About the Educator's Guide
This educational resource is designed to be used in the classroom as a complement to the IMAX® film, Mysteries of the Great Lakes. Its purpose is to teach students that the Great Lakes are a unique and precious resource that contributes to the quality of life for many living things including humans. The resource is separated into three units, one for each of the three elementary grade levels:
Primary - Helping our Great Lakes Neighbourhood
Junior - Saving a Great Lakes Champion
Intermediate - Saving a Great Lakes Ambassador
The lesson plans within each of these units have been divided into four categories that lead to a culminating project. Each of these categories allows students to discover a specific aspect of the Great Lakes. The first category focuses on the lake sturgeon, one of the Great Lakes' best ambassadors. The second category focuses the Great Lakes most precious commodity, its water. The third focuses on the Great Lakes' History, while the fourth focuses on the Lakes as an Ecosystem.
Consider this resource as a starting point for your students’ exploration of the subject of the Great Lakes. Much can also be learned by those able to visit one of the Great Lakes (or another local lake), National Parks, State or Provincial Parks, aquariums, science centres and other outdoor education centers. The hope is that students will gain a better understanding and increased respect for these natural wonders and that they will forever be fascinated by the Mysteries of the Great Lakes.