Seaweed as a Teaching Tool

On April 15, 2025, students and community members gathered in the Pemetic Elementary School library for Discover Seaweed Day, a full-day event organized by school library media specialist and Hancock/Midcoast CLE member Janet Elvidge. The event was made possible through the Emery Science Grant and was part of a more broad effort to connect science, environmental literacy, and local culture.

From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., the library became a hub of activity for students from Pre-K through 8th grade. The day focused on seaweed as a local resource with global significance, highlighting its nutritional value, environmental benefits, and role in sustainable aquaculture.

In preparation for the event, students spent time in the library researching topics like seaweed farming in Maine, climate action, and Indigenous perspectives on environmental responsibility. They used resources like the Maine Aquaculture Kelp Curriculum, a virtual field trip to the University of Maine’s Center for Cooperative Aquaculture Research (CCAR), and materials from the Abbe Museum about Wabanaki environmental values. A range of seaweed-related books supported their learning, including Wakame Gatherers by Holly Thompson, The Forest in the Sea- Seaweed Solutions to Planetary Problems by Anita Sanchez, and The Science & Superpowers of Seaweed by Amanda Swinimer.

Hands-on learning took center stage throughout the day. Tess from UMaine 4-H brought a touch tank filled with live seaweed species for students to investigate. Caroline Moore, an educator with Acadia National Park, led an activity centered on the intertidal zone. Background videos played throughout the day, including content from the World Wildlife Fund and the Aquaculture for ME program. And since no affair is complete without food, seaweed-based snacks were offered by Maine Coast Sea Vegetables, giving students a literal taste of what they were exploring.

The event also featured educational flyers from Washington County Community College’s new aquaculture program. This helped connect local learning to future educational and career opportunities, illustrating to students that science takes many forms and is more accessible than they may have initially thought.

For Elvidge, who has long drawn artistic inspiration from the natural world and especially seaweed, the event reflected both personal and professional passions. Her artwork, ranging from watercolor to polymer clay, often incorporates seaweed forms and textures. Science and art are deeply connected, informing practitioners in both method and content.

Discover Seaweed Day brought together formal and informal learning, local and global connections, and science and the arts. It encouraged students to think critically about their environment and consider how even something as seemingly ordinary as seaweed can play a role in addressing environmental challenges.