Eyes on Earth Episode 57 – Landsat and the Great Lakes
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Provided by: LabXchange|Published on: January 7, 2026
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Scientist Reviewed This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- In this Eyes on Earth podcast episode provided by LabXchange, students will hear from two researchers who use Landsat to explore changes in the Great Lakes.
- Students will primarily hear about trends in submerged aquatic vegetation, changes in water clarity over time, and possible climate change impacts, such as invasive Asian carp and impacts to the vegetation caused by severe storms.
Subjects: Biology, Earth and Space Sciences
Authors: USGS
Region: Wisconsin, New York, Michigan, Ohio
Languages: English
Teaching Materials
Positives
- This resource does a nice job of defining terms and explaining acronyms within the episode.
- Students will like hearing about the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and how beneficial it is for the Great Lakes and studying them.
Prerequisites
- Before students listen, they may need some background information on Landsat and how it is used to study the Earth's surface. Though the target audience is younger students, teachers can use this lesson as a precursor to an activity using this podcast episode.
Differentiation & Implementation
- Many students may benefit from having the transcript in front of them as they listen. Teachers can give students printed copies of the transcript and encourage them to highlight and annotate as they read.
- Teachers can highlight the connection between climate change and an increase in the frequency and severity of storms and how this impacts the Great Lakes. Teachers can use this e-book to explain the connection.
- This podcast mentioned how water levels changed in parts of the Great Lakes over an 8-year period. Students can explore other trends in the Great Lakes water levels using this resource.
- Teachers can use this podcast episode to make connections to SDG 14, Life Below Water.
This resource from the U.S. Geological Survey's Eyes on Earth podcast highlights how Landsat satellite data is used to monitor and restore the health of the Great Lakes. This podcast episode is created by a trusted source and features two researchers from Michigan Tech and includes references to long-term datasets. This resource would be a great addition to a classroom discussion on climate impacts and water quality.
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About the Partner Provider
LabXchange
Harvard University’s LabXchange is a free online platform for science education, created with support from the Amgen Foundation. It makes learning science online flexible and fun, with interactives, lab simulations, and more.
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
