Lesson: Geography -- The Great Lakes

Content

Name: Michelle Angel

Level of Certifcation: Early Childhood and K-6

Grade Level: Third

Objective: Students will e ale to analy!e content o" the reading ook#
identi"y citi!en responsiility "or the Great Lakes $asin# de%onstrate use
o" &ocaulary associated with water 'uality and locate the nearest ri&er#
pond# lake# and reser&oir(

Standards:

)-G*(+(,: locate natural resources in Michigan and e-plain the

conse'uences o" their use(

Time Frame: Two . Three /orty-/i&e Minute Class 0eriods

Materials

$ook - A 1i&er 1an 2ild

3istrict and.or school science te-ts appropriate "or grade le&el: sections
on water 'uality# pollution and conser&ation o" water

4ournals

0ens# 0encils# Markers# Colored 0encils# etc(

Large %ap o" the Great Lakes &isile to all learners

0oster oard or large sheets o" paper

Markers# colored pencils or crayons

Student copies o" Attach%ent 5ne: Guided 0ractice

Student copies o" Attach%ent Two: /ishing "or /acts

Map o" Michigan# with the Great Lakes

Procedures
Prior Knoled!e Needed:

6(G*(+(,: Suggest ways people can responsily interact with the

en&iron%ent in the local co%%unity(
"ntici#ator$ Set:
0AGE , 5/ 7

8se a large %ap that shows the Great Lakes 9ideal with Google Earth:(

Ask the students why these lakes are so i%portant and %ake a list o" the
responses on oard(

Ask the students i" they know the de;nitions or gi&e e-a%ples o" pollution
and conser&ation

Ask students how they can relate these ter%s to what they already know
aout our lakes# ri&ers and strea%s(
%nstructional %n#ut:

Tell students that the true story they are aout to read will descrie how a
once great# clean ri&er eca%e polluted and how Marion Stoddard and
others practicing philanthropists helped sa&e the ri&er(

E-plain what a philanthropist is:

A philanthropist is a person who %akes an acti&e e<ort to pro%ote

hu%an wel"are= a person who practices philanthropy(

E-plain what philanthropy is:

0hilanthropy %eans >lo&e o" hu%anity> in the sense o" caring "or#
nourishing# de&eloping# and enhancing >what it is to e hu%an> on
oth the ene"actors? 9y identi"ying and e-ercising their &alues in
gi&ing and &olunteering: and ene;ciaries? 9y ene;tting: parts(
The %ost con&entional %odern de;nition is >pri&ate initiati&es# "or
pulic good# "ocusing on 'uality o" li"e>

3iscuss with the class so%e positi&e sides aout sa&ing water(

1ead and discuss /ishing "or /acts# as a class(

%nstructional Modelin!:

The teacher will e-plain what water pollution is:

2ater pollution is the conta%ination o" water odies 9lakes# ri&ers#

oceans# a'ui"ers and groundwater:( 2ater pollution occurs when
pollutants are discharged directly or indirectly into water odies without
ade'uate treat%ent to re%o&e har%"ul co%pounds(

Teacher can show the "ollowing @/inding Ae%oB clip to gi&e the
class a &isual o" water conta%ination:
http:..www(youtue(co%.watchC&DE6!F72&'F87

2ater pollution a<ects plants and organis%s li&ing in these odies o"
water( En al%ost all cases the e<ect is da%aging not only to indi&idual
species and populations# ut also to the natural iological co%%unities(

The teacher will then discuss the negati&e side to water conta%ination(
0AGE 6 5/ 7

Teacher will %odel running water "ro% the sink# with a ucket in the sink
that will ;ll up with water# in the classroo% and then walk away(

The teacher will then co%e ack a"ter a short period o" ti%e and turn it
o<# and ask the students what they think he . she could ha&e or should
ha&e done to conser&e water(

Gere# the teacher will show the students how %uch water he . she
wasted and will discuss the students etter options he or she could
ha&e done# and what they can do with the water that was sa&ed(
Guided Practice:

1ead ook# A 1i&er 1an 2ild# and discuss the "ollowing 'uestions:

