New this Month!
September
2012
Upcoming
ENTICE Educator Workshops from the IDNR Division of Education: Register Now!
The following ENTICE (Environment
and Nature Training Institute for Conservation Education) workshops from the Illinois
Department of Natural Resources’ (IDNR) Division of Education are scheduled for
fall. Go to
https://www.enticeworkshops.com for more information and to register. ENTICE workshops provide basic
information about the topic from resources experts, hands-on activities,
supplemental resources and outdoor experiences. All workshops are developed
with the Illinois Learning Standards as their foundation. Continuing
Professional Development Units are available.
September 10-23, 2012, Illinois Butterflies, Online REGISTRATION CLOSES AT 8:00 A.M. ON THURSDAY,
SEPTEMBER 6, 2012.
September 21, 2012, Illinois Spiders, Mayslake Peabody
Estate, Forest Preserve District of Du Page County, Oak Brook REGISTRATION CLOSES AT 8:00 A.M. ON THURSDAY,
SEPTEMBER 13, 2012.
September 22, 2012, Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Development,
Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Batavia
REGISTRATION CLOSES AT 8:00 A.M. ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13 2012.
September 29, 2012, Introducing Early Childhood Students to
Nature, The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Chicago REGISTRATION CLOSES AT 8:00 A.M. ON
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2012.
October 6, 2012, Reading the Signs, Mayslake Peabody
Estate, Forest Preserve District of Du Page County, Oak Brook REGISTRATION
CLOSES AT 8:00 A.M. ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2012.
October 13, 2012, Illinois’ Woodland Ecology, Chicago
Botanic Garden, Glencoe
November 10, 2012, Avian Ecology: Bird-brained Lessons for
Educators, Ballard Nature Center, Altamont
Grants from the IDNR and the
Illinois Conservation Foundation
Do you need
funding for field trips or schoolyard wildlife habitat projects? The IDNR
Division of Education in cooperation with the Illinois Conservation Foundation
can help! The Illinois Biodiversity Field
Trip Grant program offers grants of up to $500 per teacher to assist with
transportation costs associated with a field trip to study some aspect of
Illinois’ natural resources. The Schoolyard
Habitat Action Grant program offers grants of up to $1,000 per teacher for
the purpose of implementing or enhancing wildlife habitat on the school grounds
or other public place. To learn more about these programs and to access the
application form, visit http://dnr.state.il.us/education/CLASSRM/grants.htm.
The Illinois Biodiversity Field Trip
Grant is funded by generous donations from the Independence Tube
Corporation, Chicago, and the Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Foundation, Skokie.
Funding for the Schoolyard Habitat Action
Grant program is provided by donations from the Jadel Youth Fund, the Daniel
F. and Ada L. Rice Foundation and by grants from the U.S Environmental
Protection Agency and the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Partners for Fish
and Wildlife Program.
Additional Field Trip Pack and Resources Trunks
Lending Sites Have been Added
The Field Trip Packs from the IDNR Division
of Education are now available from more than 200 lending locations statewide.
Visit the Web page at http://dnr.state.il.us/education/fieldtrippack.htm
to find the lending locations near you. These packs were developed for use with
children of grades prekindergarten through three. Several new lending locations
have also been added for the IDNR’s popular resources trunks. Visit http://test.dnr.state.il.us/education/CLASSRM/teach.htm to access links to all of the resources trunks: Aquatic Illinois; Illinois Birds; Illinois Fossils; Illinois Insects
and Spiders; Illinois’ Invasive Species; Illinois Prairies; Illinois’ State
Symbols; Illinois Trees; Illinois Wild Mammals; and People and Animals from Illinois’ Past. Each Web page has the
content list, appropriate grade levels and contact information for the lending
sites.
Organizations Invited to List Programs on Environmental Literacy for Illinois Web site
The Environmental
Literacy for Illinois strategic plan was updated last year, and recently,
the IDNR created a Web site to collect information from organizations on
environmental education programs that are aligned with the plan’s goals. The purpose
of this data collection effort is to show that there is interest in working
together in a coordinated fashion on environmental literacy in the state and to
identify strengths and gaps in implementation. The reporting pages are
now available for organizations to use. These pages can be accessed by
going to http://dnr.state.il.us/education/CLASSRM/ELforILUpdates.htm and
clicking on the link to “Enter Goal Implementation Information.” Organizations
can request a survey code (necessary for entering data) from
dnr.teachkids@illinois.gov. A summary page that will compile the entered
information for everyone to access is scheduled to be completed within the next
two months.
