September 2005 Table of Contents |
Contacts
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New Poster Series Specially designed for young audiences, this new classroom poster series complements Project FLOW, lessons 3-5. Classroom activities demonstrate some of the long-term impacts of aquatic invasive species including competition with native species for food and habitat. Each poster presents key facts about seven unwanted plants and animals—Eurasian watermilfoil, purple loosestrife, round goby, Eurasian ruffe, zebra mussel, sea lamprey, and spiny and fish-hook water fleas. Colorful illustrations, photos and graphics help students understand why invasive species are a problem and what can be done. Contact: Anuja Mudali, (734) 764-1118, msgpubs@umich.edu |
Online Lessons Bring Great Lakes Education into the Classroom Building a model wetland and identifying Great Lakes fish are just two of the engaging hands-on activities for 4th-8th grade students in a new series of online curriculum lessons developed by Michigan Sea Grant. Project FLOW, Fisheries Learning on the Web, is a collection of 15 downloadable lessons covering the aquatic food web and invasive species, water quantity and quality, and Great Lakes fisheries and careers. “These lessons are particularly useful for Michigan educators,” says Michigan Sea Grant Education co-Leader Elizabeth LaPorte. “Each lesson was developed to support Michigan’s educational curriculum framework and benchmarks, as well as national educational standards and benchmarks for science and social studies.” LaPorte emphasizes that teachers can use the lessons to help improve Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) scores. MEAP scores in science, social studies, mathematics and writing declined in 2005 compared to scores from the previous year’s graduating class, according to July data from the Michigan Department of Education. Hands-On Learning Unit 1 introduces the concepts of aquatic food chains and food webs and the impact of invasive species. Lessons in unit 2 offer the opportunity to construct model wetlands and watersheds and experience the scarcity of the Earth’s accessible supply of fresh water. Unit 3 lessons provide engaging ways for students to learn about Great Lakes fish and explore career options. Lesson components include learning objectives, educational standards and benchmarks, content summary and background, a materials list and related downloadable files, and step-by-step procedures for each activity. An assessment chart lists suggested point values for each objective. “Project FLOW expands the reach of the Great Lakes Education Program to educators and students throughout Michigan and beyond,” says Michigan Sea Grant Education co-Leader Steve Stewart. “With Internet access, teachers can download and print everything they need—including step-by-step instructions, game boards, fish cards, and a lot of other supplemental materials.” In a formal evaluation, Project FLOW received high marks from a group of Michigan teachers and educational consultants from NOAA and Sea Grant who critiqued the lessons and provided valuable feedback.The Project FLOW development team included project manager Elizabeth LaPorte, University of Michigan educational specialist Anna Switzer, editor Joyce Daniels, and graphic designer Todd Marsee. See: Project FLOW Contact: Elizabeth LaPorte: (734) 647-0767, elzblap@umich.edu. |