Supported by:
As part of our Watershed Education Initiative, Cranbrook Institute of Science and DTE Energy Foundation are pleased to have the opportunity to offer your 5th, 6th & 7th grade students, free of charge, an exciting new program on Great Lakes Watershed Education. These programs, developed around the Michigan Grade Level Content Expectation Benchmarks for Science and Social Studies, are a part of the Institute’s Water on the Go! educational outreach program. Water on the Go! programs come to your school to engage students in a fun presentation and hands-on learning.
Great Lakes Watershed Education Programs: 5th, 6th & 7th Grades
Our programs use the Michigan Environmental Education Curriculum Support (MEECS) curriculum developed by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.
How We Use Water is a 45-minute hands-on engaging lesson where students will learn about the Great Lakes as a unique freshwater resource in the world and get a fresh take on the water cycle and conservation. The presentation will:
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Review the hydrologic cycle
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Determine the distribution and availability of freshwater and saltwater on Earth.
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Help students identify their own uses of water and understand how water is essential to Michigan’s environment and economy.
The How We Use Water program engages students in activities designed to increase their awareness of the importance of preserving our water resources.
Students begin each program with Globe Toss, a game using inflatable globes to determine how much of the earth's surface is covered by water. This activity is followed by others that explore the water cycle, the availability of freshwater on Earth, water in our daily lives and how water is an essential component of Michigan's economy and environment. Students then study the impact humans have through daily usage and discuss what we can do to help conserve this most precious resource. The program concludes with an astounding quiz about how much water is needed for the things we use everyday—as an example, it may only be one egg but it takes 120 gallons of water to produce it! This program was designed for 5th grade level and above; it provides a good introduction into water studies and the global significance of the Great Lakes.
I Live In A Watershed is a 45-minute presentation that engages your students in modeling the movement of pollutants in a watershed. The presentation will:
- Model the impact of point and non-point source pollution in a watershed
- Use maps to better understand local watersheds and their connection to the environment
- Understand how individual actions can affect the health of the Great Lakes
Students will create a model watershed that demonstrates water flow and impact of point source and non-point source pollution. Students use maps of their watershed to understand their connection to the environment, their water source and the Great Lakes. This program is designed for 6th grade level and above, although it can be a good fit for a 5th grade audience that is currently studying watersheds in the classroom.
Groundwater Pollution is a 45-minute presentation that demonstrates groundwater flow and teaches students about habits and actions they can do to improve local water quality. The presentation will:
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Describe how groundwater is connected to surface water
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Explain how groundwater is used in Michigan
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Understand how various land use activities can contaminate groundwater or reduce groundwater availability
Students watch an interactive presentation that uses a groundwater simulator to understand groundwater and its role in the water cycle and as a freshwater resource for people. Through an experiment, we investigate the permeability of different earth materials and how they affect groundwater flow and aquifer formation. The presentation shows how different pollutants move through groundwater to contaminate wells. We discuss how to conserve and protect groundwater; a short video presentation concludes the program. This program is designed for 7th grade level and above, although it can be a good fit for a 5th to 6th grade audience that is currently studying watersheds and water quality in the classroom.
Stream Investigation
Special assistance in stream monitoring is also available by watershed education staff. Please contact us if you need assistance in planning or executing a water quality monitoring event with your school. We can offer help with equipment, coordination, data collection, and interpretation.
How to Register:
Please contact our scheduling office at 248-645-3008, or water@cranbrook.edu, to reserve dates or to receive more information.
Contacts:
Lisa Appel
Watershed Education Coordinator
Phone: (248) 645-3223
Ginny Beauregard
Great Lakes Watershed Educator
Phone: 248-645-3278
Mailing Address:
Cranbrook Institute of Science
39221 Woodward Ave.
PO Box 801
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48303-0801
At the Cranbrook Institute of Science...
NEW PROGRAMS!
The Harris Family Great Lakes Environmental Education Programs
Cranbrook Institute of Science presents, Programs in Great Lakes Environmental Science, a hands-on science experience helping 5 - 12th grade students to understand current freshwater and Great Lakes health issues. These programs offer students knowledge, inspiration and tools to protect and restore Michigan’s wetlands, streams, rivers and lakes.
Most programs last approximately 45 - minutes. Programming length and content can be adjusted to meet your specific needs. Click here to down load brochure.
It’s all Down the Drain: Your Daily Actions
The Great Lakes have undergone tremendous ecological changes in the last 200-years. From global warming to urbanization, the levels and chemical make-up of the Great Lakes are fluctuating on an unprecedented level in terms of pace, scale and overall impact. This program offers a contemporary presentation of the issues, and through hands-on demonstrations illustrates how urban runoff impacts water quality. We will explore how small amounts of some chemicals are beneficial to life but are poisonous in large quantities. Students test water samples and participate in modeling their own watershed to develop best-management practices for their own community.
