Curriculum Developed by: Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant
- Rick Reynolds, M.S.Ed., Founder, Engaging Every Student
- Krista Reynolds, MLIS, M.Ed., Library and Information Solutions Consultant, Engaging Every Student
- Natalia Szklaruk, M.S., Aquatic Invasive Species Educator, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant
This curriculum is made possible through a partnership between Engaging Every Student and the Invasive Crayfish Collaborative, a program administered by Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant. Funding is provided by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
Original Publication Date: 2025
Crayfish and Freshwater Ecosystems, Investigating Crayfish and Freshwater Ecosystems, Lesson 1
Lesson Summary This lesson is designed to be highly adaptable, but options include a brief “crayfish…
Invasive Crayfish and Community Changes, Investigating Crayfish and Freshwater Ecosystems, Lesson 2
Lesson Summary Students first read about mysterious population changes in a freshwater ecosystem, then create line…
Crayfish Adaptations, Investigating Crayfish and Freshwater Ecosystems, Lesson 3
Lesson Summary In this lesson, students explore crayfish adaptations that help them to survive in freshwater…
Native and Invasive Crayfish, Investigating Crayfish and Freshwater Ecosystems, Lesson 4
Lesson Summary In this lesson, students explore native and invasive crayfish species of the Great Lakes…
Collecting Reliable Crayfish Data, Investigating Crayfish and Freshwater Ecosystems, Lesson 5
Lesson Summary In this lesson, students participate in a scientific field study* and apply what they…
Competing Crayfish Game, Investigating Crayfish and Freshwater Ecosystems, Lesson 6
Lesson Summary In this lesson, students model impacts of invasive species by playing an engaging game…
Crayfish as Indicator Species, Investigating Crayfish and Freshwater Ecosystems, Lesson 7
Lesson Summary Students will first read about a hypothetical mysterious phenomenon about crayfish disappearing from a…
From Mental Maps to GIS: Modeling Data with Visualization and Mapping, Investigating Crayfish and Freshwater Ecosystems, Lesson 8
Lesson Summary Students are engaged by creating mental maps of their local watershed or the larger…
Community Presentations and Engagement, Investigating Crayfish and Freshwater Ecosystems, Lesson 9
Lesson Summary Students make presentations and/or create videos about their crayfish research project(s). In this way,…