Underwater Program Brings Lake Michigan to Life for Students

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore has launched an exciting new educational program called “Sleeping Bear from Below,” designed especially for 3rd–5th grade students. Using a 12-foot inflatable planetarium and immersive 180-degree video, students will get a virtual dive beneath Lake Michigan to explore its underwater ecosystems.

The short documentary, created in partnership with Canadian filmmakers, highlights the beauty of the lake as well as the environmental challenges caused by invasive quagga mussels. These mussels, while making the water look stunningly clear, disrupt the food chain by removing plankton, affecting native fish like whitefish.

The program aims to inspire young learners by showing them how they can help—such as cleaning boats and gear to prevent the spread of invasive species—and by encouraging future careers in environmental science.

The National Lakeshore education team is offering the program free to schools within 50 miles of Empire, Michigan, and hopes to show it at the park this summer as well.

For more details or to schedule a visit, teachers can contact the park at slbe_education@nps.gov.

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