One of our highly educated, professional program leaders will deliver a virtual classroom program about natural sciences and DuPage County's cultural history. Programs are designed to meet national learning standards, including Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards.
We offer programs throughout the academic year (Sept. 1 through June 1), and most are available Monday through Friday.
View the available virtual school programs and descriptions below. Then, click the green button to complete and submit a form to request a virtual school program.
Maple Syrup: Get Sticky
Students are introduced to process of making maple syrup, and explore related natural resources and the human connection to nature. Thirty-minute virtual program for 10 – 30 students. $1 per student.
Academic year
Monday – Friday
Standards Explored
Common Core:
ELA/Literacy
Mathematics
Social Science
NGSS:
Loan Box Links:
Illinois' Trees
People & Places from Illinois' Past
Pre-Activity Sheets:
Suggested Reading List (PDF)
Maple Leaf Coloring Page (PDF)
Vocabulary List (PDF)
Wildlife and You
This program increases students’ interest and awareness in the natural world. The importance of respecting wildlife and the proper ways to interact with and observe native wildlife are reinforced. Thirty-minute virtual program for 10 – 30 students. $1 per student.
Academic year
Monday – Friday
Standards Explored
Common Core:
ELA/Literacy
NGSS:
Loan Box Links:
Pre-Activity Sheets:
Coloring Page (PDF)
Vocabulary List (PDF)
Suggested Reading List (PDF)
Animal Exploration
Students learn about three different groups of vertebrates: birds, mammals, and reptiles. The adaptations of these animals and how they are unique from one another will be discussed. Thirty-minute virtual program for 10 – 30 students. $1 per student.
Offered seasonally Sept. – Oct. & April – June during academic year
Monday – Friday
Standards Explored
Common Core:
ELA/Literacy
NGSS:
Loan Box Links:
Illinois' Amphibians & Reptiles
Illinois' Birds
Illinois' Wild Mammals
Pre-Activity Sheets:
Feathers, Fur and Scales (PDF)
Vocabulary List (PDF)
Suggested Reading List (PDF)
Maple Syrup: Get Sticky
Students are introduced to the process of making maple syrup, and explore related natural resources and the human connection to nature. Thirty-minute virtual program for 10 – 30 students. $1 per student.
Academic year
Monday – Friday
Standards Explored
Common Core:
ELA/Literacy
Mathematics
Social Science
NGSS:
Loan Box Links:
Illinois' Trees
People & Places from Illinois' Past
Pre-Activity Sheets:
Suggested Reading List (PDF)
Maple Leaf Coloring Page (PDF)
Vocabulary List (PDF)
Wildlife and You
This program increases students’ interest and awareness in the natural world. The importance of respecting wildlife and the proper ways to interact with and observe native wildlife are reinforced. Thirty-minute virtual program for 10 – 30 students. $1 per student.
Academic year
Monday – Friday
Standards Explored
Common Core:
ELA/Literacy
NGSS:
Loan Box Links:
Pre-Activity Sheets:
Coloring Page (PDF)
Vocabulary List (PDF)
Farm Food Chain
Students explore the role of water and what plants need to grow; learn what lambs need to grow and develop; learn how honeybees help pollinate our crops; investigate how food is produced and how transportation changed how people are supplied with food; and learn how farmers changed the land to grow food more efficiently. One-hour virtual program for 10 – 120 students. $1 per student.
Academic year
Monday, Thursday & Friday
Standards Explored
Common Core:
ELA/Literacy
NGSS:
Pre-Activity Sheets:
Suggested Reading List (PDF)
Baby Farm Animals (PDF)
Vocabulary List (PDF)
Maple Syrup: Sap to Syrup
Students learn the process of making maple syrup and explore related natural resources and the human connection to nature. Thirty-minute virtual program for 10 – 30 students. $1 per student.
Academic year
Monday – Friday
Standards Explored
Common Core:
ELA/Literacy
NGSS:
Loan Box Links:
Illinois' Trees
People & Places from Illinois' Past
Pre-Activity Sheets:
Suggested Reading List (PDF)
Tools of the Trade (PDF)
Vocabulary List (PDF)
Meet the Reptiles
Students are introduced to the scientific concept that animals are grouped by shared characteristics. This program focuses on reptiles and how they differ from other terrestrial vertebrates through activities, discussions, and presentation of live reptiles. Thirty-minute virtual program for 10 – 30 students. $1 per student.