Gow does a ri&er change o&er ti%eC Es this good or adC

2hat "actors did we disco&er aout the Aashua 1i&er that we could see
happening in the Great LakesC

2hy do you people "eel responsiility to act philanthropically and accept

stewardship "or the ri&erC

3e;ne ter%s appropriately: ecosyste%# pollution# estuaries conser&ation#

water 'uality# philanthropy# stewardship# co%%unity capital# sel;sh#
selHess(
%nde#endent Practice:

Iiew the &ideo# >Aout 1i&erkeeper> and ha&e the students co%pare how
the Aashua 1i&er was cleaned and how the Gudson 1i&er is eing
cleaned(

http:..www(youtue(co%.watchC&D)GgMyat'Akc

Make sure that the students discuss what a ri&erkeeper is along with
e-a%ples o" stewardship and pulic action "or the co%%on good(

Teacher will "or% cooperati&e groups and discuss how the concepts
in&ol&ed in stewardship and philanthropy can e connected to the sa&ing
o" our Great Lakes ecosyste%s(

Create a poster reHecting the slogan# >Gi&e a Goot# 3on?t 0ollute#> and
write a caption "or the poster(

0osters will e graded with a ruric

3isplay posters in roo% or hallway outside the classroo%

&i'erentiation of %nstruction:

Teacher can include the "ollowing to add to classroo% discussion:

0AGE ) 5/ 7

Aational Geographic?s Map Machine

www(nationalgeographic(co%.%ap%achine

Great Lakes Sea Grant Aetwork

www(seagrant(wisc(edu.greatlakes.glnetwork.e-otics(ht%l(

En&iron%ent Canada J5ntarioK Great Lakes 2ater Luality Agree%ent

http:..www(on(ec(gc(ca.glw'a.sht-history-e(ht%l
Tec(nolo!$:

Teacher can use S%artoard or El%o i" classroo% is e'uipped with one to
show pictures . &ideos "or the students(
Closure:

3iscuss with students what are the causes o" water pollution and what
they can do to conser&e water and keep it clean(
"ssessment

3iscussions held in class

StudentMs ;nal Guided practice# "or co%prehension o" story

5ser&ation o" Student discussion groups

Student posters %ust address the acti&ity 9Check with ruric:

At end o" unit# when it has een taught with %ore e-tension# ha&e an
assign%ent "or students to show how they understand what it %eans to
keep water clean# and conser&e it(
Co!nitive &emand of Lesson Se)uence

