|
Today, we spent an incredible morning at Indiana Dunes National Park with 75 fourth graders from Discovery School! 🎒🦋 The students took a journey through the Great Marsh, where they learned about its history, how it's treated for invasive species, went on a native plant treasure hunt, built their own wetlands in a bottle, and even created a beautiful dragonfly art piece! ✨
A huge thank you to Rangers Dan, Steve, Daniel, Evan, Chris, Mary-Ann, and Billy for making today unforgettable. 💚 Ranger Dan shared why this marsh was chosen for restoration, while Ranger Steve brought his interpretive skills to life in the marsh. The resource management team (Daniel, Evan, Chris, Mary-Ann, and Billy) showed us how they tackle the heavy lifting to keep this ecosystem thriving. 💪🌱 After the students left, we got hands-on with planting plugs in the marsh, learned how snowshoes are used to navigate the wetlands, saw how backpack sprayers help control invasive species, collected seeds from Sweet Joe-Pye-weeds, and even met "Marsha, Marsha, Marsha," the park's marsh master! 🌾🏞️ And this was all before 2 pm! 😅 The rest of our day will be filled with editing, creating content, and maybe a quick nap. 😴 Tomorrow, we’re LiveStreaming from the Great Marsh Observation Deck, hoping for a few more sandhill crane sightings! 🕊️
0 Comments
We spent a few hours today setting up everything for our LiveStream at Perry's Victory & International Peace Memorial, and we were absolutely overwhelmed by the help from park rangers, staff, and volunteers. Our setup is quite elaborate, and it definitely takes a team! Starting this Great Lakes Odyssey at Perry's Victory was thrilling! Rangers Jackie and Philip shared some fascinating history about the park, including a fun fact: if you tried to measure up to the tonnage of the memorial in cheeseburgers, you’d need a LOT! Ranger Jackie also introduced us to the topic of harmful algal blooms, sparking some great discussions. We were also joined by Allison, a local teacher and scientist extraordinaire, who shared incredible insights with us. Dr. Erin from the GLREC couldn’t have been happier to see this dream of sharing the science happening in the Great Lakes parks come to life. We were joined by 2,934 students from 14 states on today’s stream! During the session, we explored the aquatic food chain, starting with phytoplankton, those microscopic plants at the very bottom. The students imagined themselves as different parts of the food chain, from phytoplankton to zooplankton, to macroinvertebrates, fish, and finally, humans! This hands-on activity really emphasized the importance of water quality and how every link in the chain depends on a healthy ecosystem. One of the highlights was the water filtering activity led by Dr. Erin and our “Heroes of the Great Lakes Odyssey” character, Charlotte. Students were captivated as they learned how to build a water filter using natural materials to filter out harmful bacteria. I was eager to test the filtered water, but after seeing it still looked green after the first filtration, I was quickly talked out of it! It was a huge hit and a great way to show how small steps can help keep our lakes clean. As we wrapped up our LiveStream, we were treated to a surprise military flyover, which was the perfect way to end an exciting day! The day was filled with learning and fun as we delved into topics like harmful algal blooms, the Clean Water Act, and the importance of our actions in preserving water quality. We’ve now traveled 385 miles on this journey so far! Next up: Our adventure continues tomorrow at Indiana Dunes National Park! Register now to join us at expeditionsineducation.org #GreatLakesOdyssey #ExpeditionsInEducation #PerrysVictory What a day! We teamed up with two amazing high school teachers from Put-In-Bay High School who brought their students to demonstrate water quality testing as part of a national citizen science project focused on algal blooms. 🌱 From using a Secchi disk to measure turbidity to collecting water samples with plankton nets, the students impressed us with their knowledge and passion! We even got a chance to view the samples under a microscope—all while experiencing a downpour. 🌧️ But hey, a little rain couldn't stop us! Afterward, we toured the iconic Perry's Victory International Peace Memorial, the tallest open-air rotunda in the entire National Park Service. Walking the 37 steps and taking the elevator to the top was SO worth it for the incredible views and powerful history shared by the rangers. We learned all about the War of 1812, and their stories left us humbled. After a quick stop at Ranger Jackie's office (our fabulous host), we headed back to our NPS-provided apartment to dive into editing, content writing, and social media posting. Just as we were wrapping up, we were surprised by tornado warnings! We stayed cautious, keeping an eye on the weather to stay safe. Wrapping up the day, we enjoyed some more local flavor for dinner and put the final touches on tomorrow’s LiveStream. Big shoutout to Dave for being an essential part of this journey—it truly takes a village! 👏 Stay tuned for more from Perry's Victory tomorrow as we host our 1st LiveStream of the Odyssey! 📽️ #PerrysVictory #CitizenScience #AlgalBlooms #GreatLakesOdyssey Photos by Dacia, Dave, and Erin! We hit the road bright and early, leaving Chicago at 5:00 am CT to pick up Dave at the Amtrak station in St. Joseph, MI. He traveled in from Grand Rapids, and after some creative packing to fit his small bag (we might have overpacked), we were off again! Our trusty rental, the Pacifica—affectionately named Al Pacino—is our ride for the next few weeks. First stop? McDonald’s for breakfast (we promise to do better with healthy choices soon)! Then, after a quick Walmart run for some last-minute essentials, we made it to Miller’s Ferry and cruised across to Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial. Once we got the keys from the park service, we settled into our VIP apartment and set up all the gear so Steve and Dave could strategize for tomorrow’s filming. We capped off the day with a great dinner, enjoying delicious pizza with Erin, and her daughter Charlotte —checking out some of the great flavors of Put-in-Bay. It’s been a long day, but the Odyssey is off to a strong start. Time to rest up for tomorrow’s adventures! 🌊🍕 #GreatLakesOdyssey #STEAMinthePARK #PerrysVictory #ExpeditionsInEducation #NationalParks |
