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Join Us on the Great Lakes Odyssey!

Calling all educators and school groups! We welcome YOU to join the 12,700+ students who have already joined us on an epic adventure across the Great Lakes. We traveled over 3,000 miles across 4 states, visiting 6 incredible national park sites to bring you the Great Lakes Odyssey in partnership with Expeditions in Education and the National Park Service Great Lakes Research and Education Center. The recordings and supplemental materials are now ready for your use- all you have to do is head to the website to begin your adventure!

Begin Your Adventure

From Lake Erie to Lake Superior, this program explores some of the most pressing environmental challenges and incredible restoration efforts in our Great Lakes National Parks. Along the way, we worked side-by-side with park rangers, scientists, researchers, and volunteers to bring you recorded livestream events. This program is free thanks to a generous grant from the National Park Foundation.

Here's what teachers had to say about participating in the Great Lakes Odyssey:

Learning about our local natural environment was invaluable. Each topic, ranger interaction, and bit of humor made our region feel like our backyard.
Educator Testimonial
The Great Lakes Odyssey was especially meaningful to my students and me, as living near the Great Lakes—especially Lake Erie—gave us a personal connection to the topics covered.
Educator Testimonial
The inclusion of vocabulary from each park was brilliant, tying in reading skills like using a dictionary and context clues—key elements in our curriculum.
Educator Testimonial
Connecting academic skills with real-world topics boosted students' excitement about the Great Lakes and national parks, sparking curiosity and a love for exploration beyond the classroom.
Educator Testimonial
Hands-on activities were a highlight, giving students a chance to apply their learning practically and making the experience tangible.
Educator Testimonial
Having resources available on the website was extremely helpful for guiding deeper exploration. It allowed us to revisit concepts and connect our learning to broader environmental issues in the Great Lakes.
Educator Testimonial
The problem-solving elements encouraged students to think critically about real issues like pollution and conservation, helping them see themselves as potential problem-solvers for our region’s future.
Educator Testimonial
Overall, the Odyssey was a powerful, multifaceted learning experience, fostering both academic and personal growth. Thank you for bringing the Great Lakes closer to us in such a meaningful way!
Educator Testimonial
Watching students’ curiosity grow with each livestream and activity was inspiring—they asked insightful questions about local lakes, wildlife, and ecosystems.
Educator Testimonial
The connection to problem-solving sparked meaningful discussions, inspiring students to imagine themselves as future stewards of these precious resources.
Educator Testimonial
The program helped students view the Great Lakes as more than just nearby bodies of water; they felt connected to the unique stories and challenges of each lake and park.
Educator Testimonial
The resources seamlessly integrated conservation and local ecosystem lessons into our curriculum, bringing the lakes into our daily discussions.
Educator Testimonial
Students loved the ranger stories. Hearing firsthand experiences made the parks feel welcoming and accessible to everyone, not just places in books or on maps.
Educator Testimonial
Activities were well-designed and accessible; even the most reserved students enjoyed the hands-on nature-based projects and felt fully immersed.
Educator Testimonial
Class discussions became more dynamic, encouraging students to voice ideas about protecting the environment and brainstorm solutions to current issues.
Educator Testimonial
The vocabulary lists supported literacy goals and provided a deeper understanding of each park's unique features and environmental challenges.
Educator Testimonial
Visuals and livestreams captured students’ attention, making complex environmental issues relatable by comparing familiar landscapes to their own surroundings.
Educator Testimonial
The Odyssey showed students that learning happens everywhere, not just in school, inspiring them to explore their backyards and observe nature in new ways.
Educator Testimonial
Resources and activities made the concept of stewardship real, fostering pride in protecting the Great Lakes and surrounding parks.
Educator Testimonial
The Odyssey sparked excitement about environmental science, with students bringing books and articles about the Great Lakes to class to share with their peers.
Educator Testimonial
The program brought topics like ecosystems and habitats to life, making learning relevant and personal.
Educator Testimonial
It encouraged teamwork and communication, as students shared ideas, solved problems, and planned projects together.
Educator Testimonial
The Odyssey allowed students to practice interdisciplinary skills—science, reading, and even art, with students enthusiastically drawing animals and plants they learned about.
Educator Testimonial
The program fostered empathy and respect for nature. After learning about pollution and invasive species, students felt empowered to be part of the solution.
Educator Testimonial
The Great Lakes Odyssey turned our classroom into an expedition base, with students eager to come in each day, ready to learn more about our lakes and national parks.
Educator Testimonial
One class expressed a wish to be sworn in as Junior Rangers at every park, which added to the sense of connection and excitement about the Great Lakes Odyssey. This idea made them feel even more like true explorers and stewards of the parks!
Educator Testimonial

