Children's Water Festivals

Introduction

Each year, students from across the state have the opportunity to participate in a fun-filled, educational day of water-related activities at a Children's Water Festival. The day is filled with hands-on classroom activities, an exhibit hall, entertainment, and water-focused investigations.

Southern Maine Children's Water Festival

Please join us in 2008!! If you are a 4th, 5th, or 6th grade teacher in York, Cumberland, Androscoggin, Oxford, Franklin, Sagadahoc, Lincoln, or Kennebec counties, you and your students are eligible to attend. For more information please read the letter below. If you have any questions about applying email Lynne Richard for more information.

Informational letter (mswordfile; pdf file)
2008 Application (mswordfile ; pdf file )

Northern Maine Children's Water Festival-

Please join us in 2008!! - If you are a 5^th or 6^th grade teacher in Aroostook, Washington, Hancock, Piscataquis, Somerset, Penobscot, Waldo, Knox counties and the following northern Kennebec County towns: Clinton, Benton, Waterville, Winslow, Oakland, Albion, Rome, Belgrade, China, and Vienna, you and your students are eligible to attend. We are currently accepting applications for the October 14, 2008 festival. For more information please read the letter and application below. If you have any questions, contact Ruth Hallsworth at Ruth_Hallsworth@umit.maine.edu or 581-3196.

2008 Informational letter & Application (pdf file)

What is a festival like and what will students learn about? Check out these resources:

Water Festival brochure with more information on Maine's Children's Water Festivals.
Here is an example of a water festival: Look at the links below to see information on the 2003 Southern Maine Children's Water Festival. It was held on May 23rd at the University of Southern Maine, Gorham Campus. Twelve schools from six southern Maine counties sent their fifth and sixth grade students and teachers. We had over 750 students, and more than 50 teachers and chaperones attending the festival. Pictures and more information on the 2003 festival.
Iinformation and pictures for the 2002 Festival.

What did students do for the day?

Students worked in teams to interpret clues to find out where in a watershed certain water samples came from. Students heard songs about water and sang along with Maine's own Matt Loosigian of Earth Jams. Students attended classroom presentations on many water topics including invasive aquatic species, water conservation, the animals found in vernal pools, and how sediments can affect water quality. Students explored the many activities in the exhibit hall, which provided hands-on learning opportunities such as papermaking, aquatic bird adaptations, a ground water pollution hunt, marine animal touch tank, and how to work in hazardous material protection gear.

Events & Presentations