Overview
This lesson provides students with an understanding of the life cycle of Dreissena mussels, their population density, and their significant impact on Lake Michigan’s ecosystem.
Photo Credit: Michigan Sea Grant
3-P Learning Goals
Problem, Project, Place-Based Education
This learning plan offers students the opportunity to explore actual data of Dreissenid mussels in Lake Michigan and pose questions around the impacts of this invasive species on ecosystems across the Great Lakes Basin. This lesson can be a launching point for exploring other invasive species in the watershed and how they affect communities and local ecosystems.
If you have the ability to take your students out for a field experience, invasive mussel inventories and learning how to Clean, Drain, Dry are ways to further explore this problem with a place-based lens.
- Midwest Invasive Species Information Network (MISIN) online reporting tool: Use to report this species.
- COMPASS and the Message Box Workbook: Use to make a communication action plan about Dreissenid mussels.
Standards
Math Standards
Common Core Math Standards:
- HSS-ID.B.6 – Interpret linear models: Represent data on two quantitative variables on a scatter plot, and describe how the variables are related.
- HSF-IF.C.7 – Interpret functions that arise in applications in terms of the context: Graph functions expressed symbolically and show key features of the graph, such as intercepts, maxima, and minima.
- HSF-LE.A.1 – Construct and compare linear, quadratic, and exponential models and solve problems: Distinguish between situations that can be modeled with linear functions and with exponential functions.
Science Standards
Next Generation Science Standards Performance Expectation(s):
- HS-LS2-6 – Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics: Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning that the complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem.
- HS-LS2-7 – Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics: Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.
- HS-ESS3-4 – Earth and Human Activity: Evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems.
Lesson Logistics
Title: Flexing Their Mussels – The population power of Dreissenid mussels in Lake Michigan
Driving Question: What are the ecological consequences when a non-native species invades a new environment?
Anchoring Phenomenon: Students simulate a PONAR grab and collect data to determine the population density of quagga mussels in a specific area of Lake Michigan.
Great Lakes Topic: Invasive Species Impact, Population Density, Native Mussel Species, Life Cycles
Essential Questions:
- How does the life cycle of the Dreissenid mussel compare to that of the native freshwater mussels?
- How does rapid reproduction contribute to the zebra and quagga mussel’s invasive nature, specifically population density?
- What are the environmental, economic, and social impacts of Dreissenid mussels in the Great Lakes region?
Learning Objectives: Students will be able to
- Analyze data to determine the distribution of quagga mussels in Lake Michigan.
- Describe the life cycle of zebra and quagga mussels.
- Identify the environmental, economic, and social impacts of zebra and quagga mussels in the Great Lakes region.
- Explain efforts to manage and control invasive mussel populations
3-P Learning Goals:
Problem, Project, Place-Based Education
This learning plan offers students the opportunity to explore actual data of Dreissenid mussels in Lake Michigan and pose questions around the impacts of this invasive species on ecosystems across the Great Lakes Basin. This lesson can be a launching point for exploring other invasive species in the watershed and how they affect communities and local ecosystems.
If you have the ability to take your students out for a field experience, invasive mussel inventories and learning how to Clean, Drain, Dry are ways to further explore this problem with a place-based lens.
- Midwest Invasive Species Information Network (MISIN) online reporting tool: Use to report this species.
- COMPASS and the Message Box Workbook: Use to make a communication action plan about Dreissenid mussels.
Data Profile:
- What: Dreissenid mussel population density from whole lake benthic surveys in Lake Michigan
- When: 1994/1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, 2021
- Source: NOAA and EPA
Photo Credit: David Jude
Materials
Access printed copies or electronic versions of lesson materials below.
Projector or screen to play the video of the PONAR grab being deployed.
One per student
1 large tray per group (12 total stations)
Beans or beads (decide on what object you want to use to represent the mussels)
Lamination film/clear plastic (3.5in X 3.5in) to represent the PONAR grab (1 m2). You may use any transparent material to represent the PONAR grab (1 per group).
Driving Question Board: Paper or digital copy, one per student
Population Density of Quagga Mussels in Lake Michigan: Paper or digital copy, one per student
Density Lab Station Cards: Paper or digital copy, one assigned per group
Class Data Sheet: Paper or digital copy, one per student
Post Activity Questions: Population Density of Quagga Mussels in Lake Michigan: Paper or digital copy, one per student
Lake Michigan Quagga Mussel Density Figure: Paper or digital copy, one per group
How do Mussels Reproduce? Life Cycle Illustration: Paper or digital copy, one per group
Slide Deck: Optional tool you can use throughout the lesson – especially in the Elaborate Section
Educator Resource Video with lesson tips from Ashley Cosme, lead lesson author
Setting Up Stations: Reference to help educators set up each tray for the lab
Post-Activity Questions: Population Density of Quagga Mussels in Lake Michigan Answer Key
1 Disclaimer: The linked YouTube video below may contain advertisements that can interrupt viewing. Content creators or YouTube typically place these ads, varying in length and frequency.
