Utilizing the Lake Superior watershed and the St. Louis River as a foundation for learning
Here is a "scavenger hunt" form for the Shipwrecks Alive! Exhibit at the Great Lakes Aquarium with answer sheet!
This lesson is a map quest that incorporates maps, land, government, and bodies of water. Using maps and a legend students will discover the different governing entities that are responsible for certain parts of the river and determine if the land is federal, state, city, or tribal.
Students will discover the insulating effect of snow and understand that temperature varies according to snow depth. Students will also learn what the subnivean zone is and how it helps animals survive the winter.
Students will see maps of Lake Superior and the St. Louis River to compare the sizes. Students will then each draw a portion of either the St. Louis River or a river near their school that flows into the St. Louis River or Lake Superior. They will make connections that every part of the river can impact the health of the rest of the river and of Lake Superior.
Attached is a two part PDF of Tom Gerstenberger's book "The Brownstone Quarries of Bayfield County"
Attached is a lesson plan and worksheet for investigating Thompson Reservoir. This will prepare students for a more detailed chemistry investigation by gathering a physical inventory of the Reservoir and a chance to experience a virtual overview of the upstream watershed. The lesson also introduces the study of sediments. Use the curricula titled "Google Earth Tour of the St. Louis River" for the virtual tour. Sediment core is optional.
The emphasis on reading and understanding informational texts in classrooms mirrors our efforts in science at the Lake Superior NERR. These readings are based on real scientific efforts in the Lake Superior Watershed, and include questions to check for understanding. This reading on vernal pools is great for springtime and is derived from an article in the Duluth News Tribune, April 2016.
An incomplete list of sources for student research projects.
Although other places in the country and in the world have lots of snow, they aren’t as special as ours. Our Great Lakes give us extra lake effect snow! So, the next time you are around the Great Lakes and it’s snowing, try to remember how special our area really is!
If you live around the Great Lakes, you are familiar with snow…. Lots and lots of snow. The Greats lake region often has more snow than other areas throughout the country because we have something called “lake effect snow.” But just what exactly is lake effect snow? In this lesson students will investigate this phenomenon to understand how the lake effect causes heavy snow in the areas around the Great Lakes.