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The New Explorers
Into the Depths
The Great Lakes are among America’s greatest natural resources. But two centuries of industry have left their mark. Before environmental controls, there was no regulation on dumping chemicals and the by-products of industry into the lakes, polluting the lakes and threatening the marine life to which the lakes are home. But scientists think that the lakes have a built-in self-cleaning mechanism that will eventually restore the lakes to their former glory—if we continue to monitor pollution with stringent environmental laws and controls. Into the Depths examines how scientists are studying the cleansing characteristics of the Great Lakes, and their predictions for the future of these national treasures. Into the Depths would be useful for classes on the Environment, Science, Geography and Technology. It is appreciate for middle school and high school.
Vocabulary
Discussion Questions
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The Great Lakes are a distinctive part of the American landscape. How were these lakes formed?
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The Great Lakes remained undisturbed for thousands of years before humans almost destroyed them. How did civilization threaten the Great Lakes?
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What is oceanography? What does an oceanographer do?
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Submersibles have made deep-sea exploration possible. What are some of the discoveries made by submersibles that would not have been possible without them?
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Lake Superior differs from the other Great Lakes. In what ways is Lake Superior different?
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What are toxins? How do they get into the Great Lakes? What are the dangers of toxins? How can we prevent them from destroying our natural resources?
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Scientists theorize that the Great Lakes have a self-cleaning ability. Discuss and describe how scientist believe this works.
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What is the “scientific process?” How does it work? What are its applications? What are some examples?
Extended Activities
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Design a submersible for future deep-sea exploration.
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Create a poster that illustrates the evolution of sea exploration.
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