Why The Great Lakes Are Great
Andrew Norton
I saw the below video shared on social media this week and it did a decent job of summing up why the Great Lakes are so great. Growing up in Michigan, I can remember studying HOMES (Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior) back in elementary school geography lessons and how the glaciers formed the Great Lakes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBRcOLcEwF0
It seemed like every year around Michigan Week (does anyone remember Michigan Week?) we would focus on Michigan history and geography which inevitably lead to studying the Great Lakes. I believe it was in the 4th grade when we watched this 1968 film (yes, it was on a film reel!). Funny, how the image of the man in the midst of the polluted waters has stuck with me all these years later.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afs_A_Lz2w4
Just watched this again for the first time in over 30 years and it was a real nostalgic treat. Amidst the schmaltzy music and humor you do get a good overview of how The Great Lakes formed.
Probably around this same time period in elementary school, we also watched this Canadian classic - Paddle to the Sea. The possibility that you could send a little boat down a stream in the woods and it would flow all the way through the Great Lakes to the ocean always intrigued me as a child.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olXmGz4iCxM
Does anyone else remember watching these films back in the day? How about Michigan Week?