The Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum came to the Chelsea library to teach local kids about the Great Lakes. Specifically, they gave the kids a hands-on illustration of how water flows through the Great Lakes to the ocean.

Hey, look! Up in the corner! It’s Canada! Good thing there’s a Great Lake or two in the way.

The lakes were represented by aluminum pans of varying sizes, and they were resting on foam blocks of varying sizes to provide the varying elevations of the lakes. (Varying varying varying varying. Varying varying? Varying!)

Once the lakes were arranged at the proper elevations and locations, they punched holes in the sides of the pans and used straws to connect the lakes. (They used modeling clay to seal the holes.)

When the lakes were connected, the water joined the party.

The model worked very well.

The above photo shows Lakes Superior (top straw) and Michigan (left straw) draining into Lake Huron, while the below photo shows Lake Huron draining into Lake Erie.

If you’re wondering where the next straw is…well, there isn’t one. Why? Because Lake Erie drains into Lake Ontario by way of Niagara Falls! You can’t see it in this photo because Lake Erie isn’t yet full, but the water drained over the top right corner of the pan into Lake Ontario.

Here’s a look at the entire model:

The whole model was a simple but remarkably effective way to help kids — and adults, too! — get a good understanding of how the Great Lakes work. Even better, it’s something you can very easily do at home with your kids. Just get a few aluminum pans, straws, and modeling clay and you’re good to go.