Teachers Guide

Welcome

In addition to managing over 25,000 acres of woodlands, prairies and wetlands in over 60 forest preserves, the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County operates five education centers, whose skilled naturalists and heritage interpreters offer field trips, self-guided programs, in-class presentations and other learning opportunities.

Table of Contents

General Information.................................................. 2 Extension Programs................................................... 2 Professional Development......................................... 3 Educational Loan Boxes............................................. 3 Danada Equestrian Center........................................ 4 Mayslake Peabody Estate.......................................... 5 Kline Creek Farm...................................................... 6 Fullersburg Woods Nature Education Center............. 8 Willowbrook Wildlife Center................................... 10

Forest Preserve District of DuPage County P.O. Box 5000 • Wheaton • Illinois • 60189 (630) 933-7200 • TTY (800) 526-0857 dupageforest.org 8/14

General Information Fees

Some programs have associated tuition or fees, which are listed with each description. All fees are subject to change, so teachers should confirm the current rates when making reservations.

Clothing Clothing for outdoor activities should be appropriate for the weather. Outdoor trails are paved or have crushed-limestone surfaces, but teachers and students should wear waterproof shoes on muddy days. Items such as bottled water, sunscreen and insect repellent are also recommended.

Chaperones The Forest Preserve District encourages adult chaperones based on the following guidelines: Pre K – K One adult per five students Grades 1 – 8 One adult per 10 students Grades 9 – 12 One adult per 15 students

Accessibility The Forest Preserve District is committed to making its educational programs available to all groups.

Please mention any accessibility needs or concerns when you reserve your program.

Extension Programs Blackwell Compass Course

The compass course on Mount Hoy at Blackwell Forest Preserve in Warrenville is the perfect place to practice and sharpen navigation and math skills.

Groups use compasses to locate checkpoints with information about natural and cultural history. Call Mayslake Peabody Estate at (630) 206-9586 to reserve materials. Free. Year-round.

Grades Length 4 – 6 120 min

Picnicking Picnic sites are available at no extra charge, and many forest preserves have shelters that are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Special Requests Forest Preserve District staff will consider requests to develop special programs but reserve the right to decline any request. If a special request is granted, staff will calculate the fee at the time of the reservation based on the time needed to develop, prepare and present the program and to travel to the location. Special-request programs are charged at a rate of $20 per hour per staff member for DuPage County groups and $50 for out-of-county groups.

Observe Your Preserve Observe Your Preserve is a Forest Preserve District website that gives teachers, students and forest preserve fans a way to share observations and interact with District naturalists and ecologists while learning about plants, animals and cultural resources. Visit dupageforest.org/observe or call Mayslake Peabody Estate at (630) 206-9586 for more information.

Waterfall Glen Orienteering Students learn how to navigate through a marked course with a map and a compass at Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve in Darien. For a map of the beginner course and instructions, visit dupageforest.org and click on Things to Do, Recreational Activities, and Navigation and Wayfinding. Groups of 25 or more must request permits through Visitor Services at (630) 933-7248 at least three business days before their visits. Free. Year-round.

Grades Length 4 – 12 120 min

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General Information • Extension Programs

Professional Development Unleash your creativity, and increase your brain power with the Forest Preserve District’s professional-development programs. Consider any one of the District’s education centers a destination, an experience and a partner in your growth process. Imagine the fun you’ll have getting your feet wet testing water quality or raising largemouth bass in your classroom (not to mention engaging in lessons in field ecology, ornithology, plant identification and geocaching). The Forest Preserve District’s goal is to spark your enthusiasm and give you the jump-start you need to generate energy throughout your classroom.

Bass in the Class Workshop

Earth Partnership for Schools

Liven up your science curriculum with this hand-on aquatic biology program – one of our most wildly popular programs with teachers and students. Thrill students with first-hand experiences of life cycles, food chains, ecosystems and animal behavior. You’ll receive up to six young bass in early fall to raise in the classroom and then release at the Big Bass Release Day in November. District naturalists will guide you through the details of this exciting eight-week program and provide you with all the information you’ll need to succeed. Starting at $30 per teacher.

Spring 2015. 10 a.m. – noon. Call Fullersburg Woods Nature Education Center in Oak Brook at (630) 850-8110.

Discover how to reconnect your classroom with nature during this one-week science-inquiry training.

The program features a network of area schools and natural-resource agencies — the Chicago Botanic Garden, Lake County Forest Preserves and the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County — that works to establish native-plant landscapes on school grounds.

