Maine Studies

Some ideas for Maine Studies are listed below.

If you'd rather use a guide or for further activities and ideas, check out the Maine Studies book by Dianne Simmler: http://mainestudies.com/

You may study what is of interest to do with Maine such as lighthouses (http://www.lighthouseguy.com/MaineLighthouses-1, http://www.lighthousefriends.com/me.html, http://www.visitmaine.com/attractions/sightseeing_tours/lighthouse/ ), geography and geology (go on hikes, explore a mine, read or watch something related to Maine's land, etc), learn about the food produced in Maine, visit farms, go to the Common Ground Fair (there is so much offered at that event to do with living in Maine), look up info about Maine's industry in the past and present from the land and sea, learn about the coast, go blueberry picking, go lobstering (there is a lobsterman in Rockland who takes family's out for tours http://www.captainjacklobstertours.com/), visit various Maine Museums 
http://www.mainemuseums.org/  especially the Maine State Museum in Augusta as that has lots of information and exhibits. As of 2024, it's closed temporarily, but you can "visit" it virtually.  

Attend talks such as the ones by author Donn Fendler of Lost on a Mountain In Maine if you think that would be of interest - he tours and talks. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donn_Fendler.

Lost On A Mountain In Maine - Donn Fendler 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_on_a_Mountain_in_Maine
The Maine library system has this book in many formats.
http://minerva.maine.edu/search~S50/?searchtype=a&searcharg=fendler&searchscope=50&sortdropdown=-&SORT=DZ&extended=0&SUBMIT=Search&searchlimits=&searchorigarg=Yfendler%26SORT%3DD

Lost trail : nine days alone in the wilderness / by Donn Fendler with Lynn Plourde ; illustrated by Ben Bishop. - The library has this book and it is a graphic novel!  (This is the new book.)

http://minerva.maine.edu/search~S50?/afendler/afendler/1%2C1%2C7%2CB/frameset&FF=afendler+donn+1927&7%2C%2C7/indexsort=-

Learn about Wabanaki and Penobscot and other Indian cultures of Maine http://www.native-languages.org/maine.htm.  

Arrow over the Door (Puffin Chapters)Paperback – July 8, 2002

by Joseph Bruchac (Author)

For young Samuel Russell, the summer of 1777 is a time of fear. The British Army is approaching, and the Indians in the area seem ready to attack. To Stands Straight, a young Abenaki Indian scouting for King George, Americans are dangerous enemies who threaten his family and home. When Stands Straight's party enters the Quaker Meetinghouse where Samuel worships, the two boys share an encounter that neither will ever forget. Told in alternating viewpoints, The Arrow over the Door is based on a true story. 

The Damariscotta River Association often has programs in the fall to do with Penobscot Indians http://www.damariscottariver.org/Education.html. 

Visit other historical sites and learn about our military history - stop by some of those brown signs!  

Go to some of our state parks. Fun to explore! Lots to learn!
http://www.maine.gov/dacf/parks/index.shtml

There are Maine State Park Passes that you can purchase which give you access to all of our state parks. For one vehicle, it's seventy dollars per year or you can purchase an individual park pass (for only one person) for thirty five dollars a year. Park passes are available for purchases at state parks or when you do your income taxes.

Check out the Maine State Passport program! You can get a Maine State Park Passbook for $1 and then get stamps at the various parks to earn stickers or even a vehicle pass!

The Botanical Gardens in Boothbay are lovely - lots of interesting plants, a wonderful children's area with books, hands on activities, and things to climb, jump on and explore.  Maybe you will get a ride on the golf cart too!  At least once a year, the Botanical Gardens are free to Maine residents.  

Puffin trips out of New Harbor or Port Clyde are exciting!  Whale and seal sight-seeing cruises too!

Learn about Maine's archaeology and dig for rocks and minerals.  Archaeology information for Maine: http://www.digonsite.com/guide/maine.html 

Here is a site that looks full of ideas: 

http://www.maine.gov/portal/facts_history/history.html.  

A great Maine government site to explore: 

http://www.maine.gov/sos/kids/about/index.htm

"So You Think You Know Maine" trivia board game
(Thank you Teresa Robbins!)
http://boardgamegeek.com/image/108156/so-you-think-you-know-maine  
I can't find where to purchase the board game...if anyone finds out, please email me at alohabun@yahoo.com - Thanks!