AuthorDacia Jones is an author deeply passionate about nature, education, and storytelling. Drawing on her extensive experiences exploring national parks, leading educational programs, and inspiring students, she crafts narratives that blend adventure, environmental stewardship, and empathy. Her writing is infused with the heart of an educator and the soul of a lifelong learner, inviting readers to see the world through the lens of wonder and discovery. Through her stories, she aims to ignite a sense of curiosity and responsibility in young minds, encouraging them to become heroes in their communities. Her favorite moments in time are spent with family and friends and she considers her calling as a wife, mom, and Mimi a great honor. Archives
April 2026
Categories |
Expeditions in Education
- Home
-
National Parks Expedition Challenge
- Expedition Challenge Full List
-
Acadia to Bryce
>
- Acadia National Park
- Alcatraz Island
- Amache National Historic Site
- Amistad National Recreation Area
- Arches National Park
- Assateague Island National Seashore
- Badlands National Park
- Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site
- Big Bend National Park
- Big Cypress National Preserve
- Biscayne National Park
- Black Canyon of the Gunnison
- Bryce Canyon National Park
-
Cabrillo to Dry Tortugas
>
- Cabrillo National Monument
- Cape Cod (ONE) National Seashore
- Cape Cod (TWO) National Seashore
- Carlsbad Caverns National Park
- Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
- Chaco Culture National Historical Park
- Channel Islands National Park
- Crater Lake National Park
- Cumberland Island National Seashore
- Cuyahoga Valley National Park
- Dayton Aviation National Heritage Historical Park
- Death Valley National Park
- Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
- Denali National Park
- Dry Tortugas National Park
-
Eleanor to Fort Pulaski
>
- El Malpais National Monument
- El Morro National Monument
- Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site
- Everglades National Park
- FDR Memorial
- First State National Historical Park
- Flight 93 Memorial Park
- Ford's Theatre
- Fort Laramie National Historic Site
- Fort Monroe National Monument
- Fort Pulaski National Monument
-
Gateway to Hot Springs
>
- Gateway Arch National Park
- Gettysburg National Military Park
- Grand Canyon National Park
- Grand Teton National Park
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park
- Guilford Courthouse National Military Park
- Haleakala National Park
- Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
- Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park
- Homestead National Historical Park
- Home of Franklin Roosevelt National Historic Site
- Hopewell Culture National Historical Park
- Hot Springs National Park
-
Indiana to Lincoln Memorial
>
- Indiana Dunes National Park
- Isle Royale National Park
- Jewel Cave National Monument
- Jimmy Carter National Historical Park
- Joshua Tree National Park
- Kenai Fjords and Alaska Coastal Parks
- Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
- Keweenaw National Historical Park
- Lava Beds National Monument
- Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail
- Lincoln Home National Historic Site
- Lincoln Memorial
-
Maggie to Pullman
>
- Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site
- Medgar & Myrlie Evers Home National Monument
- Mammoth Cave National Park
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
- Mesa Verde National Park
- Natchez Trace Parkway
- New River Gorge and Preserve National Park
- Niobrara National Scenic River
- Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum
- Olympic National Park
- Palo Alto Battlefield
- Pearl Harbor National Memorial
- Petroglyph National Monument
- Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
- Pinnacles National Park
- Pipestone National Monument
- Pullman National Monument
-
Redwood to Zion
>
- Redwood National and State Parks
- Rocky Mountain National Park
- Saguaro National Park
- San Antonio Missions NHP
- San Juan National Historic Site
- Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail
- Shenadoah National Park
- Tidal Basin-NAMA
- Tumacácori National Historical Park
- Vanderbilt Mansion National Historical Site
- Vicksburg National Military Park
- Voyageurs National Park
- Waco Mammoth National Monument
- Wright Brothers Memorial
- Yosemite National Park
- Zion National Park
- The Expeditions Outpost
-
For Educators
-
Community Projects
>
- Family Design Challenges
- Our Books >
- Our Kits >
- Digital Ranger Stations
- Interactive Experiences >
- Expeditions in Education BLOG
- Student Audio Field Journal
- Trailblaze Challenge
-
Preserve the Parks PBL
>
- Addressing Environmental Resilience in Puerto Rico
- Protecting the Puerto Rican Harlequin Butterfly
- Creating Sustainable Communities Inspired by Pullman
- Combating the Green Crab Invasion in Acadia National Park
- Enhancing Sustainable Trails at Big Cypress National Preserve
- Exploring the Green River's Impact on Water Purity and Cave Preservation
- Protecting Crater Lake's Endemic Newts
- Restoring Native Trees at the Lincoln Boyhood Home
- Restoring the Elwha River
- Read Wonder Act
- Master Resources
- Math in Nature
- Nature Pages
- Backpack the Parks!
-
Community Projects
>
- More sites
RSS Feed
|
|
Permissions:
Expeditions in Education gives you permission to use our free materials as-is. Logos and names from the documents must remain. Please provide credit and link back to our website when using our resources. Expeditions In Education, INC is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. EIN: 85-1846134 Dacia and Steve Jones. Email us Copyright 2020-2026 |