‘Learn At Home Help’ From UMaine Cooperative Extension

So you're trying to figure out this "distance learning" thing while also balancing your day job and all of the responsibilities of running a house ... and you're trying not to lose your mind in the process!?! Well, thanks for the fine folks at the University of Maine Cooperative Extension 4-H, there's a great new online resource available to families and caregivers alike, that should help with this effort.

"The collection includes activity books, videos, guides and links to additional resources — from science to financial literacy. The goal is to keep students of all ages engaged in learning. Activities to do at home will be featured each Friday with a short video and easy-to-follow instructions."

State 4-H Office Administrative Specialist, Jessy Brainerd, says "the Learn from Home thing is something that a few of the different 4-H Professionals/Faculty came up with when we were trying to figure out how to continue the mission of doing outreach without being able to do in-person programming, which is, of course, the main thing that 4-H, and the rest of Cooperative Extension do!"

She says there will a number of different resources offered to multiple age groups.

"There are several new offerings - we have our first 'QuaranTEEN Virtual Science Cafe' happening tomorrow [Tuesday] - that'll be different University faculty or grad students doing a talk every Tuesday - it's an interactive Zoom webinar, so kids can ask questions and all that."

Brainerd says videos will be posted every Friday, with this coming Friday's topic featuring a lesson about "Exploding Baggies".

She explains that the team has vetted all the resources and links that are being used, "so everything is real research based information."

For more information, contact UMaine Extension 4-H, 207.581.3877, extension@maine.edu.