At the recent National Marine Educators Meeting in Boston, Lisa Chizek, a 5th and 6th grade teacher from Iowa joined other teachers to learn about the new curriculum, Fresh and Salt, which connects Great Lakes and ocean sciences. IISG’s Terri Hallesy, education specialist, led this session. Here are some comments from Lisa:

“I am so excited to have these wonderful and effective resources to help connect my students with the Great Lakes and Ocean Literacy Principles. I believe we are so interconnected with the Great Lakes and the ocean that it is very necessary for everyone to become literate about how these wonderful bodies of water affect our planet in so many ways and how we affect them. It is very important to me, as a person who wants my students to be able to understand and think critically about our world, to help my students become literate with these principles.

“Learning about our planet’s great bodies of water is a responsibility of every member of society. Living in land-locked Iowa does not diminish this responsibility or make it irrelevant. We are all interconnected with these bodies of water. I plan to incorporate these wonderful lessons in both my 5th and 6th grade classes.”

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🌊 Making Waves in Education Calling all K–12 educators — formal and non-formal! Stay connected to the Great Lakes and inspired in your teaching with our educator-focused newsletter.📬 Why Subscribe?✅ Discover teaching resources and professional development opportunities ✅ Connect with Sea Grant partners and community efforts✅ Bring Great Lakes science and stewardship into your classroom or program🗓️ Published quarterly — with occasional bonus issues when exciting events or new content arise!💡 Whether you’re in a classroom, nature center, or museum, this newsletter helps you make waves in education.👉 Sign up now: https://iiseagrant.org/education/subscribe-to-education-newsletter/ #TeachingTuesday#GreatLakesEducation
When participating in a crayfish participatory science activity, be sure to snap plenty of photos of any crayfish you catch or observe. Not only is it a great way to capture the fun and excitement of the day, but it also helps document the species present. To ensure accurate identification by scientists, it’s important to provide clear photos from multiple angles. Dorsal (top), lateral (side), and ventral (underside) views of the crayfish should always be photographed.To learn more about the specific features to highlight in your photos visit the link in bio or InvasiveCrayfish.org/Management/#Community
Who says “Back to School” means back indoors? While the weather is still warm, take your students on an outdoor science adventure by exploring crayfish in your local waterways.The Invasive Crayfish Collaborative invites grades 2-12 educators to take part in a hands-on participatory science activity. By catching, identifying, and reporting crayfish species in your area, students contribute valuable data that helps scientists better understand where native and invasive crayfish live.Check out what other educators have found and get involved: inaturalist.org/projects/great-lakes-crayfish
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