1824 Map of the St. Louis River Estuary
This is a copy of one of the first hand drawn maps of the St. Louis River Estuary. It was drawn by Admiral Henry Bayfield in 1824. Pay close attention to the inscription on the map.
Curriculum download is a PDF version of the map.
Amphibian Trivia: What’s there to know about frogs and why are they important?
As partners, students will work to understand materials about frogs. Then, partners will be separated to form two groups to play the amphibian trivia game. Students will learn about the importance of amphibians such as frogs as well as how frogs differ from toads. Curriculum download is a brief lesson plan including a reader about amphibians.
Analyzing Animal Tracks
This is a short guide to using measurements to figure out what animal may have left a track in the snow. Curriculum download is a PDF version of this tracks worksheet.
Aquatic Vertebrates: Who am I? Game
There are 5 critters from the Lake Superior watershed just waiting to meet you! A series of characteristics are read aloud, while guesses are taken, then the aquatic vertebrate is revealed. Curriculum download is a PDF version of the clue cards with images that can be printed on the back of the clue cards.
Attack of the Purple Loosestrife!
Wild rice is a keystone species in the ecosystem. If it were removed, many other species would be negatively impacted. In our region, it is being threatened by a number of different factors, a couple of which, purple loosestrife and Canada geese, will be covered in this lesson. Students will act out a small scale ecosystem in order to learn about the issues facing wild rice in our area. Curriculum download is a lesson plan with which to run this lesson.
Bedrock and Geologic Past Maps
These maps are great resources and go with the Geology Unit Lesson Plan curriculum. Curriculum download is a PDF infographic about Wisconsin's geologic past. The Supporting File download is a PDF map showing the composition of Wisconsin's bedrock.
Big Floods, Big Lake (flooding)
What causes Lake Superior flooding? By taking a look at evidence from the flood of 2016 in the Twin Ports area and learning about the characteristics of floods, the mystery will be solved. Curriculum download is a PowerPoint slideshow teaching guide with links to all you need to do the lesson with your class.
Comparing Different Cultures: Are we really that different?
The objective is for students to understand that human cultures all have common threads. The Curriculum download is a PDF version of the lesson plan to run this with your class.
Data Table Worksheet
Attached is a student copy and teacher copy of a short assignment students can do to understand how to (and where to) enter data in a data table. There are five "journal entries" from two "scientists" that are studying Otter River. Students will use the journal entries to enter data into the table at the bottom of the page. Curriculum download is a PDF student copy of the worksheet. Supporting File is a PDF teacher copy of the worksheet.
Floody, Muddy, and Green
Students will discover the relationship between Lake Superior temperatures and algae growth. Lesson resources are linked in the teaching guide. Curriculum download is a Powerpoint slide deck with links to all the resources you need to run this lesson with your class.