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Strategic plan targets invasive species
The Superior Daily Telegram (11/17)
Douglas County’s Land Conservation Committee is forwarding a plan to the county board that takes aim at invasive species.

Mich. Clean Marina Program: Public-private partners work together to improve water quality
Grand Rapids Environmental News Examiner (11/9)
Partners from the public and private sector in Michigan are working together in a voluntary program to improve the quality of the Great Lakes.

Researchers seek funding for wind test site in Lake Michigan
Grand Rapids Environmental News Examiner (11/7)
In a recent article in The Muskegon Chronicle, it was reported that researchers at Grand Valley State University’s Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy Center (MAREC) cited a lack of year-around data (on wind platform testing) needed by prospective development companies.

COMMENTARY: Senate needs to pass clean energy act to help Michigan
The Grand Rapids Press (10/26)
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was absolutely correct with his recent proclamation about the current condition of the Great Lakes State: "The State of Michigan," Reid declared from the Senate Floor, with a copy Time Magazine in his hand, "is in trouble."

First Nation women 'walk the environmental talk'
WeNews (10/23)
Tomorrow's global day of climate activism aims for media and political attention. First Nation women have another way. Since 2003, they've walked the shoreline of a Great Lake or major river, meditating on the needs of an unborn generation.

City making big push for water school
The Business Journal (10/23)
The push is on to convince the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee that the best location for its new School of Freshwater Sciences is near the university’s existing Great Lakes Water Institute on East Greenfield Avenue.

TEACH Calendar of Events
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Great Lakes in My World		free sample lesson
Grade level: K-8	Date: 2005	Program cost: $40.00
Subjects: art, environmental studies, geography, language arts, music, science, social studies

Publisher: Alliance for the Great Lakes
Correlated to education standards? Yes
Ordering Information
Table of Contents

Unit 1:  Lakes
Unit 2:  Sand Dunes
Unit 3:  Wetlands	
Unit 4: Communities
Unit 5:  History
Unit 6: Geology and Water Flow
Resource List
Activity List

A complete Great Lakes Unit which looks at the lakes and lake issues, sand dunes, wetlands, human communities, history, geology and water flow. A real issue, problem-solving focus provides authentic learning and opportunities for action.

This complete Great Lakes curriculum is made up of six units:

Lakes: how they work, how people are connected, and some lake issues
Sand Dunes: uniqueness, interrelationships, adaptations and extraction
Wetlands: structure, function and importance
Human Communities: human dependence and impacts on the lakes, living sustainably
History: interactions of various peoples with the lakes through time; relationship to the present
Geology and water flow: formation and significance of Great Lakes geology and water flow, including issues of withdrawal and export

Each unit contains a series of active, inquiry-based lessons placed in a sequence of connect --> explore --> investigate, which generally end up in summary activities leading to an exploration of local issues and actions taken in relation to those issues. The units also provide a choice of in-class or outdoor activities (many of the latter on-site) and opportunities for service learning (for example, Adopt-A-Beach). There is a good balance of research, observation, discussion, writing and action. Assessment is primarily done through rubrics, which provide both formative and summative evaluation opportunities. Many of the wrap-up suggestions could also be used to evaluate students. Good background information includes sources and additional references (many on-line), and journal pages confirm and extend activities and lessons. CD-based images and sounds enhance the program. The curriculum comes with a set of 60 Great Lakes Creature Cards, used in many of the activities.

Content Guidelines

Environmental Education Guidelines

Issue 1: Habitat

Key Characteristic 1: Accuracy

Issue 2: Pollution

Key Characteristic 2: Depth

Issue 3: Invasives

Key Characteristic 3: Skills

Issue 4: Ecosystem

Key Characteristic 4: Action

Issue 5: Biodiversity

Key Characteristic 5: Soundness

Issue 6: Build Fisheries

Key Characteristic 6: Usability

Issue 7: Treaty Rights

	Assessment of Coverage:
	-	none or N/A
		limited
		fair
		moderately good
		good

Issue 8: Manage Fisheries

Issue 9: Stewardship

Issue 10: Fishing

Issue 11: Careers

To compare this title with other materials, click here.

Disclaimer: The reviews of this and the other Great Lakes Fisheries education materials were conducted by a single independent reviewer. The views of this reviewer do not necessarily reflect the views of GLIN, the Great Lakes Commission, the Great Lakes Fishery Trust, or the University of Michigan.