Eighth graders identify the Great Lakes, and describe the habitat of life of a loon. They are able to point to and explain one of the major river systems that enters the Great Lakes with a focus on the Clinton River and the food webs...

Eighth graders are introduced to the Earth's hydrologic system including the cycling of water in the atmosphere and the movement of water on the surface of the planet using the Great Lakes watershed as an example.

Collaboratively, students partake in a hands-on activity in which they build models of a watershed. Each group member draws an elevation map—a bird's eye view—of their model and predicts how water will flow from the high to low points....

Students discover the role of a watershed. For this geography lesson, students are shown a diagram of a watershed and discuss the definition of a watershed. Students demonstrate the role of a watershed by using an umbrella and spraying...

Students participate in a virtual field trip to Lake Superior. In groups, they perform experiments in which test the level of toxins and bacteria in the water. They also watch video segments life in the lake and discuss their observations.

Observe two different water samples and write down observations. Write a paragraph which predicts the relative amounts of nutrients, nitrates, and phosphates in the water samples. Compare water samples under a microscope.