After a successful pilot, we are looking forward to the 2024-2025 school year and are excited to have you aboard the Maine Mobile BIOLAB. Below are some helpful tips for what to expect before, during, and after your mobile laboratory visit. If you have any additional questions, please contact us.

Communications

Educate Maine staff will send an email to the lead contact reminding them of the dates selected for their upcoming school visit. At that time, the Educate Maine team and teacher will work together to select a date for a pre-visit meeting in which all teachers utilizing the program will discuss visit logistics.  Pre-visit meetings will be conducted virtually and typically are scheduled four to six weeks prior to the school’s mobile laboratory visit.

Pre-Visit

Educate Maine staff will schedule a time for a virtual pre-visit meeting with the main contact of your school. The pre-visit is scheduled so that teachers and Educate Maine staff can discuss parking, scheduling, activities, and expectations. Pre-visits should be scheduled about  four (4) weeks prior to the school visit. Teachers should come prepared with all questions and concerns. During this meeting, the school’s main contact should be ready to show pictures of the proposed trailer parking space to Educate Maine staff.  Critical information for onsite requirements of the lab include:

• A space of about 90′ x 30′ to deliver it by truck (the lab itself is about 52′ x 16′ fully deployed)
• Space on tar/pavement for stability and weight – it has self-leveling hydraulic system
• The unit is self-powered so we don’t need any electrical or water hook up

Pre-Visit Expectations

• Attendance: All teachers utilizing the program must be in attendance for the pre-visit meeting
• Preparedness: The current menu of laboratory activities will be shared prior to the meeting and teachers should identify activities of interest and bring any questions about the program to pre-visit.
• Participation: Schedule development will be left up to participating teachers. It is strongly recommended that all STEM teachers at the school collaborate to create the schedule of classes for the visit. Educate Maine instructors will provide advice, equipment needs, and logistics recommendations for the proposed schedule.
• Readiness: The lead school contact should print all important documents for each teacher prior to pre-visit.
• Parking: Parking location will be discussed during the pre-visit. Each school is asked to come prepared with a proposed parking location(s) to the pre-visit meeting.

Safety

Participant safety is Educate Maine’s number one priority. Educate Maine aims to provide a safe learning environment for students, teachers, and all guests who participate in programs in the classroom and mobile lab. As such, we ask that you help us enforce Educate Maine’s Safety Rules and Regulations.

Each school will receive a copy of Educate Maine’s Mobile Laboratory Safety Plan prior to their visit. Please contact Meg Krieger meg@educatemaine.org if you need additional information.

During Your Visit

• Standard Operating Hours: Educate Maine staff will work with teachers to create a schedule of classes to accommodate as many students as possible. When creating a schedule, teachers should allow time for staff to take a one hour lunch break daily.
• On-Site Support: Educate Maine staff will be on site to lead activity prep, setup and delivery. Group or individual teacher training can be scheduled as requested to build teacher capacity on activities.
• Student Handouts: Teachers are responsible for printing student handouts prior to the day the lesson will be taught. Student handouts may be found on this website at the time of your pre-visit (TBD).
• On-Lab Student Experience:  A representative from the school must be present inside the lab at all times while students are participating in mobile lab sessions.
• Evaluation Plan: Students and teachers will be asked to participate in the Educate Maine’s evaluation program to help provide feedback and improve future programs. No personal or identifying data will be collected from participants. Individuals may opt out of participating in the program at any time.

After Your Visit

• Parking space area should be cleared of all cars to allow removal of the lab.
• Teachers and campus administrators should complete the teacher survey that will be sent out by Educate Maine staff.

School Visits and Cancellations

All schools with unavoidable cancellations (pandemic-related, multi-day snow or storms, and other acts of nature) will be able to reschedule for a later date. Educate Maine will attempt to reschedule the visit during the current school year or offer priority access to the next school year’s schedule.

Request a Visit for your School

All Maine public schools that offer classes for grades 5-8 are eligible to request a visit.

Priority for visits will be given to schools in rural areas and those demonstrating high economic need (based on FRL eligibility – free & reduced lunch). Priority will also be given to schools that have not yet had a Mobile Mobile BIOLAB visit. Visit length is 1 week or as determined by Educate Maine, the amount of time needed to serve all students in the school.

Sign up for the Educate Maine Teacher Priority Network to learn about other programs available in your region.

Meet the Maine Mobile BIOLAB

Onboard the Maine Mobile BIOLAB, grade 5-8 students solve engineering design challenges and work cooperatively to design a product or process using model STEM activities developed by Educate Maine in partnership with Learning Undefeated that integrate content knowledge aligned to the Maine Learning Results. This program is offered at no cost to the schools.

The Maine Mobile BIOLAB offers cross-curricular STEM experiences. These activities will introduce bioscience to students from Grade 5 through Grade 8, and allow students to engage with the engineering design process. Educate Maine will provide the materials needed to complete engineering design challenges focused on brainstorming, designing, and testing.  All activities focus on students designing solutions to problems and allow for collaboration and exploration of the content.

Features of the Mobile Lab

• Mobile, flexible and portable laboratory space for schools in need
• Research-grade science and technology equipment and resources
• Chemical resistant surfaces
• Integrated technology, augmented reality, and game-based learning
• Full-time support staff to support teacher professional development and student instruction
• Dedicated onboard electrical, HVAC and water
• Wheelchair accessible entrances and exits
• Flexible outdoor space, convertible fixtures, and moveable storage