Education -archive

Beach Cleanup, small plasticsLake Michigan sparks curiosity and can offer many cross-curricular connections. IISG can help you learn more about this amazing shared resource through activities, curriculum, professional learning, and stewardship project support. Explore the education resources and tools below to enhance your appreciation, understanding, and stewardship of southern Lake Michigan.

 

 

  Educator Resources

 

Center for Great Lakes Literacy

Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant collaborates with other Sea Grant educators through the Center for Great Lakes Literacy. The center’s goal is to develop a community of Great Lakes literate educators, students, scientists, environmental professionals, and citizen volunteers, dedicated to improved Great Lakes stewardship”.

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Curriculum and Activities

Bring Great Lakes science to life with experiential learning. Our curriculum materials and activities focus on hands-on ways of exploring science concepts, environmental challenges, and stewardship through the lens of the Great Lakes.

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Explorers

Use these tools to explore a curated list of external educational resources on the topics of weather and climate, pollution and nutrient losses in our waterways.

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Learning at Home

Explore the Great Lakes from home with a curated list of online resources for educators, parents, and curious lifelong learners.

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Loanable Kits

Borrow materials to provide hands-on learning for your students. Ready-to-use educational materials cover topics ranging from Great Lakes fisheries, invasive species, marine debris, plastic pollution and water quality.

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Professional Learning

Find learning opportunities and stewardship support to bring the Great Lakes into your formal or non-formal classroom through professional development.

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Students Ask Scientists

Connect your classroom with a research scientist who can illustrate concepts with real-world examples, expose your students to careers in science, and deepen their understanding and appreciation for the Great Lakes.

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IISG Instagram

Happy Juneteenth from all of us at Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant!
Got a research idea for southern Lake Michigan? IISG’s 2026 Seed Grant Research Competition is open. Up to $150,000 total funding for pilot studies that could become your next big project.💵 $10,000 to $50,000 per project⏰ Applications due August 17, 2026Two info webinars coming up: July 2 and July 21.🔗 Full details at the link in bio.
Add a Great Lakes twist to your summer reading! Discover stories inspired by our region with Great Lakes Great Reads. Check out reading lists perfect for beach days or quiet evenings.https://greatlakesgreatread.org/#BeachReads
Real-time coastlines, real-world insights. Check out the LIVE feed of Lake Michigan at Indiana Dunes State Park Beach – supporting recreationalists, researchers, and the broader public at the link in bio.This work is in partnership between Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association (@secoora_org), the Great Lakes Observing System (@greatlakesobservingsystem), Indiana Dunes State Park (@indianadunessp), Indiana Department of Natural Resources (@indianadnr), and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant with support from Surfline (@surfline).Check out IISG’s website for more information on this collaborative project at the link in bio. Also featured on Seagull and Indiana Coastal Atlas.Purdue Forestry and Natural ResourcesUniversity of Illinois ExtensionSouthern Lake Michigan Water Safety Task ForceUS National Weather Service Chicago IllinoisSave the DunesShirley Heinze Land TrustIndiana Dunes National ParkIndiana DunesFriends of Indiana Dunes, Inc.