An introduction to the five fresh-water lakes that contain one-fifth of the earth's standing fresh water.

Young learners will be introduced to an important stage in history when they read Exploring The Great Lakes. This book is filled with photographs, interesting facts, discussion questions, and more, to effectively engage young learners in such a significant re-telling of events. Each 48-page title in The History Of America Collection delves into complex narratives in history. Concise, but comprehensive, these titles are very approachable for transitioning readers and learners beginning to recognize detail orientation and how to analyze text. Each book in this series features photographs, timelines, discussion questions, and more, to fully engage transitioning readers. The History Of America Collection engages students in major historical events with fascinating facts, photographs, and more. Readers are able to gauge their own understanding with before-reading questions that help build background knowledge and end-of-book comprehension and extension activities.

The Great Lakes watershed can be traveled from end to end--from the St. Lawrence River all the way to Duluth, Minnesota. In order for that to happen, man-made waterways had to be constructed to bypass rapids and aid ships moving from one water depth to another. Readers travel the basin through main content that includes geography, history, and interesting details that tie it all together. Descriptive maps of the region aid understanding and complement map skills emphasized in the social studies curriculum. Readers see how all the waterways work together to make one vibrant region.

The Late, Great Lakes is a powerful indictment of man's carelessness, ignorance, and apathy toward the Great Lakes. With the longest continuous coastline in the United States, they hold one-fifth of the world's freshwater supply. Author William Ashworth presents a compelling history of the Great Lakes, from their formation in the Ice Age, to their "discovery" by Samuel de Champlian in 1615, and, finally, to their impending death in our time. Ashworth systematically deals with the wild life that once flourished in the region-beaver, salmon, whitefish, and trout-and describes the threatening elements which have displaced them-the predatory sea lamprey, the alewives, toxic waste, and volatile solids.

Teaching and activity guide

The Great Lakes have been central to the development of eastern North America. In this “beautifully designed, comprehensive gem of a guide to the ecosystem at the heart of Canada” (The Tyee), award-winning science and nature writer Wayne Grady makes scientific concepts accessible as he reveals how human impact has changed this life-giving region. The Great Lakes: A Natural History of a Changing Region is the most authoritative, complete and accessible book to date about the biology and ecology of this vital, ever-changing terrain. Written by one of Canada's best-known science and nature writers, it is intended not only for those who live in the Great Lakes region, but for anyone captivated by the splendor of the natural world and sensitive to the challenges of its preservation. It is both a first-hand tribute and an essential guide to a fascinating ecosystem in eternal flux.

This study argues that simply augmenting actions already taken to remedy environmental degradation in the Great Lakes region, such as control of polluters, and piecemeal restrictions of physical development, is not a sufficient response. Rather, it shows that a far-reaching commitment to reduce the environmental assault on the Great Lakes from all sources is necessary. It also underscores the need for a dramatic break from the crisis management approach to environmental degradation that persists in the region, and to develop a commitment to anticipate and prevent future legacies of environmental destruction.

New York Times Bestseller Winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize Winner of the J. Anthony Lukas Award "Nimbly splices together history, science, reporting and personal experiences into a taut and cautiously hopeful narrative.… Egan’s book is bursting with life (and yes, death)." —Robert Moor, New York Times Book Review The Great Lakes—Erie, Huron, Michigan, Ontario, and Superior—hold 20 percent of the world’s supply of surface fresh water and provide sustenance, work, and recreation for tens of millions of Americans. But they are under threat as never before, and their problems are spreading across the continent. The Death and Life of the Great Lakes is prize-winning reporter Dan Egan’s compulsively readable portrait of an ecological catastrophe happening right before our eyes, blending the epic story of the lakes with an examination of the perils they face and the ways we can restore and preserve them for generations to come.