Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant’s Caitie McCoy and others have just completed work on a new curriculum for elementary and high school science students. 

Helping Hands: Restoration for Healthy Habitats offers lessons and hands-on activities to connect students in the Great Lakes with recent or ongoing cleanup and restoration projects happening in their communities. The range of activities offers new ways to engage students with real-life examples that show environmental science in action.

Teachers interested in having Sea Grant lead the curriculum in their school should contact Caitie McCoy. Caitie can work with the teacher to customize curriculum to meet school-specific needs. The curriculum expands Great Lakes literacy among students, many of whom may become future researchers and educators.

Community leaders in Areas of Concern that would like to help Sea Grant lead or set up an educational program are also encouraged to contact Caitie. The complete curriculum is free to download at the link above.

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Who: 9-12th grade educators with a freshwater aquarium in their classroom What: Pilot test a new NGSS-aligned curriculum for the Know Your H2O water quality test kits, which includes three multi-day lessons, taking up to six class periods When: Feedback needed by December 31, 2025Interested? Contact Amy Shambach (ashambac@purdue.edu) or Julie Fiorito (fiorito4@illinois.edu).
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