The Forest Preserve District offers problem-based programs that offer hands-on learning in natural sciences both in the classroom and the field. These programs are structured to meet science learning standards through an extended curriculum that includes real-world science.
Problem-Based Learning Programs
Partner with a Forest Preserve District wildlife ecologist and naturalists to determine the suitability of a potential forest preserve site to release state-endangered Blanding’s turtles in a program specially geared towards junior and senior high-school AP environmental science or biology students. A naturalist will visit your classroom to provide insight about the Blanding’s turtle's natural history, factors that contribute to its decline and District-led recovery efforts.
Then, visit a DuPage forest preserve in September or October to complete field work and collect a variety of data to support a claim about the suitability of releasing Blanding’s turtles at that site. Students will present their conclusions to a panel of experts and discuss their findings. For 30 - 60 students. $10 per student. A minimum program fee of $300.
Standards Explored NGSS
HS-LS2-7 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
HS-LS2-8 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
HS-LS4-5 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
