MD Coastal Bays offers in-class activities to area schools

by Kate Diffenderfer. (Diffenderfer is the program coordinator for the Maryland Coastal Bays Program)

As the new school year begins, so do the Maryland Coastal Bays Program’s in-class activities. These programs are geared towards children in every grade ranging from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade. In-class programs are also offered to interested groups and local organizations.

“Let the Cattail Out of the Bag (pre-K-3)” allows students to become aware of wetland inhabitants by using all of their senses. After listening to “Squish…A Wetland Tale”, students will learn about the plants, animals, and other objects found in wetlands. Volunteering students are then blindfolded as they reach into a large grab bag and use their senses to describe the marsh item they have chosen.

“Make it Rain and Watch It Drain (Grades 4-12)” is a hands-on activity involving an Enviroscapes Coastal Watershed Model that allows students to describe wetland functions and landscapes unique to our coastal watershed. By applying “pollution,” participants are able to watch what happens when they make it rain. Students will also identify ways humans can alter their behavior to improve water quality. This program provides training to participate in a community storm-drain stenciling program, which provides service-learning hours.

A new addition to the in-class program list this year is “Tabby the Terrapin (PreK-3).” Tabby the Terrapin will teach students about the importance of respecting plants, animals, and wildlife through a puppet show and craft-making. The puppet stage was graciously built and donated by Farlow & Taylor Woodworks of West Ocean City.

Other programs that are offered include “Critter Corners (Grades 5-12)” where students recognize similarities and differences between humans and animals and identify local critters, their habitats, and lifestyles; “Marsh Market/Food Web (Grades 4-8)” in which students construct a living food web and discuss the role and effects that humans have on the food chain; and “Coastal Bays Jeopardy (Grades 5-12)” where students watch a video and the play jeopardy to answer questions about historical, ecological, and environmental facts about the coastal bays watershed.

One of the best ways to teach children about the coastal bays is to immerse them in fun, hands-on activities. By becoming involved in these programs, students get a better understanding of the environmental and cultural values of the estuary. Lessons learned about acting unselfishly to ensure protection for our environment do as much for character as they do for the natural world.

The Maryland Coastal Bays Program’s in-class activities are free of charge and range from 30 - 60 minutes in length. We are still offering field trips to the scenic 800-acre Weidman Farm through October, where children participate in a number of activities ranging from canoe trips to marsh mucking. For more information, contact Julia Early, Education Coordinator, at (410) 213- 2297.