By Nate Drag | March 2025
What happened?
To learn about the microscopic world of Great Lakes plankton, 20 teachers from across New York’s Great Lakes region (and one from Illinois!) participated in a two-day workshop on the shores of the Niagara River and on Lake Erie from July 18-19, 2024. Phytoplankton and zooplankton create the foundation of the food web of the Great Lakes. Each teacher was given a plankton net, digital microscope, and other equipment to apply what they learned and use with their learners.
These microscopic organisms are often unseen and, therefore, overlooked in K-12 education. Many of the existing plankton educational resources focus on marine species. However, there are limited resources connected to freshwater species. To educate their students on these species, teachers and educators must have access to the equipment, skills, and knowledge that is required to create lesson plans and activities that align with state learning standards.
During the workshop, participants were trained and practiced collecting plankton from the shores of Niagara River using nets. They learned how to identify different plankton species under a microscope. They also participated in a daphnia feeding experiment with researchers from Niagara University. Educators took a trip on the Miss Buffalo ship to sample plankton on Lake Erie. Connecting to the classroom, they worked collaboratively to discuss learning standard alignment and curriculum integration.
Each teacher was given a plankton net, digital microscope, and other equipment they can use with their learners.
Prior to this workshop, 52% of participants stated they had no or minimal knowledge of phytoplankton and zooplankton. Following the workshop, 68% stated they now had above average knowledge of these organisms.
Similarly, before the workshop, only 29% of participants reported that they were confident in explaining phytoplankton and zooplankton content to their learners. Following the workshop, 94% of participants reported they were now confident.
The Great Lakes Plankton Workshop was a successful professional development opportunity that engaged teachers in hands-on practice in the field and lab, leading to an increase in their knowledge of an important environmental topic and in their confidence in explaining it to their learners. This program was made possible with funding from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
About New York Sea Grant
New York Sea Grant is one of 34 Sea Grant programs supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in coastal and Great Lakes states that encourage the wise stewardship of our marine resources through research, education, and outreach.
