Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, The Center for Great Lakes Literacy, The Nature Conservancy of Indiana, and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Nature Preserves, will host an educator’s workshop that includes immersive tour of two major restoration sites within the Grand Calumet River Area of Concern (AOC) and an introduction into the Virtual Reality Experience and Curriculum that features regional restoration sites in East Chicago and Hammond, Indiana. These sites showcase the transformation of heavily polluted industrial landscapes into thriving ecosystems through sediment remediation and habitat restoration.
This program is designed for formal and non-formal educators working with 6th–12th grade students. Participants will explore the science and impact of ecological restoration, hear from restoration experts, and engage with place-based virtual reality curriculum aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards.
Workshop Objectives:
Educators will gain knowledge about the Grand Calumet River Area of Concern (AOC) and the remediation restoration efforts to address environmental degradation in this area resulting from historical activities.
Educators will experience and evaluate the use of immersive Virtual Reality (VR) tools as a method for enhancing student engagement and understanding of ecological restoration concepts.
Educators will develop strategies for incorporating local environmental issues and restoration success stories into their curriculum to foster environmental stewardship and community connection among students.
Educators will learn how the activities are aligned with NGSS and will be able to identify at least three connections between workshop activities and standards relevant to their learning environment.