GLCE: S.IP.05-07.11-14; S.IA.05-07.12-14; S.RS.05-07.11-17; L.EC.06.23; L.EC.06.31-32; L.EC.06.41-42; P.CM.07.21; L0L.07.63; E.ES.07.41-42; E.ES.07.82; E1.1B; E1.1C; E1.1f; E1.2E; E1.2f; E1.2g; E2.3b; E4.p1B; B3.4C; B3.5e
Investigating the Rouge River
Apr. 20 – June 12
Discover the world of aquatic creatures that live in the waters of the Cranbrook campus! Students will delve into this watery world and learn how to measure water quality using a biological assessment. By examining water samples taken from the Rouge River, we learn details about the role that benthic macro-invertebrates play in the food chain of a stream system and help students recognize how the physical and chemical environment may influence population dynamics within an ecosystem.
GLCE: S.IP.05-07.11-14; S.IA.05-07.12-14; S.RS.05-07.11-17; L.0L.06.51; L.EC.06.11; L.EC.06.23; L.EC.06.31-32; L.EC.06.41; E.ES.07.41-42; E1.1B; E1.1C; E1.1E; E1.1g; E1.2E; E2.3b; B3.2C; B3.4C; B3.5e
Great Lakes Invaders! The Story of Nature’s Outsiders
From zebra mussels to gobies to exotic wetland plants, the Great Lakes have been inundated by foreign species through man’s direct activities. These non-native species are dramatically realigning the food chain throughout the Great Lakes ecosystem, with devastating results. Students will explore how changes in one population might affect other populations based on their relationships in the food web. This program includes hands-on identification of several of these invaders and a game to get students familiar with “Michigan’s Most Unwanted.”
GLCE: S.RS.05-07.11-17, L.OL.06.51; L.EC.06.11; L.EC.06.21; L.EC.06.23, L.EC.06.32; L.EC.06.41-42; E.ES.07.41-42; E1.2E; E1.2f; E1.2g; E1.2k; B3.2C; B3.4C
Where Does the Water Go?
The levels of the Great Lakes have fluctuated throughout time. Only now, however, are the unprecedented changes in the Great Lakes being attributed to the actions of humans. This program demonstrates groundwater movement and analyzes the flow of water between parts of a watershed including surface features like rivers and lakes. We explain the features and processes of groundwater systems and discuss the sustainability of North American aquifers. Students will see how all freshwater is connected and learn what actions we can take to keep our “drops” clean.
GLCE: S.RS.05-07.15; E.SE.06.14; E.ES.07.41-42; E.ES.07.81-82; E4.p1A; E4.p1B; E4.p1C; E4.p1D; E4.1A; E4.1B; E4.1C; B3.4C; G5.1.1-3; G5.2.1
8,000 years of Living with the Lakes: Michigan’s Native Peoples and Fresh Water
Michigan’s Native American population lived in balance with fresh water resources in a way that few people understand. From fishery management to navigation, Michigan’s original inhabitants left an invisible footprint on the overall health of the Great Lakes even after tens of generations. This program focuses on how traditional peoples in the Great Lakes have co-existed with freshwater resources without having a negative impact on their long-term stability. Artifacts and stories will bring their connection to the Great Lakes to life.
GLCE: H1.4.3; G2.2.2; G2.1.1; G3.2.2; G5.1.1-2; G5.2.1; P3.1.1; U1.1.3; HI.4.1; HI.4.3; W2.1.3
Water Quality Monitoring on Cranbrook’s Campus – Premium Program
Apr. 20 – June 12
Students gather water samples from the Rouge River on Cranbrook’s Campus to measure water quality using chemical and biological assessments. Using chemical tests, students collect data by identifying evidence of chemical change through color and physical changes in testing solutions. Identification and classification of benthic macro-invertebrates completes the water quality picture as students sort through creatures harvested from the river bottom. This hands-on experience opens a new world of awareness and scientific inquiry on the health of local rivers and streams.
GLCE: S.IP.05-07.11-14; S.IA.05-07.12-14; S.RS.05-07.11-17; L.EC.06.23; L.EC.06.31-32; L.EC.06.41-42; P.CM.07.21; E.ES.07.41-42; E.ES.07.82; E1.1B; E1.1C; E1.1E; E1.1f; E1.1g; E1.1h; E1.2E; E1.2f; E1.2g; E2.3b; E4.p1B; B3.2C; B3.4C; B3.5e; G5.1.1; G5.1.3
Save the Date:
- Teacher Training Seminar in Great Lakes Environmental Science - June 23 - 25
- Ecology Explorer Science Camp – June 29 to July 3
- Advanced Ecology Explorer Camp - August 17 to 21
- 2009 Rouge River Water Festival - September 15 to 18
Lisa Appel
Coordinator of Watershed Education
Lappel@cranbrook.edu
248 645.3223
Call 248 645.3210 to register for Water programs at the Institute.