September– June
academic year
Monday – Friday
Standards Explored
Common Core:
ELA/Literacy
NGSS:
Loan Box Links:
Illinois' Amphibians & Reptiles
Pre-Activity Sheets:
Reptile Groups (PDF)
Vocabulary List (PDF)
Suggested Reading List (PDF)
Maple Syrup: The Science of Syrup
Students explore the science of making maple syrup and how food and energy come from nature. Forty-five minute virtual program for 10 – 30 students. $1 per student.
Academic year
Monday – Friday
Standards Explored
Common Core:
ELA/Literacy
Social Science
NGSS:
Loan Box Links:
Illinois' Trees
People & Places from the Illinois' Past
Pre-Activity Sheets:
Suggested Reading List (PDF)
Crossword (PDF)
Vocabulary List (PDF)
Wildlife Detectives
Students discover how to identify wild mammals that live in DuPage County by studying skulls and bones, learning basic natural history and using techniques that unravel wildlife mysteries. One-hour virtual program for 10 – 30 students. $1 per student.
Academic year
Monday – Friday
Standards Explored
Common Core:
ELA/Literacy
NGSS:
Loan Box Links:
Illinois' Wild Mammals
Skulls
Tracking
Pre-Activity Sheets:
Crossword (PDF)
Vocabulary List (PDF)
Suggested Reading List (PDF)
Students take a virtual tour behind the scenes of Willowbrook Wildlife Center, a native wildlife rehabilitation center, and explore the process of caring for an animal from admission to the final goal - release back into the wild. One-hour virtual program for 10 – 30 students. $1 per student.
Offered seasonally during academic year
Monday – Friday
Standards met:
Common Core:
SL.7.1 Speaking and Listening: Comprehension and Collaboration
SL.8.1 Speaking and Listening: Comprehension and Collaboration
NGSS:
Maple Syrup: Energy Transfer
Students explore the process of turning tree sap into maple syrup and explore the science of how food and energy come from nature. One-hour virtual program for 10 – 30 students. $1 per student.
Academic year
Monday – Friday
Standards Explored
Common Core:
ELA/Literacy
Mathematics
Social Science
Loan Box Links:
Illinois' Trees
People & Places from Illinois' Past
Pre-Activity Sheets:
Crossword (PDF)
Vocabulary List (PDF)
Blanding's Turtle Recovery
Students discover what factors have led to the decline in Blanding's turtle populations, then explore the different management techniques that have gone into the recovery effort of this endangered species. One-hour virtual program for 10 – 30 students. $1 per student.
Offered seasonally during academic year
Monday - Friday
Standards met:
Common Core: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 virtual program for 10 – 120 students. $1 per student.
Academic year
Monday, Thursday & Friday
Standards Explored
Common Core:
Social Studies Standards
NGSS:
Pre-Activity Sheets:
Vocabulary List (PDF)
Comparative Vertebrate Biology
Students compare the anatomy and lifestyles of the four main groups of terrestrial vertebrates, including mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians. One-hour virtual program for 10 – 30 students. $1 per student.
Academic year
Monday – Friday
Loan Box Links:
Illinois' Amphibians and Reptiles
Illinois' Birds
Illinois' Wild Mammals
Owls
Conservation Biology: Blanding's Turtle Recovery
Students discover what factors have led to the decline in Blanding's turtle populations, then explore the different management techniques that have gone into the recovery effort of this endangered species. Ninety-minute virtual program for 10 – 30 students. $1 per student.
Offered seasonally during academic year
Monday - Friday
Loan Box Links:
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 virtual program for 10 – 120 students. $1 per student.
Academic year
Monday, Thursday & Friday
Do you have a topic that requires expert advice but don't see it here? A Forest Preserve District expert will meet virtually with your students to explore your questions. For examples of the types of questions we can answer, please visit our PBL page.
Preschool
Kindergarten & Grade 1
Grades 2 & 3
Grades 4 & 5
Grades 6 - 8
Grades 9 - 12
College
3S580 Naperville Road
Wheaton, IL 60189
Visitor Services
Monday – Friday
8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Phone: 630-933-7200
Email: forest@dupageforest.org
Police: 630-933-7240
Email: police@dupageforest.org
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