Updated Lake Superior Game Available
July 2003
by Marie Zhuikov
Say you're building a dock to be put into Lake Superior. You know that treated lumber will last longer, but the chemicals used to treat the wood may be bad for the lake. Do you choose to build a long-lasting, treated dock, or will you use untreated lumber (or some other material like metal) to protect the lake?
Tackle this challenging environmental question and others in The Lake Superior Game, a 20-page publication developed by Sea Grant's education experts, Barb Liukkonen and Bruce Munson.
In this game designed for groups, a bucket of water representing Lake Superior either gradually becomes polluted and depleted, or not, depending upon the choices made by players. In the example above, if players choose the treated lumber, they add a drop of red food coloring "pollution" to the bucket. If they use untreated lumber, they pay money because they have to replace their dock more often.
The activities work best for upper elementary and secondary school students. Sea Grant has offered the game since 1988, and recently updated it. The Lake Superior Game costs $2.50. To order, look on the products order form, under the education category (item S 3).
