The guidebook serves as a toolkit of sorts to help planners, administrators, and others formulate comprehensive plans and responses to current and future effects resulting from a changing climate. The guidebook addresses a number of water related issues and vulnerabilities, including flood protection and mitigation, meeting drinking water needs, and more.
Category:
New climate adaptation toolkit helps municipalities
July 17th, 2013 by Irene MilesTeachers tackle Great Lakes science and take lessons back to their classes
July 16th, 2013 by Irene Miles
Funding was provided through a grant from the NOAA B-WET education program (linked above), and the workshop was made possible with assistance from Indiana Dunes State Park, the Great Lakes Research and Education Center at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, and the Alliance for the Great Lakes.
In the news: Great Lakes under growing pressure as water needs grow
July 15th, 2013 by Irene MilesThe Great Lakes, a source of freshwater for millions in American and Canada, will likely see increased stress as the water is needed for a growing population and a changing climate.
From The Toledo Blade:
“The Lakes’ usage has drawn more attention in recent years from politicians and legal scholars, such as those who attend the University of Toledo College of Law’s renowned Great Lakes water-law conference each fall. They have stated on numerous occasions that Great Lakes water-management laws pale in comparison to those of the American Southwest, where political battles over water rights have been fought for decades.
Scholars believe this region’s legal framework is evolving into a stronger one as water controversies and more political battles heat up, as evidenced by intense negotiations that resulted in the Great Lakes region’s first binding water-management compact.The Great Lakes region has traditionally been less irrigated than others. But that too is changing.
Michigan and Ohio have had an uptick in irrigation permits the past two years, largely a result of the 2012 drought and concerns over weather becoming more unpredictable because of climate change.”
Read the complete article at the link above, which includes additional information about areas of the U.S. that are already experiencing water shortages or similar issues in the future.
IISG asks water gardeners’ help in preventing the spread of invasive species
July 12th, 2013 by Irene MilesThe overall message he shared with the attendees was that even common plants associated with water gardens can quickly become “aquatic invaders” under the right conditions. Aquatic invaders are plants and animals that cause ecologic and economic harm once established in public waterways, and removing them can be very expensive and often impossible. One way that aquatic invaders are introduced or spread into public waters is through the intentional or unintentional release of species from water gardens and koi ponds.
Teachers and scientists give high marks to IISG’s Educator Day at IAGLR 2013
July 10th, 2013 by Irene MilesFrom Robin Goettel, IISG associate director for education:
Scientists and teachers had a unique opportunity to interact, network, and connect research with education during The Center for Great Lakes Literacy’s Educator Day at last month’s IAGLR 2013 conference in West Lafayette, Indiana. Among the many goals of the IISG-coordinated session, providing opportunities for teachers to share their science education needs with researchers and identifying ways to incorporate the latest Great Lakes research into their lesson plans were high priorities.
The exchange of ideas was not only productive, but was a welcome and highly valued experience for all of the participants. The feedback received from both researchers and educators was outstanding, and offered a number of suggestions to guide another session like this in the future.
Said one teacher of the event, “I was impressed! My experience with IAGLR exceeded my expectations. I was hoping to simply gather more information to ‘grow’ my Great Lakes curriculum. However, I was able to network with other teachers and scientists which I found so much more valuable than walking away with a stack of Great Lakes lesson plans.”
Another educator was grateful for the opportunity to meet and talk to working researchers. “I am very thankful for the chance to interact with professionals in the field. Not only does attending scientific conferences refresh learned concepts, but allows for new learning, insight, and expansion of awareness. It also provided fresh ideas for project-based learning and the opportunity to network with potential collaborators.”
The participating scientists were also glad to brainstorm ways that their work could be incorporated into classroom lessons.