Opportunity for Non-formal
Educators
For a short
time, non-formal educators in Illinois are being offered the opportunity to
order Spanish-language activity books from the IDNR with no shipping fee. For
details visit the online publications order form at http://dnr.state.il.us/Teachkids
and click on the “Activity Books” tab. Each Spanish-language activity book
description contains the ordering information. This offer is only available for
Spanish-language activity books.
Dickson Mounds Museum Offers Workshops for
Teachers
Educators! Gather
together and schedule a workshop at Dickson Mounds Museum in Lewistown, Illinois.
Workshops may be a half- or full-day experience and include a behind-the-scenes
look at the museum, facility tours and hands-on activities, including
archaeological work, nature observation, hiking, canoeing and biological
laboratory work. See what kinds of opportunities Dickson Mounds and its
Emiquon partners, The Nature Conservancy, University of Illinois at Springfield
Therkildsen Field Station at Emiquon and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have
to offer youth and adults. Dickson Mounds Museum, a branch of the Illinois
State Museum and a National Historic Site, is one of the major on-site
archaeological museums in the United States. It offers a unique opportunity to
explore the world of the American Indian in an awe inspiring journey through
12,000 years of human experience in the Illinois River Valley. Dickson
Mounds Museum's workshops provide Continuing Professional Development
Units. Workshops may be tailored upon request. Contact Curator of Education
Christa Christensen by phone at 309-547-3721 or cchristensen@museum.state.il.us
to schedule your workshop or for more information. Also, visit www.experiencedicksonmounds.com
for current program and event listings.
Volunteers
Interested in
volunteering at an IDNR site or on an IDNR project? Sign up to be part of
the IDNR Volunteer Network. Visit http://www.dnr.state.il.us/volunteer/index.htm
for more information.
IDNR Publications
Do you need Illinois-specific, scientifically based resources to support your lessons? Then visit the IDNR Publications Order Form at http://dnr.state.il.us/teachkids. You’ll find activity books, posters and many other publications available for download and/or order. Many of the publications have a Spanish-language version, too.
IDNR Division of
Education List Server
Educators throughout Illinois can obtain instant notification about new products, scheduled workshops and many other events and items from the IDNR through the IDNR Division of Education's electronic list server. By participating in the list server, you will receive email messages when new educational materials are available from the IDNR. You'll also be made aware of upcoming workshops and special opportunities. To join the list, send an email to subscribe-dnr-education@lists.illinois.gov. You do not need to write any text in the message or the subject line. You may leave the list at any time by sending an email to unsubscribe-dnr-education@lists.illinois.gov. You do not need to write any text in the message or the subject line. There is no charge to participate. Messages are usually titled "Items of Possible Interest" in the subject line
State Parks Magazines
Are you looking for literature to distribute at an event or to provide to the public from your office, school or library? Why not consider the Illinois State Parks Magazine? This free publication is available in cases of 100 copies and shipping on this item is free, too. Visit the Publications page at http://dnr.state.il.us/teachkids and look under the “Park Brochures” tab.
Fishing in Your School
Do you teach in any of the following counties? Adams, Brown, Cass, Champaign, Christian, Clark, Coles, Cumberland, De Witt, Douglas, Edgar, Ford, Hancock, Iroquois, Livingston, Logan, Macon, Mason, McLean, Menard, Morgan, Moultrie, Piatt, Pike, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, Shelby, Vermilion
If so, let the IDNR help you establish a fishing program. We can assist with education and equipment to make fishing a talked-about, popular activity at your school. In-school educational programs can be scheduled in February or March, and fishing poles will be left with the teacher for use during a class field trip to a local lake. These programs work well for high school P.E. field trips or grade school field trips or after school activities where parents/grandparents accompany their students at the fishing location. Young student fishing is easy when family adults come along to help, and family participation encourages recurring fishing trips, creating a lifelong interest in this outdoor sport. For more details or to register your students contact Herb Dreier, Coordinator, Central Illinois Urban Fishing Program, at 217-935-6860 extension 238, cell 217-622-4266 or herb.dreier@illinois.gov.
IDNR Education offers Field Trip Tips for Educators
Visit http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/fieldtrip to access information that will help you and your students have a successful outdoor experience at an Illinois state park. You can find the state park nearest to you and a list of its amenities. By clicking on the category names in the “Lesson Topics” feature, you can link to the IDNR lesson plans and materials that will help you teach about the habitats, organisms and/or history of each park. Lessons for pre-trip, on site and post-trip are available in downloadable PDF format. Field trip etiquette and planning are also discussed. After deciding on your destination, why not apply for an Illinois Biodiversity Field Trip Grant? You’ll find a link to that information on this Web site, too.
