Education

Order Curriculum Guide for $50.00
Order Teacher Resource Portfolio for $35.00

Award Winning Educational Kit at Your Fingertips!

The Zebra Mussel Mania Traveling Trunk is an educational kit and curriculum that allows elementary and middle school students to explore the effects of invasive species, particularly the zebra mussel, on ecosystems and local economies.  Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant has a network of lending center across the country that make the Zebra Mussel Mania Traveling Trunk readily available to teachers.

The zebra mussel, which has been rapidly colonizing the waters of the Great Lakes states, Mississippi River region and eastern region of the U.S. for the last 15 years, has had a tremendous impact on habitats, businesses, water quality, and biodiversity.  The activities in this kit and the companion curriculum, Zebra Mussel Mania, allow students in grades 3-8 to explore the effects of invasive species, particularly the zebra mussel, on the ecosystem.  Students learn about native mussels, shellfish biology, mussel classification, the historical importance of native mussels, and the current effects of the zebra mussel invasion on the environment and society.

The Zebra Mussel Mania Traveling Trunk is also available for purchase: it may be ordered directly from the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant College Program or the Rivers Project.  The Trunk may also be borrowed from a local Zebra Mussel Lending Center.

The curriculum guide contains 10 activities, which include basic concepts and fundamental skills across the curriculum: science, language arts, mathematics, social studies, and fine arts.

Activities Alien Invaders Looking at the Zebra Mussel Menace Don't Have a Clue (PDF 1526 KB) Mussel to Mussel How Big are you Mussels? Filtering Fools All Clogged Up Family Reunion The Web of Life Game Lights, Camera, Action

Table of Contents Zebra Mussel Mania Post-test The Zebra Mussel Mania Traveling Trunk at a Glance Packing List of Materials for Zebra Mussel Traveling Trunk Cooperative Learning Quick Reference Glossary Agencies and Officials Goals and Objectives Setting the Stage for Learning Student KWL Strategy (pre-test) Student Attitude Survey Great Lakes Sea Grant Resource List in Zebra Mussels and other Nonindigenous Species Safe Use of Zebra Mussels in the Classroom

Safety Rules 

This resource was created through a grant from the National Sea Grant College Program.  Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant partnered with the Illinois Rivers Project at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville and the University of Minnesota Bell Museum of Natural History.  The trunks were modeled after the Math and Science Hands-on kit concept developed by the Educational Service Center #16 in Belleville, Illinois, and Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.