ST. MICHAELS, Md., – With the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum’s youth education programs, the Bay provides a lens for understanding the wider world.
This winter, there’s a wide array of themes to explore with the return of CBMM’s STEAM Team and Homeschool Engineering Workshops, in addition to hands-on learning opportunities that include the Rising Tide after-school program, Build It! Workshops and field trips for student groups.
CBMM’s STEAM Team returns with a new lesson each Saturday in February. Led by an experienced educator, children will explore Chesapeake-related topics that incorporate a variety of activities related to Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math with sessions available for ages 4-6 (10am-noon) and 7-9 (1-3pm).
The first winter edition, titled Sink or Float – Discovering Density, is set for Feb. 4, and the programs to follow include We Love Boats! (Feb. 11), Observing Oysters (Feb. 18), and Engineering Extravaganza (Feb. 25). March 4 is reserved as an inclement weather make-up date.
Class sizes are limited, with advanced registration required. The cost per class is $15, with a 20% discount for CBMM members.
Register online for all four sessions for an additional discount or sign up for individual classes. Need-based scholarships are available by emailing [email protected]. To register, visit bit.ly/WinterSTEAMTeam23.
During Homeschool Engineering Workshops on Feb. 8 and Feb. 23, students will work together to design, build, test, and improve their solution to a problem within the Bay using the Engineering Design Process.
This two-hour workshop focuses on creative collaboration, engineering learning, and problem solving. Admission to CBMM is included for all participants. Both days, there is a session designed for ages 9-13 from 10:30am-12:30pm followed by one for ages 13-18 from 1:30-3:30pm.
The cost is $15 per student, with a 20% discount for CBMM members. Chaperones are welcome to drop off students, sit-in on the program, or tour CBMM’s campus with a trained docent. To register, visit bit.ly/CBMMHomeschool.
Targeted at sixth-through-ninth graders, Rising Tide teaches the basics of tool use, following a build plan, and woodworking techniques. After completing work on a pair of stand-up paddleboards in the fall, participants are set to begin work, alongside apprentices from CBMM’s Shipyard, on the build of a St. Michaels scow.
Resuming Jan. 23, Rising Tide runs from 3:30-5:30pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. Transportation is offered from the Easton YMCA and from St. Michaels Middle/High School. No experience is necessary for this free program, and new participants are welcome throughout the year. Contact [email protected] for more information.
CBMM’s Build It! Workshops provide hands-on fun for groups of all ages. These programs combine safety and hands-on construction techniques to provide a real-world application for mathematics skills, science concepts, and engineering design.
Under the guidance of a CBMM educator, students use tools to build either individual or group projects, such as bat boxes or oyster cages. The workshops are great for Scout troops, birthday parties, homeschool lessons, and even family gatherings. Prices vary depending on the project. At least three weeks’ advanced notice is required. Contact [email protected] for more information.
Student groups, including school, Scout, and other youth programs, are encouraged to contact [email protected] for more information about scheduling a field trip to CBMM in 2023. Group offerings include the popular Lighthouse Overnight Adventure program, which resumes in April with the opportunity to spend a night on campus in the Hooper Strait Lighthouse.
Website: cbmm.org