Summer, 2015. Call Fullersburg Woods Nature Education Center in Oak Brook at (630) 850-8110 for details and pricing.

Grades Length Min/Max Standards All 2 hr None ILS: 26

Grades K – 12

Length 38 hr

Min/Max 10/25

Master of Science in Science Content and Process In this innovative partnership with Benedictine University, institutions such as Fermilab, Brookfield Zoo, The Morton Arboretum and the Golden Apple Foundation offer inquiry-based courses across a broad range of sciences, including the Forest Preserve District’s field ecology and prehistoric life classes.

Courses are aligned with Next Generation Science Standards. For information, contact Allison Wilson, the program’s director, at awilson@ben.edu or (630) 829-6520.

Educational Loan Boxes Loan boxes are a great way to enhance curricula and introduce students to the county’s natural and cultural history. Each box contains suggested lesson and activity outlines, books, DVDs, and specimens for students to examine. All materials align with Illinois Learning Standards. Boxes from the District and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources are available for up to two weeks. Call Mayslake Peabody Estate at (630) 206-9586.

District Boxes Feathers Prehistoric Life ELL/ESL Nature Detectives Skulls Owls Tracking Prairie Plants Watersheds

Professional Development • Educational Loan Boxes

IDNR Boxes Aquatic Illinois Illinois Prairies Illinois Birds Illinois State Symbols Illinois Fossils Illinois Trees Illinois Insects and Spiders Illinois Wild Mammals Illinois Invasive Species People and Places from Illinois’ Past

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Danada Equestrian Center

3S507 Naperville Road • Wheaton • (630) 668-6012 • Office Hours 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday The center has been committed to filling the niche of horsemanship education in DuPage County since its establishment in 1984. Continuing to support its original charter as a “learn to ride” stable, Danada offers basic horsemanship and instructional riding programs for students ages 12 and up from April through November.

Guided Programs at Danada Guided Group Tour

Your class can reserve a one-hour tour that gives insight into the world of horses and their management and care. $35 per group of 20 for DuPage County groups; $65 for out-of-county groups. Year-round.

Grades Length Max All 60 min 20

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Danada Equestrian Center

Mayslake Peabody Estate

1717 W. 31st Street • Oak Brook • (630) 206-9566 • Office Hours Vary This cultural education center offers formal and informal programs for schools and youth groups, training opportunities for teachers, lecture series, team-building activities, professional retreats and multilevel recreational workshops that introduce new skills or give participants the chance to improve existing ones. Additionally, its professional resident theater company, First Folio Theatre, presents award-winning theater and performances for school groups.

Guided Programs at Mayslake 1900 – 1920: Exploring Changing Times

Learn about the beginning of the 20th century through a lively visual presentation, a tour of historic Mayslake Hall, hands-on activities, questions and discussion. $2 per person. Year-round.

Grades Length Min/Max Standards 6 – 7 90 min 8/24 ILS: 16, 17, 18, 27

Mayslake Peabody Estate

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Kline Creek Farm

1N600 County Farm Road • West Chicago • (630) 876-5900 • Farm Hours 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Thursday – Monday This 1890s living-history farm is the only place in DuPage where students can see a lamb born, learn how to put up preserves, collect eggs, build a barn and help harvest crops in the field. Here they can learn about the life cycles of crops and animals, explore the economic role of farmers as producers, discover the affect of technological change on work and everyday life, and consider interactions between humans and natural resources.

In Your Classroom

Guided Programs at the Farm

Introduce students to architecture by showing them the tools and techniques of timber-frame construction. Groups will learn the history of barn building and build a scaled timber-frame barn. Great for high-interest days. $25 per class; $75 for highinterest days.

A costumed guide introduces students to this 1890s farm and the people who care for it. Students discover what makes farm animals different from wild animals and the purposes animals serve on a farm. They explore fields, pastures and agricultural buildings as they learn about agriculture in the 1890s and today. $2 per student; additional $50 for out-ofcounty groups. Labor Day – Memorial Day.

Barn Building

Grades Length Min/Max Standards 2 – 6 45 min 1 class ILS: 16, 18, 19, 21

CC ELA:

SL1, 2, 3, 4, L5, 6

CC Math: CC, MD

NGSS: ESS3, PS2

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My First Visit to the Farm

Grades Length Min/Max Standards PreK – 1 60 min 10/60 ILS: 15, 16, 17, 18, 22

CC ELA:

SL2, 3, 4, L5, 6

CC Math: CC, MD, G NGSS:

LS1, 2, 3, ESS2, 3

Kline Creek Farm

Christmas on the Farm This three-part program includes a visit to the kitchen to experience the sights, smells and tastes of holiday cookies baking in wood-burning oven. A tour the farmhouse focuses on Christmas trees, gifts and other traditions. A self-guided tour of the farm shows how shorter, cold winter days affected life from transportation to animal care. $2 per student; additional $50 for out-of-county groups. December.