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll experience on the Odyssey:

🛶 Perry’s Victory – Harmful Algal Blooms & Water Quality Health
Dive into the history of pollution in Lake Erie and how harmful algal blooms are impacting this vital ecosystem. We’ll explore solutions to combat HABs, and you’ll take on the Engineering Design Challenge: Build a water filter to help clean our lakes!

🌿 Indiana Dunes – Great Marsh Restoration
Explore the biodiversity of the Great Marsh and the work being done to restore this critical habitat after decades of human impact. Your Engineering Design Challenge: Design a native garden that provides pollinator habitat for all seasons! 

🌲 Pictured Rocks – Beaver Basin Wilderness Area
Uncover the history of ecological restoration in this wilderness area. We’ll tackle the tricky subject of dams on streams and whether removal is the best option. Your Engineering Design Challenge: Construct a fish passage model to help protect wildlife!

⛏️ Keweenaw – Copper Mining & Cultural History
Step back in time to the days of copper mining, and see the impacts of stamp sand waste on fish populations. Your Engineering Design Challenge: Design a method to cap or remove stamp sands and protect the delicate ecosystem of Buffalo Reef.

🌊 Sleeping Bear Dunes – Ecological Interactions & Stewardship
Learn how invasive quagga mussels are disrupting the food web and causing avian botulism. Take action with the Engineering Design Challenge: Create a model of the aquatic food web and pinpoint where invasive species have caused harm.

🎣 Voyageurs – Interior Lake Survey
Take part in a fish survey and discover how scientists track the health of lakes over time. Your final Engineering Design Challenge: Design new devices to test lake water quality, collect fish, and help researchers discover and protect rare fish species in Voyageurs National Park.

This isn’t just any educational experience – it’s an Odyssey! 🌍 We are learning from the best while making a real difference.

We can’t wait for you to embark on the Great Lakes Odyssey!

Learn More & Participate
Purchase Your National Park Pass
from Save the Dunes!

Save the Dunes is now selling National Park Passes! Your Pass allows you to access any and all Indiana Dunes National Park beaches, trailheads, and parking lots while enjoying the beauty of the Indiana Dunes and beyond. 10% of funds from passes purchased through Save the Dunes will go directly to supporting our mission.

Email or call us at 219-879-3564 to schedule a time to purchase your pass at our office at 444 Barker Road, Michigan City. Or come see us at any of our in-person events! 

Pass Options:

  • 7-Day Indiana Dunes National Park Pass — $25
  • Annual Indiana Dunes National Park Pass — $45
  • Annual America the Beautiful National Park Pass — $80
Email Us

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Today is all about Getting Involved and Giving to the organizations you hold near and dear to your heart. We hope you will consider making Save the Dunes one of the organizations you support this year!

Your gift will be matched today thanks to our matching donors, Mark J. Mihalo D.D.S. Family Dentistry; CLH, CPA’s & Consultants; and Nancy Moldenhauer & Sharlene Livesay.  

Will you join their generosity by supporting Save the Dunes this Giving Tuesday?

Help us reach our goal of $8,500 by donating today!

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