In Beach Exploration, students take on the role of curious naturalists as they wander the shoreline, searching for plants, shells, driftwood, and other treasures left by the waves. Students will record observations, sketch details, and discuss with peers to see how individual discoveries connect to the larger story of the beach ecosystem and the forces that shape it.

Next Generation Science Standards:

• MS-LS2-2: Construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among organisms across multiple ecosystems.

In Stream Detectives, students become investigators of moving water. They track floating objects to see how currents behave, compare areas of fast and slow flow, and notice how different sizes of rocks and sediments reveal the stream’s power. By piecing together these clues, students learn how streams carve the landscape over time and make predictions about how the waterway might change in the future.

Next Generation Science Standards:

• MS-ESS2-2: Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes have changed Earth’s surface at varying time and spatial scales.

Using field guides and simple equipment, students will explore the shoreline of Lake Michigan to identify dune plants, shoreline animals, and evidence of human impact. Through observation, sketching, and discussion, they will discover how dunes, food webs, and waves shape the beach ecosystem and how people can help protect it.

Next Generation Science Standards:

• MS-ESS3-3: Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing human impact on the environment.