Grades Length Min/Max Standards 1 – 8 60 min 10/40 ILS: 15, 16, 17, 18, 22

CC ELA:

SL1, 2, 3, 4, L5, 6

CC Math: CC, MD

NGSS: LS4, ESS3

A Day at the Farm Seasonal activity stations presented by costumed guides reveal the life and work of an 1890s farm family. Groups may visit the farmhouse; participate in chores, such as cutting wood for fuel or doing the laundry; and see how families relied on the kitchen garden. They can see livestock and learn about the products they provide and watch carpenters, blacksmiths, beekeepers and draft horses at work.

Stations change by season. $5 per student. Oct. 16, 17 and 20 in 2014 and May 14, 15 and 18 in 2015.

Grades Length Min/Max Standards 1 – 8 9:30 a.m. Up to 300 ILS: 15, 16, 17, 18, 22

– 1:30 p.m.

CC ELA:

SL2, 3, 4, L5, 6

CC Math: CC, MD, G NGSS:

LS1, 2, 3, ESS2, 3

Guided Farm Tour Students discover how members of a farm family worked together as they tour the farmhouse, barn and other buildings and interact with livestock.

Seasonal content helps students understand how work related to the time of year in terms of crop and animal life cycles. $2 per student; additional $50 for out-of-county groups. Labor Day – Memorial Day.

Self-Guided Programs at the Farm

Pick a stand-alone trip, or add one to a guided tour.

Alphabet of Agriculture Teach the ABCs and sharpen your students’ observation skills with this simple scavenger hunt in which students look for farm-related objects beginning with each letter of the alphabet. One adult guide is recommended for every 10 students. Free.

Year-round Thursdays – Mondays.

Grades Length Min/Max Standards 2 – 5 60 min 10/100 ILS: 15, 16, 17

CC ELA: L2, 4

NGSS: LS1

Architecture Adventure Acting as detectives, students resolve architectural mysteries of the design and function of various farm buildings. One adult guide is recommended for every 10 students. Free. Year-round Thursdays – Mondays.

Grades Length Min/Max Standards 2 – 5 60 min 10/100 ILS: 15, 16, 17

CC ELA:

SL2, 4, L1, 4

NGSS: PS2, 3

Discovery Tour Each student receives a magnifying lens and spyglass to explore the farm while group leaders guide them with the aid of a picture booklet. One adult guide is recommended for every 10 students. Free. Yearround Thursdays – Mondays.

Grades Length Min/Max Standards PreK – 1 60 min 10/50 ILS: 15, 16, 17

CC ELA:

SL2, 4, L1, 4

NGSS: LS1

Grades Length Min/Max Standards 2 – 8 90 min 10/60 ILS: 15, 16, 17, 18, 22

CC ELA:

SL2, 3, 4, L5, 6

CC Math: CC, MD NGSS:

LS1, 2, 3, ESS2, 3 Kline Creek Farm

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Fullersburg Woods Nature Education Center

3609 Spring Road • Oak Brook • (630) 850-8110 • Visitor Center Hours 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Daily The center offers many ways for your students to enjoy, explore and learn about the natural world indoors and outside. Programs are available at Fullersburg Woods, at forest preserves throughout DuPage and in the classroom.

The fall program season runs Sept. 16 – Nov. 1. The spring season runs April 14 – May 30. All programs are $2 per DuPage County student and $4 per out-of-county student unless otherwise noted. Reservations begin Sept. 2.

In Your Classroom

Guided Programs at Fullersburg

A Fullersburg naturalist will visit your classroom for an active one-hour discussion. Children learn how humans affect and interact with wildlife. Students will examine animals in the classroom as they engage with science experts. First class $50; each additional $25. November – January.

During a hike with a naturalist through an oakhickory forest, students use their senses to observe and record their surroundings before Q-and-A time at the visitor center. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

Wildlife and You

Grades Length Min/Max PreK – 4 60 min 1 class

Classroom Experts Need assistance with a topic? Call us for expert help in your classroom! Our talented naturalists can help you help your students. Topics include rocks and minerals, birds and flight and life cycles. $50 per hour for each naturalist. Availability subject to topic choice.

