Environmental educators gathered at Portage Lakefront in Indiana last Friday to attend a Hydrolab training workshop led by IISG community outreach specialist Kristin TePas.
 
The day kicked off with an activity to get an idea of the group’s knowledge of water quality parameters the Hydrolab, a sophisticated data-gathering instrument, is capable of measuring.
 
TePas asked the educators to write down what each parameter is, why it’s measured, and what affects it.
 
One of the parameters, “turbidity,” struck one Indiana educator, as a cool name for a band. After a good laugh, he and the larger group were able to come up with descriptions of what kind of information the Hydrolab is gathering when it’s submerged, like calculating dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature, conductivity, and chlorophyll a.
 
The remainder of the afternoon was spent familiarizing educators with the equipment, how to borrow the Hydrolab through the Limno Loan program, and a variety of lessons and activities that would work well in their own educational settings.
 
With hands-on training under their belts and implementation plans drawn up, the Hydrolab is likely going to make some extra visits to Indiana in the coming months.

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A recent @seagrant_noaa publication, Aquaculture Regulation in the Great Lakes, serves as a valuable resource for fish farmers & policymakers in the region in navigating the complex legal environment of aquaculture.The report breaks down complex legal framework and provides practical insights to help aquaculture producers understand and navigate state and regional requirements with greater confidence.It was developed by the National Sea Grant Law Center in partnership with @mnseagrant-led Great Lakes Aquaculture Collaborative (GLAC) which formed to support aquaculture in the eight Sea Grant programs that border the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain. Read more and access the report at the link in bio.
Our new aquaponics curriculum is here! Designed for 9-12th grade classrooms with operating aquaponics systems, this curriculum, created by educators for educators, teaches STEM concepts through the lens of aquaponics, aligning with NGSS and Great Lakes Literacy Principles. Learn more via the link in bio. @seagrant_noaa@ilextension@purduefnr@noaaeducation@environmental_ed_of_il@eeaindiana
Congress is finalizing the FY26 budget, and federal funding for Sea Grant programs across the country—including Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant—is uncertain. Sea Grant programs have consistently had broad community and political support, and now such support is more important than ever.Add your name to our sign-on letter urging Congress to support continuation of programs benefiting the Great Lakes, supporting local economies, and connecting communities with science-backed solutions.Scan the QR code or visit the link in bio to take action.
Stay updated with the latest environmental education happenings in the Great Lakes region. The Center for Great Lakes Literacy’s latest newsletter features upcoming events, professional learning opportunities, and valuable educational resources. Don’t miss out on these exciting updates—click the link in bio to read more and get involved!
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