Hop, Slither, and Scurry to Big Night at CMTM!
Hop, Slither, and Scurry to Big Night at CMTM!
Every spring in Maine, hundreds of thousands of amphibians awaken to leave their underground homes in the pouring rain to journey to vernal pools, an event known as Big Night. Salamanders and frogs can travel up to half a mile, crossing roads throughout the state to begin the next phase of amphibious life cycles.
From March 20-22, celebrate this upcoming natural phenomenon with special programming exploring amphibious life! Act out the life of a frog, make a home for a pretend salamander, and create a jumping frog and a mini pond in MakerSpace–can your frog jump into or over the pond? Read on to learn about all the exciting experiences headed your way!
Frogs in MakerSpace
Friday, March 20 - Sunday, March 22
10 am - 12 pm & 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm
Hop into MakerSpace to make your own jumping frogs. Can your frog jump over the pond in MakerSpace? Can it hop over rocks and trees? How high can it go?!
Home for a Salamander
Friday, March 20, 9:30 am - 10:30 am
Sunday, March 22, 10 am - 11 am
The snow is melting and the rain is coming—time to make a salamander home! Use your imagination and science to design a home for a pretend salamander. Throughout this activity, learn how real salamanders and many other creatures survive in the vernal pools.
Meet a Frog with the Center for Wildlife
Friday, March 20, 11 am - 11:30 am
Get ready to hop, ribbit and observe as we meet a real frog with the Center for Wildlife. Make observations and explore the adaptations of a live frog.
Citizen Science
Friday, March 20 & Sunday, March 22, 1:30 pm - 2 pm
Saturday, March 21, 12:30 pm - 1 pm
Reenact the story BIG NIGHT FOR SALAMANDERS by Sarah Marwil Lamstein, which is about a family who helps amphibians cross the road during their migration from hibernation to the vernal pools where they were born. Use waterproof paper to make a poster you can put outside to raise awareness of amphibians crossing the street.
Sensory Vernal Pool
Friday, March 20, 3 pm - 3:30 pm
Saturday, March 21, 10 am - 10:30 am
Reenact the story BIG NIGHT FOR SALAMANDERS by Sarah Marwil Lamstein, which is about a family who helps amphibians cross the road during their migration from hibernation to the vernal pools where they were born. Use waterproof paper to make a poster you can put outside to raise awareness of amphibians crossing the street.
Visiting Science: Dr. Greg LeClair
Saturday, March 21, 11:30 am - 12 pm
Have you ever caught a frog or discovered a salamander scurrying over a rock? Come meet scientist Greg LeClair, an amphibian expert and the founder of a citizen science project called Maine Big Night. Big Night is a special night of the year when folks help amphibians cross roads to reach their breeding grounds. Explore the amphibians in Maine and get tips on how you can help them on Big Night!
Verna the Salamander: Big Night in the Theatre
Saturday, March 21, 3 pm - 3:30 pm
For this Pop-up Performance in the theatre, it’s Big Night! Tonight’s the night when amphibians must make an epic journey, and Verna the Salamander needs your help. We must work together to make sure the weather conditions are right, that the roads are safe to cross, and that our yellow spotted Salamander can find her way back to her vernal pool.
Thank you to L.L.Bean for their support of this program and their ongoing commitment to CMTM’s Nature Education initiatives.