Time Required
60 minutes.
Introduction
Quagga mussels (Dreissena rostriformis) and zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) are small, freshwater mussels native to Eastern Europe. Dreissenamussels were first discovered in North America in the late 1980s in Lake St. Clair, near the Great Lakes, after being transported accidentally in ballast water from transoceanic ships. They quickly spread to all five Great Lakes. The high population density of quagga mussels in Lake Michigan has significant ecological effects.
Invasive quagga mussels are so influential in Lake Michigan’s food web that their rising population throughout the Great Lakes is alarming. In 2015 scientists on the R/V (Research Vessel) Lake Guardian measured the density and biomass of quagga mussels all across the lake using a traditional sampling method called a PONAR grab. The scientists could not possibly count every single invasive quagga mussel in Lake Michigan. One way they estimated the density of a population was to collect data by taking random samples at specific locations. Three PONAR grab samples were taken at each station, and the quagga mussels were counted and recorded (number of quagga mussels/m2).
In this lesson students will simulate a PONAR grab in the classroom and record population density data for invasive quagga mussels. There is a “Driving Question Board” in the student pages section of this lesson. This board can be used as a “whole class” debriefing tool periodically throughout the lesson, or as an independent reflection tool for students.
Lesson
Engage
In the engagement portion of our learning cycle, students will view a video of a PONAR grab sampler being deployed off the side of a boat in Lake Michigan. A PONAR grab sampler is a device used to collect sediment samples at the bottom of freshwater lakes, as well as the ocean. PONAR grab samplers “grab” living organisms that are present on or in the sediment that is collected. Scientists use the PONAR grab sample to determine how many quagga mussels are in a specific area.
Use the PONAR Grab video to facilitate a full class discussion with students. The following prompt and questions can help guide the discussion. Record student answers on a whiteboard, chart paper, or digitally. The discussion notes can be organized into a “Think, Notice, Wonder” chart. Save or photograph these notes to review at the completion of the learning cycle.
Video Prompts
- What happened?
- What questions come to mind when watching?
- What do you hear?
- What do you think this device is used for?
- How can you learn more about what is happening in this video?
Explore
Your role as the learning facilitator will allow students to experience a simulated PONAR grab and collect data to determine the population density of quagga mussels in a specific area of Lake Michigan. There are 12 station cards created with real data taken from NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) scientists. Before you assign ONE station card to each group, you have to set up the lab for your students.
Please watch the Educator Resource Video before setting up each station. Use the Setting Up Stations educator resource for guidance. You will have each tray of “mussels” and a station card that goes with that tray. Within the station cards, there are three cards for each depth. Educators can decide on the number of stations to complete with students and whether to print and cut out cards or use the digital version in the slide deck. Set everything up before students arrive.
On the day of the activity, you will assign one group to each tray of beans (“mussels”) with the corresponding station card. Each student will receive the student sheet, Population Density of Quagga Mussels in Lake Michigan. Students will complete the steps in the procedure and record their data. Model the procedures for your students. Please watch the Educator Resource Video again to view the procedure if needed.
Once they have completed three trials they will add their data to the Class Data Sheet.
Explain
Explain Part One
In the Explain phase of our learning cycle, our goal is to support students in processing and understanding all the material they’ve explored, deepening their grasp of possible answers to our driving question and anchoring phenomenon. In this portion of the lesson, students will complete the “Post Lab Questions” sheet. In the post-lab questions students will view an image of Dreissenid mussel population density from whole lake benthic surveys in Lake Michigan. The Lake Michigan Quagga Mussel Density figure could be displayed on a screen in the front of the room, or printed and laminated to be shared in small groups. Before discussing the image, ask your students to look at it and try to explain what data the image is displaying.
Scientists count every single mussel that is brought up in the PONAR grab. Because the area of a PONAR grab sampler is approximately 0.05m2, scientists need to multiply the number of mussels retrieved in each grab by 20 (0.05m2 X 20 = 1m2). By doing this scientists are converting the counts per grab to #/m2. Students will analyze data in the Post Activity Questions that was retrieved from Station PET-3 in the northern region of Lake Michigan. They will convert the data to #/m2. For additional guidance, please review the answer key before students complete the Post Lab Questions.
Explain Part Two
Students will be given images of the life cycle of a native mussel. The image could be displayed on a screen in the front of the room, or printed and laminated to be shared in small groups.
- Educator Tip – The invasive mussel life cycle is different because native mussels in Lake Michigan REQUIRE a fish host to complete their life cycle, and quagga/zebra mussels do not. Dreissenid mussels produce free-swimming larvae that develop into the adult form WITHOUT a host.
