Maine Mineral and Gem Museum

The Maine Mineral and Gem Museum will pilot a virtual field trip program designed to expand access to Earth and space science for under-resourced students across rural Maine and New England. The museum will hire an education assistant and paid interns to support the education outreach coordinator with the development of lesson plans, the purchase of technological equipment to create the virtual field trip studio in the museum, and efforts to inform teachers about the availability of the distance learning resources. The project will produce eight themed field trip modules and related hands-on STEM activities, aligned with state science standards and adaptable for a range of grade levels. The museum anticipates reaching up to 5,000 students, and the project team will monitor progress through pilot testing and ongoing evaluation to ensure the program meets the needs of students and educators.