So You Think You Know Maine (book) - by Neil Rolde
Available through the Maine Library Lending System (MINERVA).
You can use the book to play a Maine trivia game.
Instructions are included at the beginning of the book.

MPBN website has lots of videos from "Home: The Story of Maine" and a timeline and more: http://www.mpbn.net/homestom/homestom.html

Sixteenth Maine at Gettysburg (pbs documentary):
http://www.mpbn.net/Television/LocalTelevisionPrograms/SixteenthMaineatGettysburg.aspx

Bake some "traditional" Maine foods if you enjoy baking or go or have your own clambake.  

Look up Maine authors and or books to do with Maine - Stopping to Home, Lost On a Mountain in Maine, We Took To The Woods, Like The Willow Tree.  Like The Willow Tree was one of our favorite books we listened to in 2012 on cd.  After listening to it we visited the Shaker Community in New Gloucester, ME 

http://www.maineshakers.com/.

http://www.mainehistory.org/ is another link that might be useful.  

Go to the Penobscot Narrows Observatory and then visit Fort Knox: 
http://fortknox.maineguide.com/  

Visit Montpelier in Thomaston http://www.generalknoxmuseum.org/ 
or Old Fort Western in Augusta http://www.oldfortwestern.org/.  
or the Abbe Museum in Bar Harbor http://www.abbemuseum.org/
The Wilson Museum in Castine is nice too.  http://www.wilsonmuseum.org/

Some of these places may offer interesting programs or events that you might like to attend.  

Also encampments and reenactments may be fun (think Montpelier might have one coming up) - you can google dates for encampments in Maine too.  
Fort Knox's event calendar: 
http://fortknox.maineguide.com/events.html 

Civil War encampment at Camden Public Library/Harbor Park
Friday August 19th through Sunday August 21, 2016 featuring Company B of the 20th Maine Infantry Volunteers and the 15th Alabama Infantry Regiment.

Free Walking History Tours of Camden, Maine - 4pm Friday's 
The Camden Public Library and the Camden Area Business Group will again host free walking tours of downtown Camden every Friday at 4:00 pm, June 24 through September 9. The tours begin on Atlantic Avenue at the Children’s Garden of the library and end at the Opera House. The tours are free and last approximately an hour; donations are appreciated, and reservations are encouraged; please call the library at 236-3440 or stop by the Circulation Desk.

If you are interested in documentaries, programs or videos to do with Maine, post to a homeschooling group to get suggestions or ask your librarian.  

Andre was another movie we saw to do with Maine. It was filmed in Rockport! Very cute! There are a few books about Andre the seal too!

"In the Blood" (to do with logging): http://mainemilitia.com/p/202  

Here's an article about the "In the Blood" documentary: 

http://www.pressherald.com/life/audience/he-knows-the-score-on-lumberjack-culture_2012-01-08.html

Here's another site: http://www.interesting.com/Maine/movies/Movies/
(for "Cider House Rules" and "Peyton Place").

Another interesting link for general ideas:
http://www.mpbn.net/homestom/others1.html

Teaching history (though not specifically Maine history) with movies: 
http://www.teachwithmovies.org/us-history-culture-subject-list.htm 

Books set in Maine: 
http://librarybooklists.org/mybooklists/setinmainejuv.htm

Get to know Maine by skiing and skating on it's slopes, swimming in it's rivers, ponds and lakes or dogsledding on it's trails!  Now that's a hands on way of fun learning!  

The WinterKids site http://www.winterkids.org/ offers discounts at selected areas for children to participate in various winter activities such as skiing, skating, tubing and dog-sledding.  WinterKids Passports can be purchased for students in 5th through 7th grades.  At some locations, siblings accompanying the student can get a discount as well and on Passport Family Days, the whole family may get a discount.  
https://secure.winterkids.org/orders/passport/  
For pre-school through 4th grade, a FunPass can be purchased which gives three free visits to selected areas. 
http://www.winterkids.org/kids-and-families/funpass/ 
FunPasses and WinterKids Passports are available October 1st.