Students will Analy!e content o" the reading ook# A 1i&er 1an 2ild(

Students will Apply Concepts gained "ro% the reading to the Great Lakes(

Students will 3e&elop a Logical Argu%ent "or %aintaining water 'uality(

Students will Create indi&idual and collecti&e responsiility "or %aintaining

the health o" the Great Lakes $asin(
0AGE N 5/ 7
/ishing "or /acts
Water is the most common substance on Earth. It is found as ground water, in
oceans, seas, rivers, lakes, ponds and streams. There are two forms of water. The
water found in the seas and oceans has salt. Lake, river, stream and pond water has no
salt. There is one exception. Estuaries, where ocean meets fresh water have both salt
and fresh water. When tides come in, the water is saltier and when tides go out, there
is less salt in the water. 2ater pollution is one of our greatest environmental
problems. Our waterwas are not as clean as the should be. Our water worldwide has
become polluted because of pesticides and other chemicals running off the land into our
water. !ometimes people and industr pollute accidentall but sometimes this dumping
is done purposefull. In our area of the "nited !tates and the nation of #anada we
depend on the $reat Lakes and the waterwas, rivers, smaller lakes, streams and
underground water suppl. We need clean water for our homes, schools, recreation,
transportation, business and industr. The $reat Lakes and all the surrounding land are
called the Great Lakes $asin.
%an of us have learned the names of the $reat Lakes b using the word G5MES.
Each letter stands for a $reat Lake& 'uron, Ontario, %ichigan, Erie and !uperior.
Toda we know that chemicals like (#) hurt the fish and birds. *ish like perch and
wallee developed tumors. !almon and trout had so much of the chemicals in them that
people are still warned not to eat too much of these sport fish from the $reat Lakes. The
bald eagle became an endangered species because the ate fish containing the
pesticides.
0AGE * 5/ 7
The shells of their eggs became weak and their oung did not hatch. )ecause of efforts
to stop poaching, reducing chemicals in the water and protecting nesting sites, the
eagle has been restored and is now protected, not endangered. 'owever, there are new
threats. !hips going through the !t. Lawrence !eawa brought unwanted species that
hurt native species. The lampre eel, sculpin fish and +ebra mussels are three of these
unwanted and harmful species.
)ecause citi+ens became alarmed and took voluntar action for the common good,
man organi+ations and conservation clubs were formed. Conser&ation is the wa we
attempt to manage, use wisel and protect our natural resources. )usinesses, industr
and governments also saw the need to stop pollution and the also took action. The
"nited !tates government now has the Environmental (rotection ,genc. #anada and
the "nited !tates have a -oint #ommission to protect the $reat Lakes. Each state that
shares one of the $reat Lakes has a .epartment of Environmental /ualit. $rassroots
service movements have been formed in communities to monitor and protect our $reat
Lakes )asin. 0earl river cleanups like the 1ouge 1iver (ro2ect involve outh and
communit volunteers to restore this once great river. 0outh take active roles in letter
writing campaigns, water 3ualit testing, and other service pro2ects to insure the health
of the water. The are making a difference b preserving this heritage for the future.
0oster 1uric: Gi&e a Goot# 3onMt 0olluteO
Student Aa%e: PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP
#,TE$O10 N( Ao&e
Standards
)( Meets
Standards
6( Approaching
Standards
,( $elow
Standards
8se o"
Class Ti%e
"sed time well
during each class
period. *ocused
on getting the
pro2ect done.
4ever distracted
others.
"sed time well
during each class
period. "suall
focused on getting
the pro2ect done
and never
distracted others.
"sed some of the
time well during
each class period.
There was some
focus on getting
the pro2ect done
but occasionall
distracted others.
.id not use class
time to focus on the
pro2ect O1 often
distracted others.
Title
Title can be read
from 5 ft. awa
and is 3uite
creative. Title
cannot take over
more than half of
the board.
Title can be read
from 5 ft. awa
and describes
content well.
Title can be read
from 6 ft. awa
and describes the
content well.
The title is too small
and7or does not
describe the
content of the
poster well.
Mechanics
#apitali+ation and
punctuation are
correct throughout
the poster.
There is 8 error in
capitali+ation or
punctuation.
There are 9 errors
in capitali+ation or
punctuation.
There are more
than 9 errors in
capitali+ation or
punctuation.
0AGE 6 5/ 7
Attracti&enes
s
The poster is
exceptionall
attractive in terms
of design, laout,
and neatness.
The poster is
attractive in terms
of design, laout
and neatness.
The poster is
acceptabl
attractive though it
ma be a bit
mess.
The poster is
distractingl mess
or ver poorl
designed. It is not
attractive.
Laels
,ll items of
importance on the
poster are clearl
labeled with labels
that can be read
from at least : ft.
awa.
,lmost all items of
importance on the
poster are clearl
labeled with labels
that can be read
from at least : ft.
awa.
!everal items of
importance on the
poster are clearl
labeled with labels
that can be read
from at least : ft.
awa.
Labels are too
small to view O1 no
important items
were labeled.
1e'uired
Ele%ents
The poster
includes all
re3uired elements
;attached sheet<
as well as
additional
information.
,ll re3uired
elements are
included on the
poster.
,ll but 8 of the
re3uired elements
are included on
the poster.
!everal re3uired
elements were
missing.
*inal $rade& 7 96
1e3uired Elements for (oster

Students %ust include on 0oster:

0roQect Title

Student Aa%e

Concepts in&ol&ed in stewardship

Gow philanthropy can e connected to sa&ing our Great Lakes

ecosyste%

3iscussion

Conclusion

Literature Cited
0AGE R 5/ 7

3ata Tales.Graph.1esults

0redictions
An e-a%ple o" how the poster should e laid out# student %ay not %ake title
take up the %aQority o" the poster# it %ust include all the ao&e ele%ents
and will e graded with the attached ruric(
0AGE 7 5/ 7