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Photo by Michael D. McCumber	How can we revive the Lake Erie "Dead Zone?"
*Grade Levels*	Secondary (12)
*Subject Areas*	Environmental Science
*Standards*	Science Content Standards: 9-12 Science as Inquiry: Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry, and Understandings about scientific inquiry Earth and Space Science: Energy in the earth system Science and Technology: Abilities of technical design, and Understandings about science and technology Science in Personal and Social Perspectives: Personal and community health, Population growth, Natural resources, Environmental quality, Natural and human induced hazards, and Science and technology in local, national, and global challenges
*Earth Systems* *Understandings*	2. Human activities, collective and individual, conscious and inadvertent, affect Earth systems. 4. The Earth system is composed of interacting subsystems of water, rock, ice, air, and life. 5: Planet Earth is more than 4 billion years old and its subsystems are continually evolving.
*Length of Activity*	2 - 45 minute periods
*Materials Needed*	Computer with Internet access OR printouts of pdf files to enable students to view the following: The Adobe Acrobat reader (for opening .pdf files) can be downloaded (free) at http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html (:- Indicates information available on student page) Articles about anoxic conditions in Lake Erie :Article 1 pdf format :Article 2 pdf format :Article 3 pdf format :Article 4 pdf format Maps and other information about Lake Erie (student search activity) Lake Erie information Examples from search Map, table, and chart of relevant Lake Erie information pdf format :Map :Table :Chart Dead zone student questions :Student Page pdf student format pdf teacher format
*Prior Knowledge Needed*	Before engaging in this activity, students are expected to understand the process of eutrophication, basics of lake ecology, and be able to extrapolate data and draw conclusions from data. Understand the current issues concerning the ecosystem of Lake Erie (invasive species and their impact on the environment, specie decline, potential pollution sources and impact). Review Information Printable format (.doc)
*Objectives*	1.Become familiar with the decision making process 2.Learn about the process that contribute to the development of the dead zones in Lake Erie and will decide how to treat or cure the dead zone.
*Data Sets*	Data was obtained mostly through the Internet to ensure that students have the most current data available. Data available for students consists of graphs, tables, maps and text. Additional data was provided to provide a historical overview on anoxia in Lake Erie.
*Introduction*	Is Lake Erie reversing its ecological soundness and reverting back to the “dead” lake it once was in the 60’s? Scientists are very concerned that it might be headed in that direction due to the recent discovery of extremely low levels of oxygen found in the central basin of Lake Erie. These areas are referred to as a “dead zone” which is an oxygen-deprived area where there is no life. Although this is not a new phenomenon to Lake Erie, the cause of this dead zone is not consistent with the cause of past dead zones. A dead zone is expected to form again this summer on Lake Erie and scientists plan to find out why.
*Background*	The disappearance of dissolved oxygen in the central basin of Lake Erie is not a new phenomenon and its cause is well understood. However, scientists are concerned about the formation of a dead zone in 2001 because different conditions exist today that do not support the development of an anoxic condition. Since this is an area of intensive research, then new data will continue to become available. Students will decide how to treat or cure the dead zone utilizing the PrOACT model of decision making. More PrOACT information
*Procedure*	Students will first read the two articles on the Internet individually to get an understanding of what the problem is in Lake Erie. Next, students will search the internet for maps, charts, and other data pertaining to the information presented in the articles. Then they will then work both individually, and in cooperative groups to answer questions to focus the PrOACT decision making process on the dead zone issue.
*Conclusion*	Conclude the activity with group presentations of their decision making process.
*Evaluation*	Familiarity of the processes that contribute to the development of the dead zones in Lake Erie is an important learning objective to evaluate, as well as the decision making process of how to treat or cure the dead zone. One possible evaluation tool to use : Assign students the task of becoming news reporters. Have each student write a current article regarding the dead zone to submit to a local newspaper
*Extension Activity*	1. Do you think that the appearance of the dead zone correlates with the decline in Lake Erie’s walleye population? Walleye are light sensitive fish and so the increased clarity of the water has forced walleye into inhabiting deeper water where it is darker. The graph to the right is from the Lake Erie Walleye Task Group. Research this site about Lake Erie’s walleye problem and decide if you think walleye have left the central basin of Lake Erie because of its anoxic conditions. Lake Erie Walleye Task Group The Adobe Acrobat reader (for opening .pdf files) can be downloaded (free) at http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html 2. Other inland lakes other than Lake Erie are infested with Zebra mussels, have high phosphate levels and algae bloom problems that contribute to anoxic conditions including our own Lake Maxinkuckee in Culver, IN. Based on what you learned do you think we could find a dead zone in Lake Max? Defend your answer using the knowledge you gained and the decision making process you used earlier. Lake Maxinkuckee data can be found in the text, " Barton Warren Everman, A. M., Ph. D. and Howard Walton Clark, A. B. A. M. "Lake Maxinkuckee A Physical and Biological Survey" 1920. pdf format The Adobe Acrobat reader (for opening .pdf files) can be downloaded (free) at http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html
*References & Resources*	Barton Warren Everman, A. M., Ph. D. and Howard Walton Clark, A. B. A. M. "Lake Maxinkuckee A Physical and Biological Survey" 1920. Twine Line full issues (online): http://www.sg.ohio-state.edu/pdfs/tl-so-02.pdf http://www.sg.ohio-state.edu/pdfs/tl-nd-02.pdf http://superior.eng.ohio-state.edu/lakes/erie/nf-index.html http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis http://www.cciw.ca/nwri/sande/bj_water1.html http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/lakeerie/dostory.html http://www.fishusa.com/FishErie/Map1.asp http://www.orst.edu/instruction/bi301/eutrophi.htm http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artikkel?Avis=TO&Dato= 20020618&Kategori=NEWS06&Lopenr=106180017&Ref=AR http://www.usatoday.com/news/science/enviro/2002-06-14-erie.htm Lake Erie Walleye Task Group National Science Education Standards PrOACT Model of Decision Making
*Author*	Kristin Little, Environmental Science teacher, Culver Academies, Culver, IN Web assistance by Ann Froschauer, The Ohio State University

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