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Youth Education

Clean Lakes Alliance believes in the importance of engaging everyone in actions to help the lakes. As a result, we began developing youth environmental education materials. These materials will help encourage even the youngest in our community to engage in small actions that have big impacts on our lakes.

Built for elementary-age participants, our modules contain math worksheets, a miniature picture book, a science journal, an at-home science experiment, coloring pages, and more! All of the materials are designed to connect youth to our local lakes.

Children may need the assistance of an adult to help guide them to the learning links.

These learning modules are still being developed by Clean Lakes Alliance and our partners. Please email Clean Lakes Alliance with any questions, comments, or suggestions. Read more about the development of these modules.

Billie the Bluegill

Billie the Bluegill
Youth education fictional character, “Billie the Bluegill”

Billie the Bluegill (they/them) is a character Clean Lakes Alliance has chosen to help teach students about water quality and our Yahara lakes. The fictional bluegill “lives” in Lake Mendota in Madison, Wisconsin. The fish character will help guide students, parents, and teachers through lessons that focus on math, reading/writing, and science.

Prototype modules

The-Water-Cycle
The Water Cycle – This book, developed by Clean Lakes Alliance, teaches students about the water cycle and how it affects our Yahara lakes.

3rd grade: The water cycle

Learn all about the water cycle and ways you can help protect lake health from your home! (Note: When you click the “Worksheets – online” and “Answer key” buttons, a second webpage will pop up. Click to “make a copy” of the Google Slides. Your copy will be an editable document that allows the student to insert answers to the questions. Otherwise, you may download the worksheets to print.)

3rd grade math components – The water cycle

3rd grade reading and writing components – The water cycle

3rd grade science component – The water cycle

4thGradeBook-LeavesandLakes-TitlePage
Leaves and Lakes – This book, developed by Clean Lakes Alliance, teaches students about how leaves affect our Yahara lakes.

4th grade: Leaves and lakes

Learn about how leaves affect lakes and ways you can help protect lake health from your home! (Note: When you click the “Worksheets – online” and “Answer key” buttons, a second webpage will pop up. Click to “make a copy” of the Google Slides. Your copy will be an editable document that allows the student to insert answers to the questions. Otherwise, you may download the worksheets to print.)

4th grade math components – Leaves and lakes

4th grade reading and writing components – Leaves and lakes

4th grade science component – Leaves and lakes

5thGradeBook-AgricultureAndOurLakes-TitlePage
Agriculture and Our Lakes – This book, developed by Clean Lakes Alliance, teaches students about how practices that occur on our land can affect our Yahara lakes.

5th grade: Agriculture and our lakes

Learn about how practices that occur on the land can affect the lakes. (Note: When you click the “Worksheets – online” and “Answer key” buttons, a second webpage will pop up. Click to “make a copy” of the Google Slides. Your copy will be an editable document that allows the student to insert answers to the questions. Otherwise, you may download the worksheets to print.)

5th grade math components – Agriculture and our lakes

5th grade reading and writing components – Agriculture and our lakes

5th grade science component – Agriculture and our lakes

Information for parents and teachers

Clean Lakes Alliance is proud to bring this information to the community. Please let us know if you have any questions or suggestions about these prototype learning materials.

We have compiled a packet of additional activities to supplement the learning modules. These activities include coloring pages, mazes, and word searches.

Thank you to our collaborators on this youth education project

  • Creative Director – Alexandra Bogner
  • Principal Illustrator – Julie Vornholt
  • Assistant Illustrator – Hanna Klecka 
  • Coloring Page Designer – Kyra Keenan 
  • Educator Liaison – Briana Kernen, Marshall Public Schools
  • Education Consultant – Greta Drane
  • University of Wisconsin – Madison Student Athletes 
  • Additional educators who took place in an anonymous survey during the initial development phase of this youth education program

Thank you SPL Legacy Foundation for supporting youth lake education

Clean Lakes Alliance is honored to receive $5,000 in grant funding from SPL Legacy Foundation. Funds provided the initial seed money to help support the development of youth education prototype modules focused on place-based learning related to the water quality challenges in the Yahara River Watershed.

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