Illinois’ Natural Resources Trading Cards
Illinois’ Natural Resources Trading Cards are informational cards that contain an image on one side and facts on the other side. Mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fishes, invertebrates, plants, fungi, microorganisms, rocks, minerals and fossils are represented. A poster accompanies each card set to depict all of the cards in the set and provide suggestions for use. Sets #2 - 5 are available. To request cards, please send a note on school letterhead to IDNR Education, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702. Please specify the set number(s) you are requesting. Teachers are allowed one pack of cards and one poster for each of the sets.
Biodiversity of Illinois CD-ROMs
The Biodiversity of Illinois, Volume I: Aquatic Habitats, Biodiversity of Illinois, Volume II: Woodland Habitats and Biodiversity of Illinois, Volume III: Prairie and Edge Habitats CD-ROMs are field guides to more than 1,000 species and provide a wealth of information for educators and students to use. Order your copies by written request on school letterhead and mail to IDNR Education, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702.
Wildlife in the Classroom
Has a student ever brought an animal into your classroom and asked you to keep it? Have you ever found a feather or a bird’s nest and wanted to use it to supplement your lessons? Do you know the Illinois and federal laws that apply to these situations? Teachers often come in contact with wildlife or wildlife remains, willingly or not. It is important for you to know what to do in these situations. The IDNR Division of Education has produced a reference document for your use. Wildlife in the Classroom is not all-encompassing, but it will provide you with basic information about possessing wildlife and wildlife remains. You can download the publication at http://dnr.state.il.us/education/CLASSRM/wildlifeintheclassrm041409.pdf. If you would like to read the entire Wildlife Code for Illinois, you can access it at http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs2.asp?ChapterID=43.
We’re on Facebook!
Visit our Facebook page to find the latest updates about the materials and programs of the IDNR Education Section. You’ll also find images from ENTICE workshops!
Illinois Trapper Education Online Course
The IDNR offers an online course for those interested in learning to trap. People who are required to complete a course before purchasing a trapping license now have two choices. They can take a full-day course in the classroom or complete half of the requirement online and half in the classroom, where they learn hands-on skills such as setting traps and preparing pelts for sale.
Courses are free. The IDNR encourages all trappers, regardless of age, to take a course. First-time trappers under 18 years of age must complete a course and pass a written exam before they are allowed to purchase a trapping license. Those under 16 years of age must also have written permission from a parent or guardian before purchasing a license.
Illinois Trapper Education Online (http://www.trappered.com) covers topics such as trapping equipment, laws and ethics through online film clips, reading materials, quizzes, photos and illustrations. Students can exit the course and resume work where they left off at any time. The course is accessible using a basic dial-up connection, although high speed connections work best.
At the end of the Internet course, students must successfully complete the final exam online and download a printable document of completion. Students must present the document when attending the four-hour training session with instructors. To locate an instructor-taught course, visit http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/safety/Pages/default.aspx or call 1-800-832-2599. The Ameritech Relay for the deaf and hearing impaired is 1-800-526-0844.
Wild Illinois History Leads Students on a Journey to Learn About History and Wildlife Conservation
The IDNR is offering a "virtual" trip for late-elementary schoolteachers, students and their parents. With a few mouse clicks, students can journey back to the earliest days of the Illinois Territory when voyageurs and Native Americans hunted the prairies, forests and rivers. Wild Illinois History helps students in grades three through five focus on early French exploration, along with river and settlement geography. Students can learn how wildlife helped Native Americans and early settlers survive. They also can see how wildlife is a part of our lives today. A fictional French trapper in the 18th century Illinois Territory leads students on the trip. Brief story-telling slideshows are mixed with fun, interactive activities. For teachers, Wild Illinois History offers lesson plans, activities, photos, posters and correlations to Illinois Learning Standards. Try it out at http://www.wildillinois.org/. For more information, contact Bob Bluett, IDNR Wildlife Diversity Coordinator at 217-782-7580 or bob.bluett@illinois.gov.
Urban Fishing Program
Coordinators for the IDNR statewide Urban Fishing Program will come to your school and conduct programs aimed at getting kids interested in fishing and the outdoors, while promoting environmental stewardship. One part of the program involves actually taking kids fishing during May and September, if a nearby lake is accessible. Teachers may continue the program on their own after the initial session, with the assistance of IDNR personnel. Contact the Urban Fishing Program Coordinator in your area. The urban fishing program is appropriate for any grade level.
Chicago: Brenda McKinney 847-294-4137
Chicago Suburbs: IDNR Staff 847-294-4137
Northwest Illinois: IDNR Staff 815-625-2968
Central Illinois: Herb Dreier 217-782-6424
Southern Illinois: IDNR Staff 618-462-1181