Great Lakes in My World
K-12 Curriculum & Free Lesson Plans
Teach students about the incredible lakes in their own backyard. Our K-12 educational resources teach core science concepts, improve critical thinking skills, and connect students to their community and their environment.
Get the Full Curriculum
The Great Lakes in My World curricula provide indoor and outdoor activities you can integrate into your classroom. The curricula include free lesson plans, assessment rubrics, and student journal pages.
- Great Lakes in My World K-8: Our elementary/middle school curriculum includes 80 free lesson plans and covers lakes, sand dunes, wetlands, human communities history and geology. Get the full K-8 curriculum here.
- Great Lakes in My World 9-12: Our high school curriculum includes 17 free lesson plans and focuses on coastal habitats. Get the full 9-12 curriculum here.
- For Chicago-Area Educators: Get a special Calumet Edition of the Great Lakes In My World 9-12 curriculum here.
Featured Lesson Plans & Other Resources
- Our Adopt-a-Beach program offers a service learning, citizen science opportunity at your students’ local beach or shoreline. Get tips for planning a field trip to a local Great Lakes shoreline along with lesson plans for before, during and after the beach cleanup.
- Water Cycle in Our Community gets students thinking about water in their daily lives and helps them understand the watershed and water cycle all around them.
- Food Webs and Invasive Species helps students understand ecosystems and the impact of humans and other species on the Great Lakes.
- Creature Cards: A printable set of illustrated, educational cards featuring 66 Great Lakes plants and animals. Download printable Creature Cards here. Printing instructions: 1) Select double-sided print, 2) Select “Flip on short edge,” 3) Under page sizing, select “Fit” (rather than “Actual Size”).
- More resources – including short videos – are available in our H.O.M.E.School lessons.