- Due to Dreissenid mussels skipping the step where their larvae attach to the gill filament of a host fish, they reproduce much faster than native mussels.
Elaborate
As learners begin to elaborate on the driving question of this lesson, What are the ecological consequences when a non-native species invades a new environment?, try to make the connection with students between the population of quagga mussels, the ecological impacts, and the control efforts that local agencies are practicing to try to minimize the effects of quagga mussels. Here is a slide deck for use in the classroom. Feel free to make a copy and adapt!
The following documents provide background information on the history of BOTH quagga and zebra mussels, their success in the Great Lakes, and monitoring techniques. As the educator, you may be able to use information in the document to help your students elaborate on the ecological impacts and management efforts.
Mussel Facts from the Invasive Mussel Collaborative
Find an Expert from the Invasive Mussel Collaborative
Monitoring Methods for Zebra and Quagga Mussels from Wisconsin Citizen Lake Monitoring Network:
Elaborate Part One: Discuss ecological impacts
Filter Feeding: Zebra and quagga mussels are filter feeders, meaning they filter large amounts of water to consume plankton. This reduces plankton levels, impacting fish species that rely on plankton for food.
Water Clarity: Increased water clarity might seem like a positive effect, but it allows sunlight to penetrate deeper, leading to excessive growth of aquatic plants and altering habitat conditions. Increased water clarity may also make it harder for fish and other living organisms to hide from predators.
Displacement of Native Species: Zebra and quagga mussels compete with native mussels and other filter feeders, often outcompeting them due to their rapid growth rate.
Economic Impact: Zebra and quagga mussels clog water intake pipes for cities and industries, resulting in expensive maintenance and cleaning efforts.
Show images of boats, docks, and pipes affected by zebra and quagga mussels and ask students to brainstorm why such attachment is problematic for human activities.
Elaborate Part 2: Discuss Control and Management Efforts
Public Awareness and Education: Boaters are advised to “Clean, Drain, Dry” their boats to prevent the spread of zebra and quagga mussels from one waterway to another.
Emphasize the role that individuals can play in controlling the spread of invasive species, like zebra and quagga mussels.
Chemical Treatments: Chemical treatments like molluscicides are sometimes used, although they can affect native species.
Mechanical Removal: Power plants and water facilities use mechanical scraping and high-pressure washing to remove zebra and quagga mussels.
Biological Control: Scientists are exploring potential biological controls that would target zebra and quagga mussels without harming native species.
Encourage students to research other invasive species in the Great Lakes, comparing their effects on the ecosystem and discussing what makes zebra and quagga mussels particularly challenging to manage.
Evaluate
To evaluate whether your students understand the ecological consequences of invasive mussels in the Great Lakes, you can use a mix of formative and summative assessment strategies that target different levels of understanding—from basic knowledge to deeper critical thinking and application.
Students can use the Driving Question Board to build and support their argument.
Claims-Evidence-Reasoning (CER)
Formative Assessment Options:
- Ask students to summarize in a few sentences why zebra and quagga mussels are so invasive and one impact they have on the Great Lakes.
- Ask students to draw a picture to depict their understanding of the invasive zebra and quagga mussels in the Great Lakes.
- Have students research another invasive species affecting their local environment or a different ecosystem, and compare its impacts to those of the zebra and quagga mussel.
- Exit ticket example prompt: “Name one ecological effect of zebra mussels in the Great Lakes and explain why it matters.”
Summative Assessment Options:
- Presentation or PSA Project
- Students create a Public Service Announcement (PSA), infographic, or slideshow to educate the public.
- Look for: clarity, scientific accuracy, ability to communicate ecological consequences.
- Short Essay or Position Paper
- Prompt: “Should more resources be devoted to managing invasive mussels in the Great Lakes? Support your position with ecological evidence.”
- Evaluate their grasp of impacts like: reduced phytoplankton, shifts in nutrient availability, threats to native biodiversity, economic costs (e.g. infrastructure damage).
Lesson Authors
Crown Point High School:
Ashley Cosme (Lead Author)
Leland Public School:
Jenifer Zywicki
NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory: Ashley Elgin
Michigan Sea Grant:
Program Leads: Meaghan Gass, Brandon Schroeder, Angela Scapini
Editor: Angela Greene and Meaghan Gass
Designer: Todd Marsee
Teaching Great Lakes Literacy (TGLL)
Teaching Great Lakes Literacy (TGLL) connects math, science, and other educators with scientists to create and pilot lessons centered around Great Lakes-focused topics and current research. This project was funded by the Great Lakes Fishery Trust with support from the Center for Great Lakes Literacy and MiSTEM Network.