-
Located in Lincolnville, day and overnight field trips cover a wide range of ecological topics (forest, watershed, marine) as well as community building for grades K-9. Our programs are designed to be part of the classroom curriculum. Every program is correlated to the State of Maine Learning Results and the Next Generation Science Standards and is further tailored to the curricular goals of each participating class. For more information on pricing, scheduling, and availability call 207.789.5868 or extension.tanglewood4h@maine.edu.
-
Pre-K- 12th grade, up to 30 students per group at Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument or other locations in the region. Programs are free with transportation reimbursement and gear lending. Topics include wildlife, water, geology, Wabanaki studies, outdoor recreation and more. More information contact Kala Rush, Education Director at kala@friendsofkww.org.
-
Science, Nature and Planetarium programming for all ages located in Easton. Indoor and outdoor visits available, as well as school based visits or guided local hikes. For more information contact Elaine Hendrickson: elaine.hendrickson@gmail.com.
-
Based in Milbridge, MOS offers programming at schools and field trips to other local nature areas and trails. For more information (all programs are custom designed) and pricing, fill out this form.
Click the (+) plus sign to read about and view the website for each free resource.
-
View resources for Wabanaki Studies here. These resources support PK-12 educators in integrating Wabanaki Studies into existing curricula. This material represents a continuing collaborative effort between the Wabanaki nations, Indigenous and non-Indigenous educators, districts, and other organizations. Resources included here are not comprehensive or definitive but rather represent high-quality materials that are widely available.
Grade Level: Pre-K - 12
-
View Wabanaki Studies Planning Guide here. This guide is meant to help educators in the absence of an official state or district Wabanaki Studies curriculum, though it is not a curriculum in itself. There are links to curricular resources in the compendium section. In the absence of appropriate teacher preparation for Wabanaki Studies in teacher education programs, teaching Wabanaki Studies in the classroom presents many challenges. It is the responsibility of all educators to teach Wabanaki Studies, and it is also our responsibility to do it well. Please take the time to learn, reflect, and thoughtfully prepare.
-
View the guidebook here. This guidebook offers ways to introduce your community to the outdoors. It offers the following three benefits — 1) A starting point to facilitate conversations about creating and supporting a culture of bringing students outside at your school; 2) A set of practical tools for bringing students outside; and 3) Resources and guidance for how to explore this type of education further.
-
Learning in Places is a pedagogy that centers racial equity, ethical, evidence-based decision-making, and just relations with the natural world. We offer materials for professional development, classroom learning, outdoor learning, and family engagement.
Grade Level: Pre-K - 5th grade (and beyond) and their families
View resources at the links below:
Ethical Deliberation and Decision Making
Complex Socio- Ecological Systems
Phrenology
Relationships In Socio- Ecological Systems
Socio- Ecological Histories of PlacesCulture, Families, and Communities
Family and Community
Culture, Learning and Identity
Nature-Culture Relations
Power and HistoricityField Based Science Learning
Modeling and Forming Explanations
Wonderings, “Should We” and Investigation Questions
Observations and Data Collection -
Maine Trail Finder is a free, interactive mapping site designed to help Maine residents and visitors find hiking, walking, snowshoeing, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, and paddling trails across the state. Our goal is to help people get out, be active, and explore our state’s treasures, both those well-known and more hidden.
To find trails near schools, click here.
click here.
Navigate to Popular searches in the bottom right. Select “Trails Near Schools”
To find gear loan and rentals, click here.
Navigate to Services in the top menu ber. Then go to Type of Service, and click “Gear/retail/rentals”. -
View free virtual workshop series here.
Registration is FREE and there will be plenty of draw prizes for attendees! All registrants will receive a discount code to access outdoor learning resources when they register
Workshops are 60 minutes and will take place at 4pm Pacific / 7pm Eastern
For those who can’t attend live these will each be recorded and posted on our Recordings Page.
Following the workshop, participants will receive a link to access a Certificate of Attendance.
Free Recommended Educator Resources
Click the (+) plus sign to read about and view the website for each free resource.
-
Contact information for Indigenous speakers who can come to schools to speak with and present to student groups. Please read Considerations for Inviting Indigenous Presenters first.
-
Guest educators teach about soil and agriculture, water and conservation, forestry and service learning. Prices start at $400 for a 45-60 minute lesson.
-
Educators can bring live animals to your classroom in person or virtually. To book a program and learn more, call our Education and Outreach team at 207.361.1400 ext. 105 or complete this form.
-
Hands- on (some with live animals) presentations range from wildlife, tide pools, star lab, biomes. One hour presentations start at $225 for 30 students plus travel. Pricing and details on booking programs can be found here.
Suggestions for Guest Speakers
Check out the Maine Environmental Education and Outdoor Learning Resource Directory
Find environmental education partners in your community on this director provided through the Teach ME Outside initiative.
2022 Census of Community-Based Environmental Learning
The 2022 Census of Community-Based Outdoor and Environmental Learning in Maine is a follow-up study to the 2019 Census that provides a clearer understanding of how to equitably meet the needs of learners and educators in environmental learning today and into the future.
917 individual responses representing 622 schools, businesses, and organizations from every county in Maine responded to the 2022 Census
This newly revised Environmental Literacy Plan outlines strategies to ensure that all Maine youth have access to quality environmental and outdoor learning opportunities throughout their entire lives. It also outlines goals for increasing collaboration across schools, caregivers, community organizations, government agencies and other key stakeholders.
MEEA played a critical leadership role in the revision of the Maine ELP, collaborating closely with the Maine Department of Education, educators and EE organizations with unprecedented support across state agencies. The plan was adopted and signed by the Commissioner of the Maine Department of Education, Pender Makin, and includes a message of support from Governor Janet Mills and a letter of support signed by five other agency Commissioners.