Visit a DuPage forest preserve with your students where they will learn about natural sciences and DuPage County's cultural history. These programs are designed to meet national learning standards, including Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards.
Program reservations for the 2022 – 2023 academic year are now open. We offer programs throughout the academic year (Sept. 1 through June 2), and most are available Monday through Friday.
The Forest Preserve District is committed to making its programs available to all groups. Please mention any accessibility needs or concerns when you reserve your program.
View the available guided school programs and descriptions below. Then, click the green button to complete and submit a program request form.
The Forest Preserve District follows all state and federal guidelines regarding COVID-19.
Guided school programs require a three-week advance reservation and have a minimal per-student fee.
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
NGSS:
Pre-Activity Sheets:
Vocabulary List (PDF)
Geocaching & Information Technologies
Students investigate the importance of digital information technologies in the modern world by learning about Global Positioning Systems and using a GPS unit to navigate waypoints, solve problems and find hidden caches. 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:
NGSS:
Get Outside: Outdoor Education Day
Students explore a variety of nature content while rotating between stations and activities. Teachers pre-select the activities from the list below. Four-hour interactive program for 50 - 120 students. $10 per student.
Academic year
Thursday & 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, geocaching, guided nature hike, habitat restoration, insect investigation, macroinvertebrate sampling, nature art, team challenge, tracking, and tree ID.
Standards Explored
Will vary based on activities selected.
Are you looking for suggestions on how to pair your activities?
Aquatics - fish ID & dichotomous keys, guided nature hike, macroinvertebrate sampling
Biodiversity – food chains & food webs, guided nature hike, habitat restoration, insect investigation
Community Action – bird banding, birdwatching, habitat restoration, insect investigation, or team challenge
Creativity & Problem Solving – guided nature hike, nature art, team challenge, or tracking
End of the Year Fun – bird watching, geocaching, insect investigation, nature art, or team challenge
Wildlife – bird banding, birdwatching, fish ID & dichotomous keys, guided nature hike, insect investigation, or tracking
Habitat Hike
Students increase their awareness of nature and their interest in the natural world through observation and discussion. Activities and discussion will vary by season and by forest preserve. 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.
Preserve |
Town |
Acres |
Shelters |
Trails (miles) |
Warrenville |
1387 |
5 |
9 |
|
Glen Ellyn |
265 |
3 |
2 |
|
Wheaton |
825 |
0 |
6 |
|
Wayne |
374 |
0 |
1 |
|
Oak Brook |
226 |
1 |
4 |
|
Naperville |
1414 |
2 |
14 |
|
Wheaton |
896 |
4 |
7 |
|
Downers Grove |
393 |
1 |
2 |
|
Bartlett |
501 |
1 |
4 |
|
Hanover Park |
953 |
1 |
4 |
|
Oak Brook |
90 |
0 |
1 |
|
Naperville |
465 |
2 |
7 |
|
Wayne |
3474 |
1 |
8 |
|
Wood Dale |
93 |
1 |
1 |
|
Naperville |
1829 |
1 |
9 |
|
Darien |
2492 |
1 |
12 |
|
Bartlett |
725 |
0 |
3 |
|
West Chicago |
462 |
0 |
4 |
|
Wood Dale |
185 |
2 |
1 |
Standards Explored (may vary by season)
Common Core:
ELA/Literacy
NGSS:
Loan Box Links:
Natural Areas Restoration
Students discover the importance of biodiversity and the impact that humans can have on an ecosystem's health while 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:
NGSS:
Loan Box Links:
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 3, 9 & 17
March 16, 22 & April 13
Wednesday & Thursday
Urban Stream Research Center, Blackwell Forest Preserve in Warrenville
Standards Explored
Common Core:
NGSS:
Loan Box Links:
Wildlife Exhibit Hike
Due to construction of the new center, there will be no on-site programs after Jan. 1, 2023. 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
NGSS:
Loan Box Links:
At a Forest Preserve
Preschool, Kindergarten & Grade 1
Grades 2 & 3
Grades 4 & 5
Grades 6 – 8
Grades 9 – 12
College
School Programs & Teacher Resources
School Programs & Teacher Resources
In Your Classroom
In-Person
Virtual
At a Forest Preserve
Guided Programs
Pre-, K & Grade 1
Grades 2 & 3
Grades 4 & 5
Grades 6 – 8
Grades 9 – 12
College
Self-Guided Discovery
Learn by Doing
Inquiry & PBL
STEM Outreach
Career Outreach
Teacher Resources
Teacher Professional Development
Loan Boxes
Partners in Education
Education Centers
Meet the Experts
3S580 Naperville Road
Wheaton, IL 60189
630-933-7200
forest@dupageforest.org
Monday – Friday
8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
The Forest Preserve District is committed to making its facilities accessible to all visitors. Contact 630-933-7683 or TTY 800-526-0857.