Aquatic Ecology Studies: Exercises in Scientific Literacy is a collection of lessons designed primarily for earth science and biology classrooms. The lessons may be taught in a cluster as part of a water resources unit or they may be used individually to enrich any preparation with special focus on NCSCOS secondary science goal 1.05: analyze reports of investigations from an informed scientifically literate viewpoint. The aquatic ecology theme pays particular attention to aquatic environmental issues of eastern North Carolina and connects learners to authentic data and technology resources from the Center for Applied Aquatic Ecology at North Carolina State University. The lessons are created for collaborative group classrooms, promote technology integration and are formatted to enhance the development of project based learning frameworks. Diverse learning outcomes and contexts for skill development are addressed in each lesson and the overview document in depth.