Family Quests (this one in Rockland Harbor in Rockland, ME): 
http://www.georgesriver.org/quests/

This quest is in South Bristol, ME:
https://sites.google.com/a/aos93.org/5-8-math-science/home/quests

Bethel Maine Hostel - A homeschooling family posted this in 2012 and I thought I'd include it in case anyone is interested in exploring western Maine or taking advantage of some of the activities in that area.  Sounds like they would have many ideas of what is available to do in their area (even if you aren't interested in a workshop) and might be able to offer an affordable getaway at the same time.  Here are some of the links to their place and the original post: 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bethel-Maine-Hostel/111913092170255

http://www.snowboardinghouse.com/

Deborah Doyle posted in Maine Homeschooling Questions, Answers and Ideas. Deborah Doyle 9:33am Aug 29 Hi everybody, Bethel Maine Hostel is a wonderful lodging place in Western Maine with a self-catering kitchen. It's owned by a veteran homeschool family - US! :) We offer week long documented Maine Studies credits customized to your group. We have lots of homeschool workshops available and we just have good ol' outdoor fun in our backyard. If we can help you in ANY way, just give us a call! Check out our FB page-Bethel Maine Hostel.

Check out the History page for more ideas:  
http://homeschoolingresourcesandideas.blogspot.com/p/history.html 

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NEW as of summer 2016!!! Check this out!! Esp if you live in the mid-coast Maine area - 

New Junior Historian Program

Thu Jul 7, 2016 9:05 am (PDT) . Posted by:

singleparenthomeschool

I’m excited to share about a new project at the Camden-Rockport Historical Society designed for students 6th – 12th grade. The Junior Historian Program will offer a once a month program in various areas of historic study. Students must apply to the program as space is limited. There is a fee for each session. All programs will take place at the Camden-Rockport Historical Society campus, unless otherwise specified. 
Our currently scheduled offerings include the following with more being added weekly: 

Below the Surface – History in Your Own Back Yard 
Join Harbour Mitchell and volunteers from Camden-Rockport Historical Society as our team learns more about our campus, as well as the history of our local community by doing an archeological dig at the Camden-Rockport Historical Society property. Students accepted to participate in this program will need to commit to four sessions: 
WHEN: 
Monday, August 29, 2 – 3 pm - Orientation, 
Tuesday, August 30 8:30am – 4:00pm - The Dig 
Monday, September 26 9am – 4 pm – Artifact Care and Preservation 
Monday 10/24 9am – 4pm – Sorting, Cataloging and Sharing 
COST: $100 
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Monday, August 8 
CLASS SIZE LIMIT: 10 

Getting to the Root of Things – Your Family’s History 
Join family historian, Raylene M. Hunt and Creative Memories representative Lanita Medina for a day of learning how to research your roots, and then organizing it in a way that is fun and easy to share with others. 
WHEN: Monday, November 28 from 9am – 4pm 
COST: $30 
Students will receive a family history workbook as well as creating their own scrapbook to take home. 
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Monday, November 14 
CLASS SIZE LIMIT: 10 

A Piece at a Time – Quilts in History 
Join local quilter, Jan Kelsey, as we explore quilts and their use in the Underground Railroad and the history of quilts that are currently in the collection at Camden-Rockport Historical Society. Students will be doing a hands on, hand stitch quilt project of their own during this program. 
WHEN: January 23 from 9am – 4pm 
COST: The cost is $25 for this program. The deadline for application is Monday, January 9. Space is limited to 10 students. 
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Monday, January 9 
CLASS SIZE LIMIT: 10 


Destination Freedom – Black History Month 
Join historical society member, Eileen Klienmann, as we explore Maine’s African-American history, Camden as a stop on the Underground Railroad, and learn more about Maine’s Freedom Trail. 
WHEN: Monday, February 27 9am – 4pm 
COST: $25 
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Monday, February 13 
CLASS SIZE LIMIT: 10 

Norumbega 
Join us in exploring Maine’s own El Dorado, the lost city of Norumbega, and the history of the castle that was named for it. We will learn about the castle’s builder and owner, find out how Maiden’s Cliff fits into the story and have an opportunity to create a museum exhibit for the 2017 season. 
WHEN: Monday, March 27 
COST: $25 
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Monday, March 13 
CLASS SIZE LIMIT: 10 


If you would like an application or would like more information please contact Raylene M. Hunt, Educational Coordinator at 207.763.2943 or maggieraye@gmail.com 

Camden Public Library - October7, 2021 at 6:30pm - "Discover History Month" Series: Black History of Maine - 

For more information about the program click here

It is frequently said that Maine is the whitest state in America. Yet Black people have a long history in the Pine Tree State. Slaves? Yes. But also builders, farmers, fishermen, ship captains, educators, etc. It’s that hidden history of our state that Bob Greene will reveal.