Teacher Training in Great Lakes Environmental Science
Three day session: June 23, 24, 25, 2009
8:30am – 3:30pm
Join us to learn how to use the Michigan Environmental Education Curriculum Support (MEECS) Water Quality Unit in the classroom. The MEECS Water Quality Unit targets Grades 6-8 and helps students discover the essential role that water plays in Michigan’s economy and in everyone’s lives. Students calculate how much water they use, investigate the link between land uses and water quality, and find-out how water is monitored and standards are set. Curriculum activities feature engaging, hands-on lessons that encourage student participation and inquiry. MEECS is aligned with science and social studies content standards and MEAP assessment. Cranbrook’s seminar features local experts on watershed and Great Lakes issues and activities include testing Rouge River samples from Cranbrook’s Campus! All participants will take home the MEECS Water Quality Unit Binders and Classroom Materials Kits.
The MEECS Water Quality Unit contains nine core lessons and five extension lessons. All lessons are correlated to Grades 6-8 and High School Science and Social Studies Michigan Content Expectations. They include:
Lesson 1 - The Availability and Distribution of Water on Earth
Lesson 2 - Household Water Use and Water used in the Manufacture of Goods and Services in Michigan
Lesson 3 - Managing Water Quantity and Movement in a Watershed
Lesson 4 - Land Uses and Water Pollution
Lesson 5 - Groundwater Quality and Potential Contamination
Lesson 6 - Water Quality Standards and the History of Water Quality Protection
Lesson 7 - Assessing the Health of Aquatic Ecosystems with Stream Monitoring
Lesson 8 - Managing Storm Water Runoff
Lesson 9 - Bioaccumulation of Contaminants in the Great Lakes"
Cost: $45.00 for the three-day session
Workshop Partners:
• U.S. Fish Wildlife & Service
• Michigan Sea Grant
• Clinton River Watershed Council
• Rouge River Watershed Council
• Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
Cranbrook Institute of Science Presents….
The workshop is limited to 30 teachers.
For more information, please contact Lisa Appel,
Watershed Education Coordinator, by email at
LAppel@cranbrook.edu, or phone at 248 645.3223.
SB – CEU Credits will be available!
Download a MEECs Teacher Training in Great Lakes Environmental Science flyer
This is a Harris Family Great Lakes Environmental Education Program
Rouge River Watershed Festival
Save the Date: September 15 to 18, 2009
For more information: Contact Lisa Appel, LAppel@cranbrook.edu or 248-645-3223
Water festivals are designed to help fourth & fifth-grade students learn about the importance of water and how it is used in their daily lives. The objective of a water festival is to provide students with activities to help them understand water resource related issues. Some of these issues include:
Ecosystems
Biodiversity
Polluted vs unpolluted water
Urban vs rural settings
Wetlands
Geosphere
The Great Lakes
River systems and watersheds
Streambank erosion
Impacts on habitat
Hydrologic Cycle
Sources of pollution
Wastewater treatment
Surface water
Creeks and streams
The 2009 Rouge River Water Festival at Cranbrook Institute of Science will take place on September 15-18 and will accommodate up to 3,000 students. The water festival is a half-day educational experience for students from Rouge River Watershed community schools in Oakland County. Students will learn about the central role water and the Rouge River play within their region. Cranbrook Institute of Science in Bloomfield Hills, situated on three sub-branches of the Rouge River, offers an outstanding learning environment.
Each class will attend a series of outdoor and indoor presentations. Presentations will be 30 minutes and will be designed, as much as possible, to be interactive, hands-on learning experiences. All presentations and exhibits relate to water, its uses, and critical importance to us and our environment.
Approximately two weeks before the Water Festival, each registered school will receive a Water Festival package outlining their day's events and listing any other important information.
Who are the Presenters and Exhibitors?
Possible presenters and exhibitors include: professionals from local, state and federal government agencies, natural resource groups, environmental consultants, universities, museums, and industry. We also try to include middle school and high school student presenters when possible.
What are the Educational Benefits?
Each teacher will leave the Water Festival with a water resource curriculum guide, reviewed by local educators and water resource professionals, and developed to support state Grade Level Content Expectation requirements. Each water resource guide is filled with ideas to further implement a water-based curriculum in the classroom.
Presentations offered at the Water Festival are intended to reinforce the current science curricula taught at elementary schools throughout the Rouge River Subwatershed.
Who is invited to attend the 6th Annual Rouge River Water Festival?
All fourth & fifth grade classes in Oakland County Schools that are within the Rouge River Watershed. However, space is limited to approximately 3,000 students.
What is the cost?
This educational event is free to schools. Additionally, all Water Festival presenters, exhibitors and volunteers provide their time and expertise for free.
For more information: Contact Lisa Appel, LAppel@cranbrook.edu or 248-645-3223
