School Programs at a Forest Preserve

The Evolution of Agriculture

Students investigate and discuss crucial changes in farming technology over the past 125 years including transportation, expanding markets, the development of agri-business, and modern issues such as genetic engineering, feed additives, consumer safety, and environmental effects. Ninety-minute guided tour for 10 - 30 students. $10 per student.

Academic year
Monday, Thursday & Friday
Kline Creek Farm in West Chicago

Standards Explored
Common Core:

Social Studies Standards

• SS.G.3.9-12 Geography: Human Population
• SS.G.6.9-12 Geography: Geographic Representations, Human-Environment Interaction, Population
• SS.G.8.9-12 Geography: Geographic Representations, Human-Environment Interaction, Population
• SS.EC.8.9-12 Economics and Financial Literacy: National and Global Economy
• SS.H.4.9-12 History: Perspectives

NGSS:

• HS-LS2-7 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

Pre-Activity Sheets:

Vocabulary List (PDF)

Get Outside: Outdoor Education Day

Students explore a variety of nature content while rotating between stations and activities. Teachers pre-select the activities fom the list below. Four-hour interactive program for 50 - 120 students. $10 per student.

Academic year
Monday - Friday
Fullersburg Woods Nature Education Center in Oak Brook or St. James Farm in Warrenville.

Activities to choose from include: bird banding, bird watching, fish ID & dichotomous keys, food chains & food webs, geocaching, guided nature hike, habitat restoration, insect investigation, nature art, nature engineers, plant powers, rocks & minerals, team challenge, tracking, and tree ID.

Standards Explored

Will vary based on activities selected.

GPS & Geocaching

Students learn about Global Positioning Systems and how they work while using a GPS unit to find a hidden treasure. Ninety-minute program for 10 - 30 students. $10 per students.

Academic year
Monday - Friday
Fullersburg Woods Nature Education Center in Oak Brook,  St. James Farm in Warrenville, or Waterfall Glen in Darien.

Standards Explored

Common Core:

• SL.9-10.1 Speaking and Listening: Comprehension and Collaboration
• SL.11-12.1 Speaking and Listening: Comprehension and Collaboration

NGSS:

• HS-PS4-2 Waves and their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer

Habitat Hike

This program increases students’ awareness of nature and their interest in the natural world, while increasing observational skills, emphasizing the idea of environmental constraints on populations and ecological succession effects on organisms. One-hour guided hike for 10 - 30 students. $5 per student.

Academic year
Monday – Friday

Take a guided nature hike at one of the preserves listed below. Each of these preserves includes school-group friendly amenities including bus parking, picnic areas and public restrooms. If you plan to eat lunch onsite and/or require a picnic shelter reservation, please indicate this on your program request form.

Standards Explored (may vary by season)

Common Core:

ELA/Literacy

• CCR.SL.2 Comprehension and Collaboration
• CCR.SL.3 Comprehension and Collaboration
• SL.11-12.1.c Speaking and Listening: Comprehension and Collaboration

NGSS:

• HS-LS2-6 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
• HS-LS4-4 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

Loan Box Links:

Field Trip Pack

Natural Areas Restoration

Students discover the importance of biodiversity and the factors that negatively impact ecosystem health before participating in a project to restore a habitat. Ninety-minute interactive program for 10 - 30 students. $10 per student.

Academic year
Monday - Friday
Fullersburg Woods Nature Education Center in Oak Brook or St. James Farm in Warrenville.

Standards Explored

Common Core:

• SL.9-10.1 Speaking and Listening: Comprehension and Collaboration
• SL.11-12.1 Speaking and Listening: Comprehension and Collaboration

NGSS:

• HS-LS2-6 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
• HS-LS2-7 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
• MS-ESS3-1 Earth and Human Activity

Loan Box Links:

Illinois' Invasive Species

USRC Tour: Aquatic Conservation & Restoration

Students investigate how environmental issues  threaten the quality and sustainability of aquatic resources while exploring the Urban Stream Research Center to view science technology and learn how ecosystem structure and function are being recreated and repaired using restoration techniques and aquatic species propagation. Ninety-minute guided tour for 10 - 30 students. $5 per student.

November 4th & 18th
Thursday
Urban Stream Reserach Center, Blackwell Forest Preserve in Warrenville

Standards Explored

Common Core:

• SL.9-10.1 Speaking and Listening: Comprehension and Collaboration
• SL.11-12.1 Speaking and Listening: Comprehension and Collaboration

NGSS:

• HS-LS2-6 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
• HS-LS2-8 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
• HS-LS4-5 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
• HS-ESS3-4 Earth and Human Activity

Loan Box Links:

Aquatic Illinois

Illinois' Invasive Species

Wildlife Exhibit Hike

A Willowbrook interpreter takes students on a guided tour of the outdoor wildlife exhibits and discuss the natural history of local wildlife as well as the individual stories of the animals living at the center. Willowbrook’s mission as a center will be discussed as well as an overview of how the animals are cared for both in the hospital and as permanent residents. One-hour guided tour for 10 - 30 students. $5 per student. At this time, all Willowbrook indoor facilities are closed to the public.

Academic year
Monday – Friday
Willowbrook Wildlife Center in Glen Ellyn

Standards Explored
Common Core:

ELA/Literacy

• SL.9-10.1 Speaking and Listening: Comprehension and Collaboration
• SL.11-12.1 Speaking and Listening: Comprehension and Collaboration

• SS.G.3.9-12 Human Population

Loan Box Links:

Illinois' Birds
Illinois' Wild Mammals
Owls