Middle School Island Ecology

Hurricane Island programs embed students in experiences that leverage the art and practices of science as tools for leadership and social change. Through personal and group explorations, students explore their own strengths as transformative leaders who can address the sustainability challenges facing our world today.

In this program, rising 7th and 8th grade students use the entire island as their outdoor classroom, exploring from the highest peak of granite down to the rocky shores. Students will become familiar with the plants and animals of the Maine island communities as they learn how those organisms have adapted, survived, and formed their own special communities over time. Students will also explore our sustainable energy, water, food, and waste systems which minimize our impact on the island ecosystem. Activities such as rock climbing, rowing, lobstering, and jumping off the dock all bring an extra boost of adventure to an already exciting program. Learning and living together in this dynamic environment, students will begin to explore their own role in leadership and celebrate their achievements with our community at the end of the experience.

Middle School Island Ecology activities may include:

• Foraging for edible ingredients to cook their own meals from the island

• Using microscopes to compare freshwater and saltwater plankton species

• Searching the trees, waters, and skies around Hurricane to identify birds by sight and sound

• Working with the research team to get hands-on with Hurricane’s aquaculture projects

• Hauling lobster traps and learning about the biggest economic industry in Maine

• Exploring the impacts of sea level rise on coastal communities and brainstorming ways to address those challenges