Great Lakes Now: An Exploration of Threats to the Great Lakes is an introduction to the natural threats to and human impact upon, the Great Lakes. This collection of lessons — the second volume — aims to build on prior knowledge introduced to students in the first volume pertaining to basic scientific and geographic concepts about the Great Lakes but focusing how manmade and naturally occurring conditions threaten aspects of the world’s largest supply of surface freshwater. There are 11 lessons in this collection, each aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards and either Common Core standards, Earth Science or SEP standards. The lessons feature a number of interactive and hands-on activities for students to explore topics ranging from invasive species and algae to climate change and pollution. Beyond the specific look at some of the harm to the Great Lakes environment, this lesson collection gives special attention to potential solutions to the problems threatening the Great Lakes and explores some of the restorative measures being taken on some of the issues. Through the activities and lessons, students are introduced to ways that they can adjust their own behavior, or raise the awareness of those around them in their lives, to positively impact the Great Lakes and work to mitigate the effects of some of the threats. The 11 lessons from this collection can be taught individually or sequenced together as a larger unit on modern threats facing the Great Lakes. Embedded throughout the collection are links to videos produced by Detroit Public Television and Great Lakes Now, as well as a range of other resources from PBS that support citizen science and encourage exploration.

Great Lakes Now: An Exploration of the Great Lakes is an introduction to the science and study of the Great Lakes. This collection aims to introduce students to basic scientific and geographic concepts about the Great Lakes. There are 17 lessons in this collection, each aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards and either Common Core standards, Earth Science or SEP standards. The lessons feature a number of interactive or hands-on activities for students to explore such topics as the physical features of the Great Lakes, the interconnectedness of the water system, and the geology and formation of the Great Lakes. Moving away from these majestic lakes themselves, the lessons also explore broader concepts such as watersheds and ancillary bodies of water that are part of the Great Lakes ecosystem, special environments within the Great Lakes region, and examine societal concerns about drinking water quality – both in the lakes and delivered through municipal water systems. The 17 lessons from this collection can be taught individually or sequenced together as a larger unit on the Great Lakes. Embedded throughout the collection are links to videos produced by Detroit Public Television and Great Lakes Now, as well as a range of other resources that support citizen science and encourage exploration.

Students will observe/investigate the movement of water through the different stages of the water cycle and determine what drives this cycle. Students are asked to think about what precipitation is then watch a video about why the water cycle is important. They observe a simple version of the water cycle and take some notes. Students are asked what stages require solar radiation, which require water to give off heat, and which are driven by the force of gravity. The teacher does several different demonstrations while students fill in a sheet that has the students recording their observations of different processes in the water cycle and how energy is involved. Students build their understanding of the water cycle through the different models that are shown or experienced. The culminating activity has them create their own model of the water cycle from the viewpoint of a water molecule including the processes, the energy involved, and gravity.

In this video segment adapted from Interactive NOVA, astronaut John Young experiences extreme temperatures on the Moon that are a result of the Moon's low gravity and lack of atmosphere.

In this video from Common Ground and Cleaner Water, Tribby Vice, a Kentucky farmer, talks about the changes he has made on his farm to protect the water quality of the stream running through his property and the watershed in which he lives.

In this video segment adapted from NOVA scienceNOW, scientists in western Greenland explain how a glacier there is shrinking and moving faster due to increased melting.

Students will become familiar with fatbergs, how they form, move, and affect the sewer systems of municipalities.

How does the production of corn affect water quality? How is water quality tested?

Corn production's impact on water quality has improved due to best management practices, reducing sediment and nutrient losses significantly. Modern agriculture uses genetically modified crops and efficient water infiltration methods, alongside USDA programs and the 4 Rs nutrient strategy, to lessen environmental impact. Water quality is assessed through chemical tests measuring properties like dissolved oxygen and nutrients, essential for aquatic life. Biological assessments, based on vertebrate and macroinvertebrate diversity, indicate water health, reflecting the ecosystem's chemical and physical condition. Riparian zone management, affecting stream structure and temperature, plays a crucial role in maintaining water quality, highlighting the interconnectedness of agricultural practices and aquatic ecosystems.

This learning module includes 6 lessons and/or activities.

Students will model how the population of two freshwater fish species change over time and depend on one another.

Students learn how to use and graph real-world stream gage data to create event and annual hydrographs and calculate flood frequency statistics. Using an Excel spreadsheet of real-world event, annual and peak streamflow data, they manipulate the data (converting units, sorting, ranking, plotting), solve problems using equations, and calculate return periods and probabilities. Prompted by worksheet questions, they analyze the runoff data as engineers would. Students learn how hydrographs help engineers make decisions and recommendations to community stakeholders concerning water resources and flooding.

In this video segment adapted from NOVA, scientists investigate how farming along the Mississippi River impacts floods and what can be done about it.

In this lesson designed to enhance literacy skills, students learn about the unique environment of southern Florida's Everglades and gain insights into the interrelatedness of living things, nonliving things, and climate.

In this lesson, students will understand the particular impact that glaciers had in forming the Great Lakes by carving out the basin and filling the waterways with ice melt as they retreated over 10,000 years ago.

Students will learn about a remote Canadian research station where scientists are working to understand the effects of oil spill pollution on freshwater and simulate an oil spill cleanup effort in the lab.

The books selected for this list complement articles in the issue of Beyond Weather and the Water Cycle that introduce the concepts of water availability and of extreme weather conditions. In nonfiction and fiction, the books for Grades K-5 emphasize that freshwater is a limited resource and explain how and why extreme weather events occur.

Featuring images of glacier formations, this interactive resource adapted from the National Park Service explains what glaciers are, where they are found, how they form, and how they move.

This video segment adapted from NOVA/FRONTLINE examines the greenhouse effect, its role in keeping Earth habitable, and the industrial changes that have led to an increase in the planet's average temperature.

In this video segment adapted from Spanner Films, visit the Alaska Native village of Shishmaref, and learn how an entire town may be forced to relocate because of warmer temperatures, melting sea ice, and coastal erosion.

This activity is an interactive lecture, where students will learn that fresh water is a limited resource. They will also see that drinkable water is not distributed evenly over the earth.

Become more effective in the classroom by watching this video on the common misconceptions student have about the weather, the water cycle, and phase changes. [8:40]