Ripple Effects is a collection of 6-12 grade activities that introduce students to aquatic invasive species in the Great Lakes. Through this curriculum, students can engage in research, reporting, and role-playing games and activities to learn why these non-native species threaten native ones, how they came to the region, and their impact on Great Lakes ecosystem dynamics. These eight activities align to both the Next Generation Science Standards and the Great Lakes Literacy Principles.

The Lake Guardian is an EPA research vessel that sails the Great Lakes. This brochure provides stats on the ship, explains the variety of research that happens aboard, and highlights the equipment that scientists use to test these waters.

A printer-friendly version of this document is available at https://iiseagrant.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Lake-Guardian-US-Letter-Size-Print.pdf.

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Some linked publications may not fully meet current ADA accessibility standards and are provided for historical and archival purposes. If you need a plain-text screen or reader-friendly version of any document on our website, please contact us and we will do our best to provide one.

A Great Lakes Area of Concern, Muskegon Lake in Michigan has undergone a cleanup through the Great Lakes Legacy Act. As a result, the city of Muskegon has seen environmental, economic, and quality of life benefits.

Citations:

1. Paul Isely Erik Nordman Kendra Robbins Julie Cowie. Muskegon Lake Area of Concern Habitat Restoration Project: Socio-Economic Assessment Revisited. July 2020.
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.

Other Resources

• Great Lakes Commission: Assessing the Investment—The Economic Impact of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative: A Case Study of Muskegon, Michigan

En Español

Revitalización de Muskegon en español está aquí.


• International Association of Great Lakes Research: Great Lakes Revival: How Restoring Polluted Waters Leads to Rebirth of Great Lakes Communities (pp. 39-46)
• Livability: Transforming Waterfronts Along the Muskegon Lakeshore
• Western Michigan Regional Shoreline Commission: Muskegon River Habitat Restoration at Veteran’s Memorial Park
• NOAA Fisheries: Muskegon Lake Nears Recovery After Years of Restoration
• MiBiz: Arts playing ‘huge role’ in shaping downtown Muskegon through pandemic
• WZZM Channel 13: A successful Muskegon festival season by the numbers
• WOOD Channel 8: ‘Hidden gem’ discovered: Muskegon Lake ripe for development
• FOX Channel 17: Great Lakes cruises bring passengers, revenue to Muskegon
• MLIVE: Marquette to Muskegon: Cruise ships bring big tourism dollars to the Great Lakes 
• Detroit Free Press: Cruise ships to visit Muskegon again after 2 years of COVID-19 cancelations

ADA Compliance Information

Some linked publications may not fully meet current ADA accessibility standards and are provided for historical and archival purposes. If you need a plain-text screen or reader-friendly version of any document on our website, please contact us and we will do our best to provide one.

This program provides the opportunity for educators to borrow actual monitoring equipment used by scientists in the field and for students to experience collecting and analyzing real water-quality data. It is a great way to bring to life the topic of water quality for your students, and bring the outdoors to your classroom or your classroom outdoors!

For more detailed information, visit Limno Loan

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Some linked publications may not fully meet current ADA accessibility standards and are provided for historical and archival purposes. If you need a plain-text screen or reader-friendly version of any document on our website, please contact us and we will do our best to provide one.

A curriculum for integrating real-time buoy data as a teaching tool about Lake Michigan conditions and current issues.

ADA Compliance Information

Some linked publications may not fully meet current ADA accessibility standards and are provided for historical and archival purposes. If you need a plain-text screen or reader-friendly version of any document on our website, please contact us and we will do our best to provide one.

This quick reference guide is a supplement resource for the Know Your H2O water quality testing kit. The guide takes you step-by-step through basic procedures for measuring dissolved oxygen and temperature using the YSI Pro 20i dissolved oxygen meter and pH using an EcoSense pH pen. It also provides testing procedures for La Motte chemical tests to measure alkalinity, ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, iron, and phosphate levels in water.

ADA Compliance Information

Some linked publications may not fully meet current ADA accessibility standards and are provided for historical and archival purposes. If you need a plain-text screen or reader-friendly version of any document on our website, please contact us and we will do our best to provide one.

The use of live crayfish in classrooms has been identified as a pathway for the introduction of invasive crayfish into our local waterways. To address this issue, the Investigating Crayfish and Freshwater Ecosystems curriculum was developed to teach students about Great Lakes ecosystems, the significance of native crayfish, and the ecological threats posed by invasive crayfish. It contains nine lesson plans aligned to Next Generation Science Standards, Common Core State Standards, and Center for Great Lakes Literacy Principles. The curriculum is best suited for students in grades 6-12 but offers numerous adaptations/extensions to meet the divergent needs of students in grades 2–5.

This document is available on the Invasive Crayfish Collaborative website: https://invasivecrayfish.org/crayfish-curriculum/

This publication brings together program impacts from the 2018-2019 Sea Grant year.

ADA Compliance Information

Some linked publications may not fully meet current ADA accessibility standards and are provided for historical and archival purposes. If you need a plain-text screen or reader-friendly version of any document on our website, please contact us and we will do our best to provide one.

This brochure is a guide to the characteristics and benefits of selected Illinois plants to help home gardeners choose native plants appropriate for site-specific conditions.

Alternative Version

A screen reader friendly version is available at: https://iiseagrant.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Accessible-Illinois-Native-Plants-for-the-Home-Landscape-Brochure.pdf.

En Español

Plantas Nativas de Illinois en español está aquí.
La publicación para un lector de pantalla está disponible aquí.

ADA Compliance Information

Some linked publications may not fully meet current ADA accessibility standards and are provided for historical and archival purposes. If you need a plain-text screen or reader-friendly version of any document on our website, please contact us and we will do our best to provide one.