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Sizing Up the Lake Erie Dead Zone

Provided by: Michigan Sea Grant |Published on: December 12, 2024

Lesson Plans

678

Synopsis

In this lesson, students will observe data for Lake Erie's temperature and oxygen content to find dead zones.
Students will analyze data, answer questions, and annotate maps to understand hypoxic conditions in Lake Erie.

Related Teaching Resources

Subjects: Biology

Authors: Michigan Sea Grant, Center for Great Lakes Literacy

Region: Southeast Michigan

Languages: English

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Teaching Materials

Positives

The data sheet is easy to follow.
Students will be engaged throughout the inquiry-based activity.

Prerequisites

The handout says this is Lesson 4, but this can work as a stand-alone lesson.
Teachers will need to define the terms hypoxic and anoxic before beginning the lesson.

Differentiation & Implementation

To support scientific writing, students can practice citing information from the data to support their answers on the handout.
After completing this lesson, students can discuss how climate change will impact dead zones.
Students can choose a Lake Erie species and research and report on the impact dead zones in the central basin will have on them.
Students can also research additional impacts of pollution, climate change, and temperature rise on Lake Erie's ecosystems.
Consider using this activity as a part of the lesson linked here.

Scientist Notes

Teaching Tips

Standards

Resource Type and Format

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