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Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: What's So Great About the Great Lakes?

For Students 9th - 10th
The North American Great Lakes- Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior- are so big that they border 8 states and contain 23 quadrillion liters of water. They span forest, grassland, and wetland habitats, supporting a region that's...
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Activity
Read Works

Read Works: Great Lakes? Not for Long

For Students 6th
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about problems in the Great Lakes including: toxic substances, over fishing, invasive species, and more. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading...
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Handout
US Environmental Protection Agency

Epa: Contaminated Sediment in the Great Lakes

For Students 9th - 10th
Provides an overview of the issue of sediment contamination in the Great Lakes, how the problem is assessed, causes of contamination, and remedial efforts. Includes links to more in-depth information.
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Handout
Other

Glin: Habitats of the Great Lakes Region

For Students 9th - 10th
This site profiles the elements of the Great Lakes' ecosystems and habitats.
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Activity
Read Works

Read Works: Great Lakes

For Teachers 6th Standards
[Free Registration/Login Required] Students read about environmental issues causing problems for the Great Lakes. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in drawing conclusions.
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Handout
Other

Glfc: Sea Lamprey Control in the Great Lakes: A Remarkable Success!

For Students 9th - 10th
Good article from the Great Lakes Fishery Commission about the ongoing battle with the sea lamprey, an invasive species, in the Great Lakes Region of the U.S.
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Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: How Does the Temperature of the Great Lakes Change Over Time?

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This activity allows students to use water surface temperature, bathymetric data, and weather data to look at trends in the water temperature of the Great Lakes.
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Handout
Environmental Education for Kids

Eek!: Lake Superior

For Students 3rd - 8th
This site provides facts, illustrations, and more about the largest Great Lake. Includes descriptions of wildlife and industry. For grades 4-8.
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Website
Other

Environment Canada: Native Peoples Great Lakes Region

For Students 9th - 10th
This site provides information on the Indians that inhabited the Great Lakes Region upon settlement by Europeans.
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Lesson Plan
Other

Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Ctr.: Exploring Energy Transformations in Plants

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This set of lessons has students investigate how plants obtain energy from different sources to support their growth and development. Students conduct investigations, make predictions, and construct scientific explanations of the...
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Website
University of Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin: Paradise Lost?: Teaching Climate Change in the Great Lakes Region

For Students 9th - 10th
This website is designed as a resource for high school and middle school teachers on the topic of climate change. The emphasis of this site is on providing hands-on activities. Includes activities that involve language arts, social...
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Article
Curated OER

Cbc News: Acid Rain Has Lingering Impact on Canadian Lakes: A Study

For Students 9th - 10th
Have the Great Lakes been cleaned up? Is there no longer any fear for its future? The answer is no. Recent studies reveal that problems still exist, and these are addressed in the article.
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PPT
University of Michigan

University of Michigan: The Great Lakes: An Environmental History [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
The University of Michigan provides a PowerPoint presentation on the environmental history of the Great Lakes. Provides aerial shots of the Great Lakes from a satellite, various geographical maps over the Great Lake Region, and pictures...
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eBook
Blackdog Media

Classic Reader: The Rover Boys on the Great Lakes by Edward Stratemeyer

For Students 9th - 10th
Classic Reader provides numerous classic works from famous authors. One work is The Rover Boys on the Great Lakes, the fifth book from the late 1800's through the early 1900's series, "The Rover Boys." This book is from the first series...
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Website
Other

Great Lakes Recycle: Recycled Products Showcase

For Students 9th - 10th
This Great Lakes Recycle site allows you see pictures and descriptions of many items created from recycled goods.
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Activity
Library of Congress

Loc: Summer on the Lakes E Text

For Students 9th - 10th
Here is a short biography and a analysis of "Summer on the Lakes" by Margaret Fuller. It also contains links to the online text for this essay describing her trip to the Great Lakes in 1843. Text can be viewed on a page-by-page basis in...
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Website
Other

Great Lakes Information Network: Economy

For Students 9th - 10th
This site consists of economic information about various midwestern states and industries. Site can be used for students to conduct research. Various aspects about the midwestern economy are included.
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Lesson Plan
Other

Great Lakes Now Virtual Field Trip

For Students 6th - 8th
Embark on a virtual field trip that covers three main components: coastal wetlands, algae, and lake sturgeon. The videos are short and targeted at middle schoolers.
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Handout
University of Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin: Great Lakes Maritime History Project

For Students 9th - 10th
A collection of documents that explores the maritime history of Wisconsin.
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Website
Other

Milwaukee Public Museum: Indian Country: Oral Tradition

For Students 9th - 10th
The Milwaukee Public Museum provides this introduction to the Native American oral tradition and oral literature of the Great Lakes region. Describes common themes and characters, including trickster characters and windingo (ice...
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Handout
Cleveland State University

Cleveland State University: Iron

For Students 9th - 10th
A history of the iron ore industry with a focus on the Great Lakes Region. Well written and interesting.
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Graphic
Digital Public Library of America

Dpla: Two Hundred Years on the Erie Canal

For Students 9th - 10th
Learn about the Erie Canal, one of the most famous man-made bodies of water in the world. Completed in 1825, the Erie Canal connected the port of New York City on the Atlantic Ocean with the Great Lakes transforming trade, industry, and...
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Activity
Missouri Botanical Garden

Missouri Botanical Garden: Lakes and Ponds

For Students 3rd - 8th
This illustrated website features facts about lakes and ponds and their special place in geography, natural history, and as a biome.
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Lesson Plan
Utah STEM Foundation

Utah Stem Action Center: Salt Dissolved in Great Salt Lake

For Teachers 6th - 8th
For this lesson, students will compare water from a fresh lake to water from the Great Salt Lake to begin to build a conceptual model for how salt dissolves in water. The lesson focuses on students using and developing models of...

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