INTERPRETIVE PROGRAM OUTLINE

Program Title: “Gitche Gumme”

Interpreter’s Name: Natalie Kretlow

Date of Program: 2/12/2020
Length of Program (time): Approximately 10 minutes
Type of Program: Natural Environment/Cultural Resource Site Talk
Topic: Lake Superior and Shipwrecks
Sub-Topic: Lake Superior creates the climate for the area, making Lake Superior dangerous
and prone to shipwrecks and boating accidents
Theme: Lake Superior holds records superior to the other Great Lakes, which makes Lake
Superior a dangerous lake for boating and recreation
Audience: General Public
Location: Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Miners Castle Overlook
Resource being Interpreted: Lake Superior and ship wreckage remains
Materials Needed for Program: Lake Superior (resource), display board/computer display for
indoor presentation
Goal(s) of Program:
Communicate and share love and appreciation for Lake Superior and the Upper Peninsula.
Give people the opportunity to learn something new about the environment in an outdoor
setting. Promote kayak and boating safety
Objective(s): The audience will be able to make a personal connection between the Lake and
self by being actively engaged in the interpretive talk by being surrounded and immersed in
the resource and playing a game that will evoke interaction.

Introduction: I am sure ya’ll are wondering, what is Gitche Gumee? “The big lake they called
Gitche Gumee”, it’s not just a lyric from the Edmond Fitzgerald song by Gordon Lightfoot.”

The Chippewa are the native peoples to the area. They called Lake Superior, Gitche Gumee, which
translates to The Great Sea. Lake Superior is a Great Sea indeed, holding records superior to other fresh
water bodies in the country. Lake Superior is the largest, coldest, clearest, and roughest of all the Great
Lakes. With Lake Superior being a large rough body of water, shipwrecks are bound to occur.

Body:

Topic 1: Lake Superior

• Lake Superior holds many records that are “Superior” to the other Great Lakes.
• Lake Superior is the deepest, largest, clearest, and roughest of the Great Lakes.

Topic 2: Environmental factors caused many Shipwrecks along Lake Superior, especially
located at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

• With Lake Superior being so big and rough, ships are prone to accidents.

• Discuss why Lake Superior and the surrounding environment caused many Shipwrecks to
occur

Topic 3: Shipwrecks in all the Great Lakes

• Play a guessing game to actively engage audience to learn about shipwrecks in all the Great
Lakes

Conclusion: With Lake Superior being so rough and cold, please make sure to be safe while
boating and kayaking by having the appropriate gear, and sea kayak. Having a sea kayak is
much safer because the design stops water from getting into the cockpit and helps keep the
boat balanced if water does enter the boat. Practice exiting and entering the boat in shallow
waters before heading out to view the cliffs where there are not places to stop and seek
shelter or swim to. If one encounters an “out of boat experience”, having some practice
getting in the boat and using paddle floats could save a life, because help can be an hour or
more out of the way.

Enjoyable: Use visual examples of Lake Superior and Shipwrecks, relate the location to the
stories/subthemes, involve the audience by playing a game, use comparisons that relate life
today with life in the 1800s, and describe the information in a way that makes the audience
think and place themselves in the setting.

Logistics

a. Location of interpretive talk: Miners Castle Overlook

b. Length of interpretive program. 8-10 minutes
c. Equipment needed: Lake Superior, Display board/Presentation book
(displayed on computer during indoor presentation)
 Risk/Safety

Miners
Castle
Overlook
Risk to Audience

Location and Risk Assessment How to avoid/ Can this be done?

reduce risk
Beach- obstacles on Not a real danger to Scout beach area Yes
beach could cause able bodied prior to event
falling, sand participants
Will be a challenge to
some mobility impaired
participants
Incline of trail/ Not immediate danger, Walk around the Yes
entrance to wooden could be challenging to incline
walkway could be some participants
slippery if wet

Rocks along Lake Weather could make Avoid walking on Yes

Superior the rocks slippery and rocks or not getting
dangerous if wavy too close

Risk to Site/Resources

Location and Risk Assessment How to avoid/ Can this be done?

reduce risk

Beach Rock site- Natural area should be Encourage Yes

participants might preserved participants not to
want to collect rocks, take items and
or items from explain the legality
wreckages of taking items from
a National Park.

Source: example taken

from Heritage
Workbook, p. 128
Form: modified from p.
227, Heritage Workbook