geocaching

Do you love scavenger hunts and prizes? Geocaching has participants search for and log their findings in GPS marked caches! Explore the Port of Baltimore's mitigation sites and learn about this exciting activity with this lesson.

nature bingo

Explore the nature in your neighborhood while playing Captain Trash Wheel's BINGO game! Explorers will look for plants, critters, and other items in nature. Try to get "five in a row" just like regular BINGO, or try to find all the nature items as an extra challenge!

parachute party

Thinking about what helps an animal survive? Get ready to learn about plants and animals that have special adaptations to help them survive on Poplar Island.

build a cargo ship

Have you ever seen the big ships that keep the Port busy? In this lesson, students will learn about the imports and exports of the Port of Baltimore and use recycled materials to build a model cargo ship that will hold weight.

hot commodities

Where does trade happen and how is it helping restore habitat? In this lesson students will learn about the Port of Baltimore's top imports, exports, and how everyday trade is helping restore habitat.

restore an island

Do you love turtles and building structures? Then become an engineer for the day-- you'll learn how to build your own Chesapeake Bay island and about diamondback terrapins that live on islands like these.

careers in dredging

There are careers in even the most unexpected of places! Introduce students to careers that are part of the dredging process. Learn about the educational backgrounds these careers require and the many different activities involved throughout the work day.

map-tivity: poplar island

How has human activity shaped the islands in the Chesapeake Bay? Can lost islands be restored? In this lesson students will use project-based group learning to examine the history of Poplar Island. See how a community changed into a vanishing habitat before becoming the successful ecological restoration project you see today.

sediment to solution brainquest

Get the scoop on... well, dirt! (We promise, it's pretty cool). In this activity students will watch a short video about dredging and use their new-found knowledge to answer questions about shipping and sediment.

fun with feltboards

Ready to learn all about habitat restoration? By examining the history of Poplar Island we will show how erosion causes habitat loss, and how the Port of Baltimore is using its resources to counter some of Maryland's toughest problems.

masonville mitigation rotation

What has been going on at the Masonville Dredged Material Containment Facility (DMCF)? Introduce students to mitigation by learning how Masonville mitigation projects have benefitted numerous species in many ways.

become a birder

Did you know that there are 10,000+ species of birds on earth? Or that 436 species have been found in Maryland? In this activity, students learn about Maryland's birds and how to find, observe, and identify them. They'll also learn about why birds are so important and think about ways humans can be "good neighbors" to the birds in our communities.

eagle expedition

Imagine what life would be like as a Bald Eagle! Would it be easy to survive, or would there be challenges? In this interactive game students pretend to live like eagles and learn about how wildlife conservation efforts have helped eagles. This lesson can be paired with a short distance learning presentation from MES' educators.

osprey odyssey

Imagine living as a Northern Osprey! Would life be easy and would you catch lots of fish? In this game students pretend to live like osprey and learn about how human actions and natural forces shape the survival of this amazing species. This lesson can be paired with a short distance learning presentation from MES' educators.

design a diamondback

How do terrapins succeed in their environments? In this lesson students learn what makes the terrapin so special and all about the adaptations that help them thrive in the Chesapeake Bay and beyond.

terrapin travels

Imagine what life would be like as a diamondback terrapin! Would it be easy to survive or would there be challenges? In this interactive game students pretend to live like terrapins and learn about how human actions and natural forces shape the survival of Maryland's state reptile. This lesson can be paired with a short distance learning presentation from MES' educators and terrapin ambassadors.

diamonds in the sand

What’s it like to study terrapins and terrapin nests as a scientist on Poplar Island? In this activity, students simulate diamondback terrapin nest research to learn how environmental restoration makes an impact on terrapins and to practice their research and critical thinking skills.

weighing and measuring

Have you ever seen a terrapin up close? If you're up to the challenge, we can help make that happen! Experience how both terrapin researchers and students are helping this wonderful species with the support of the Port of Baltimore. Students will also learn about adaptations and the history of Poplar Island.

terrapin coloring pages

Get creative while coloring! Enjoy a series of coloring pages featuring Maryland's favorite turtle.

captain trash wheel coloring pages

Get creative while coloring! Enjoy a series of coloring pages featuring Captain Trash Wheel, the trash-gobbling machine who lives at Masonville Cove.

how do trash wheels work

How exactly does a trash wheel work? In this interactive e-learning module, students will learn how the different parts of a trash wheel work together and try their hand at trash wheel trivia. This lesson engages students with STEM by designing a trash wheel and encourages thinking critically about runoff in local waterways.