Distance learning

Elementary school

Composting with Worms (4 videos)

Composting with Worms: Episode 1

Join Dr. Jamie as she learns how a home worm bin can "recycle" food scraps and turn it into super dirt! These four youth-focused videos will introduce elementary students to the compost cycle, the elements of a habitat, and worm anatomy.

Composting with Worms: Episode 2

Come and learn about how to create a worm habitat to complete the compost cycle!

Composting with Worms: Episode 3 | Would you like to meet the compost critters?

Come meet the compost critters in Dr. Jamie’s worm bin. Learn how to use your science skills to observe and make a hypothesis on a worm questions – how can you tell the head from the tail of a worm?

Composting with Worms: Episode 4 | Do you know how to find the head of a worm?

Dr. Jamie and her worm friend will teach you all about the different parts of a red wiggler and how to know what food to put in a worm bin. Test your worm scientist skills after the video by turning off the volume and teach your adult or siblings how to tell the head from the tail of a worm using the worm bin videos.

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Middle and high school

Climate change (7 videos)

Part 1: Climate basics

Join Lake from Metro’s outreach team for Part 1 of the Climate Change series! You’ll explore the basics of climate change and be able to explain how human activity is altering our planet. Recommended for middle and high school audiences.

Part 2: Living with stuff

Join Ken and a panel of youth interns from Metro’s outreach team for Part 2 of the Climate Change series! You’ll explore the connections between our stuff, fossil fuel use, and global climate disruption. Recommended for middle and high school audiences.

Part 3: Making a t-shirt

Join Ken from Metro’s outreach team for Part 3 of the Climate Change series! You’ll watch a series of short videos to follow the making of a t-shirt and learn where the most carbon dioxide is produced in the process. Recommended for middle and high school audiences.

Part 4: Earthrise

Join Lake from Metro’s outreach team for Part 4 of the Climate Change series! You’ll watch and reflect on a poem by Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman and consider your personal reasons for wanting to see climate action. Recommended for middle and high school audiences.

Part 5: Climate Justice

Join Lake from Metro’s outreach team for Part 5 of the Climate Change series! You’ll explore the concept of climate justice and learn about 13 climate justice advocates making a difference in their communities.

Part 6: Drawdown

Join Ken from Metro’s outreach team for Part 6 of the Climate Change series! You’ll explore Project Drawdown and consider some of the most impactful ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at home and in your community.

Part 6: Taking action

Lake and Ken from Metro’s outreach team join forces for the final part in the Climate Change series! You’ll brainstorm opportunities to make real difference, take a pledge for climate action, and learn about local organizations connecting youth to activism.

The secret life of our stuff (3 videos)

Live Metro South trash cam

Part 1: Welcome to trash!

Join Lake from Metro’s outreach team for part one of the Secret Life of Our Stuff series! You’ll explore how much trash is generated in the Greater Portland region each day and learn where it goes when it leaves the city. Recommended for middle and high school audiences.

Live Metro South trash cam

Part 2: The secret revealed

Join Ken from Metro’s outreach team for part two of the Secret Life of Our Stuff series! You’ll explore the lifecycle of our stuff from production to disposal, learn where the most environmental damage takes place, and understand how recycling and reuse matter. Recommended for middle and high school audiences.

Play the Recycle or Not game

Part 3: What CAN go in the recycling?

Join Lake from Metro’s outreach team for the final part of the Secret Life of Our Stuff series! You’ll be presented with 36 common household items like shampoo bottles, paper drink cups, and snack wrappers and your job is to decide which items can go in home recycling. Recommended for middle and high school audiences.

Elementary school

Middle and high school

Community and family

Printable activities

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