The Forest Preserve District offers a variety of professional-development opportunities for educators and loan boxes for use in the classroom.

The Forest Preserve District offers a variety of professional development opportunities and research-based instructional practices for teachers in natural sciences and cultural history. Teachers participate in hands-on learning experiences and receive resources for their classrooms or discovery at forest preserves on their own.  

Our opportunities are also open to home-school and nontraditional teachers. 

The Forest Preserve District and Illinois Department of Natural Resources partner to offer educational loan boxes and supplemental materials that introduce students to DuPage County’s natural sciences and cultural history. Each box contains suggested lesson plans, activities, books, specimens or replicas, and other materials to create a deeper connection to an area of study. All materials tie into Next Generation Science Standards.

Forest Preserve District and IDNR loan boxes are free to reserve up to 14 days. You can pick up loan boxes Wednesday – Friday 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. at Forest Preserve District headquarters at 3S580 Naperville Road in Wheaton. We now offer after hours pickup and drop-off. For more information, call 630-850-8117.