Freshwater Mussels Resources
Freshwater Mussels Resources
Embedded Files
Scientific American Article - April 2026
Scientific American Article - April 2026
Mussels MapR
Mussels MapR
Mussels in the Wild
Mussels in the Wild
tale of a flowing river, where finned, furred, shelled, feathered and the invisible swim, hop, flutter, float and crawl in an ever-changing watery world. A freshwater momma mussel waits patiently for a special fish to give her babies a ride to their new riverbed homes, where each one can munch and and nibble phytoplankton and diatoms from the river water. Each mussel can filter and clean up to twenty gallons of water every day of its hundred-year lifespan, but will the babies make the journey safely in their special fish?
This storybook is an extension of The Mussel Hatchery exhibition which opened in February 2017 at the Fairmount Water Works in Philadelphia, PA.
Video Transcript in EnglishVideo length: 5:22
Russel the Mussel
Russel the Mussel
Russell the Mussel introduces students to aquatic life found in Crystal Creek, and leads the main character on a journey to understanding why underwater creatures need clean water. The story was published by Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, with funding provided by the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
For resources and learning standard alignment for Russel the Mussel, check out the Resources for Educators section below.
Russell the Mussel.pdfVideo Transcript in EnglishVideo length: 28:53
Our Mighty River Keepers: Freshwater Mussels
Our Mighty River Keepers: Freshwater Mussels
Freshwater-Mussels-Booklet-5-MB.pdfOur Mighty River Keepers: Freshwater Mussels
Our Mighty River Keepers: Freshwater Mussels
This is a guide, from Save the River, discusses freshwater mussel classification, anatomy, and their role in the ecosystem. It includes:
examples of mussels you may find in the St Lawrence River
a guide to the anatomy of a mussel (including a page to draw your own mussel interior)
a cultural history of freshwater mussels
comparative life cycles of native and nonnative mussels
This guide is also available online at: https://www.savetheriver.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Freshwater-Mussels-Booklet-5-MB.pdf
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NOAA Ocean Podcast: The Microplastic-Mussel Connection
NOAA Ocean Podcast: The Microplastic-Mussel Connection
NOAA Ocean Podcast: Episode 39
NOAA Ocean Podcast: Episode 39
In this episode, we hear about a NOAA-funded study that asked an interesting question: what if mussels could be used to learn more about microplastic pollution in our waterways? NOAA already runs a program that monitors chemical contaminants in our coastal waterways and Great Lakes by sampling mussels and oysters, called the Mussel Watch program. So wouldn’t it be great to tap into Mussel Watch to also learn more about plastics in our environment? Spoiler alert: the study didn’t turn out quite as expected. This is part one of a two-part episode.
NOAA Ocean Podcast: Episode 40
NOAA Ocean Podcast: Episode 40
In this episode, we continue our conversation with two NOAA scientists about a study that looked at using mussels as "biomonitors" to measure microplastic pollution in the Great Lakes. Here, they discuss how their study was set up and how the scientific method works. Amy and Ed also discuss how unexpected results are often part of the scientific process, and how conducting a study in the field with living organisms is so challenging. This is part two of a two-part episode.
The Microplastic-Mussel Connection: Part One
The Microplastic-Mussel Connection: Part One
The Microplastic-Mussel Connection: Part Two
The Microplastic-Mussel Connection: Part Two
Smitsonian National Museum of Natural History 3D Mussel Collection
Smitsonian National Museum of Natural History 3D Mussel Collection
This library of 3D models is designed to improve access to the Smithsonian’s world-class freshwater mussel collection.
Great Lakes Literacy Education Explorations
Great Lakes Literacy Education Explorations
Great Lakes Literacy education exploration, or GLLee, opportunities are an introductory collection of resources and partners assembled to better equip educators to explore Great Lakes Literacy with youth through place-based education and stewardship opportunities in your school and community!
What is a GLLee?
What is a GLLee?
- Free, asynchronous short course that can be accessed virtually anytime
- Google Classroom modules designed for educators to support youth engagement
- Great Lakes focused issues and/or topics, career explorations with scientists, classroom resources, stewardship and hands-on learning opportunities
- Connections with other educators in a virtual community of practice
- Educators receive a certificate representing three contact hours of study after completing a GLLee course along with a digital notebook with all the resources from the module.
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