“I always enjoy talking with teachers who are ‘in the trenches’ with younger students. They are faced with a different set of challenges (and opportunities) than we have at the college level. It was nice to hear that there are current efforts to better integrate math and science. It was also interesting to hear what teachers introduce in their classrooms to motivate and engage students in STEM areas.”
Teachers from Great Lakes states begin a week of hands-on research on Lake Ontario
July 8th, 2013 by Irene MilesIn the news: Endangered mussels reintroduced in Illinois rivers doing well
July 5th, 2013 by Irene MilesHundreds of endangered mussels originally residing in the Allegheny River in Pennsylvania have been relocated to the Vermillion river in Illinois over the last several years, and the project appears to be a great success.
From the Environmental Almanac:
“Over the past three years, scientists from the Illinois Natural History Survey have translocated hundreds of mussels from the Allegheny River in Pennsylvania (where they lived beneath a bridge slated for demolition) to sites on the Middle Fork and Salt Fork of the Vermilion River.
The two species of mussels involved, clubshells and northern riffleshells, are both classified as ‘endangered’ by the federal government, and by dint of that status they are subjects of recovery plans coordinated by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Those plans call for them to be reestablished throughout their historical range, which includes Illinois…
During the day’s work, a total of 286 tagged mussels were located, just over half of the ones placed there. ‘That’s about what we would expect,’ explained Jeremy Tiemann, the Natural History Survey field biologist who is leading the translocation effort in Illinois. ‘Others may have been so close together or so deep the reader didn’t pick them up. It’s also possible some moved up or downstream a little ways.’”
Follow the link above to learn more about the project.
In the news: Cool water forecast for some 4th of July swims
July 3rd, 2013 by Irene Miles“In contrast to air temperatures forecast in the 80s, Lake Michigan water won’t warm up in time for the Thursday holiday, according to the National Weather Service office in Grand Rapids.
Great Lakes video informs Congressional legislation
July 2nd, 2013 by Irene Miles
Learn more about the Great Lakes Legacy Act at the EPA’s GLLA webpage.
Recent News
- IISG has a long history of supporting teachers through Great Lakes activities and resources
- Join Sea Grant to oversee program research and reporting
- Educators immerse in Great Lakes science aboard EPA research vessel
- Tomas Höök reflects on a legacy of leadership, collaboration and impact at IISG
- Freshwater jellyfish may increase in numbers as Illinois and Indiana waters continue to warm
IISG Instagram
The Center for Great Lakes Literacy has launched a beautifully redesigned website. The star of the show is the Resource Library!
Whether you`re teaching in a classroom, leading a community program, or just passionate about the Great Lakes, the new hub makes it easier than ever to find lesson plans, activities, videos, and stewardship ideas tailored to your needs.
🔗 Visit the link in bio to dive in!
#TeachingTuesday

This summer, 15 Great Lakes educators swapped lesson plans for life jackets as they boarded the Lake Guardian, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s research vessel, and set sail on Lake Michigan. Through the Shipboard Science Immersion program, 5–12 grade formal and non-formal educators worked side by side with Great Lakes scientists for a week—an experience they say will ripple back to their classrooms for years to come.
Read more at the link in bio.

Looking for engaging, place-based literacy resources this school year? The Great Lakes: Our Freshwater Treasure by Barb Rosenstock is a beautifully illustrated dive into the geology, ecology, and history of our Great Lakes—perfect for sparking curiosity in learners of all ages.
📖 Learn more at the link in bio.
#GreatLakes #BookRecommendation #TeachingTuesdays
@brosenstock

Last month, Illinois and Indiana educators gathered for a two-day, professional learning workshop hosted by @duneslearning, @indianadnr, @thengrrec, and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant to dive deep into water’s role in Earth’s systems
Using @projectwet’s newest guidebook, Water in Earth Systems, participants explored the unique ecosystems of @indianadunesnps and engaged in hands-on aquatic science activities—bringing Great Lakes learning to life in the classroom!
Thanks to all who joined us in connecting science, stewardship, and the Great Lakes!
Read More at the link in bio.

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