10 a.m. – 2 p.m. November – January.

Nature Hike

Grades Length Min/Max Standards All 60 min 15/90 ILS: 19, 21

Get Sticky! Maple Syrup Programs During this springtime tradition, students learn about tree identification, plant physiology and the art of sap collecting and see maple syrup made from start to finish. For PreK – K, an optional puppet show with a 10-minute talk with ice cream is available. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. March 3 – 28 at 9:30 a.m., 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. $5 per person.

Grades Length Min/Max Standards PreK – 8 45 min 15/60 ILS: 16,17,18, 19, 21, 24

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Fullersburg Woods Nature Education Center

Food Chain Challenge

Stream Monitoring

With real-life examples and highly scientific experiments, students learn how ecosystems function as they’re inserted into a food chain. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays in fall and spring. Add a 60-minute naturalist-led hike for an extra $2 per student.

Discover insects and other macroinvertebrates that have varying degrees of tolerance to pollution.

Students learn how to measure the water quality of local streams while gaining real-life ecological experiences. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays in fall and spring. Program may be cancelled due to weather; rescheduling cannot be guaranteed.

Grades Length Min/Max Standards 1 – 5 90 min 15/90 ILS: 19, 21, 24

Plant Power Students discover the science of plants and trees as they hike with a forestry scientist, “build a tree” from the inside out, and learn about seed dispersal, photosynthesis, tree physiology and identification.

Add a 60-minute naturalist-led hike for an extra $2 per student. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays in fall and spring.

Grades Length Min/Max Standards 4 – 12 90 min 15/35 ILS: 17, 19, 21, 24

Get Outside: Outdoor Education Day Your students will experience a full day of outdoor education and recreation addressing topics from environmental sciences to recreation. Call for options.

Thursdays and Fridays. $10 per student.

Grades Length Min/Max Standards 1 – 5 90 min 15/90 ILS: 17, 19, 21

Geocaching Adventure Enjoy a hi-tech outdoor treasure hunt! Students will learn about satellites and the science of GPS and hone their team-building skills during this adventure.

Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays in fall and spring.

Add a 60-minute naturalist-led hike for an extra $2 per student.

Grades Length Min/Max Standards 4 – 12 90 min 15/90 ILS: 17

Operation Restoration Students think globally and act locally during this program that features an overview of biodiversity and a restoration-focused work session, which demonstrates how groups can make a big difference in a short amount of time. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays in fall and spring.

Grades Length Min/Max Standards 4 – 12 90 min 15/60 ILS: 16, 17

Fullersburg Woods Nature Education Center

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Willowbrook Wildlife Center

525 S. Park Blvd. • Glen Ellyn • (630) 942-6200 • Center Hours 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Daily Willowbrook Wildlife Center is a wildlife rehabilitation and education center devoted to helping people live more harmoniously with wildlife. It offers indoor and outdoor learning experiences that feature live animal exhibits, natural habitats, and educational programs and displays. The center is a hospital and recovery area for native wild animals injured or orphaned by human activities. Its goal is to eventually release these animals back into the wild.

Groups should schedule guided and self-guided programs at least four weeks in advance. Call Willowbrook between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. There is an additional $30 fee per guided program for groups from outside DuPage County. Because loud noises can stress the animals, groups must be calm and quiet while inside the center.

Nature Programs in Your Classroom Backyard Wildlife

This fast-paced program focuses on common backyard animals and features activities, stories and fun props.

First class $50; each additional $25. Year-round.

Grades Length Min/Max Standards PreK – K 45 min + 8/20 NGSS: LS1, 2

15-min setup

Wildlife-Scene Investigations Students discover how to identify wild mammals that live in DuPage by studying skulls and bones, learn basic natural history and use techniques that unravel wildlife mysteries. With teamwork and observations, they then solve their own investigations. Eight-foot table and two smaller tables or counter space required.

First class $75; each additional $25. Year-round.

Grades Length Min/Max Standards 4 – 8 60 min + 10/20 ILS: 19, 21

30-min setup NGSS: LS1, 2, 3, 4

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Animal Encounters in Your Classroom What Is a Reptile?

Children learn about reptiles and how they differ from mammals, birds, fish and other living things. A presentation of live reptiles enhances the program.

Eight-foot table required. First class $100; each additional $25. March 1 – Nov. 30.

Grades Length Min/Max Standards K – 1 60 min + 1 class ILS: 17

30-min setup NGSS: LS1, 2, 3

Owls This program teaches natural history using live owls as well as wings, feet, skulls, pictures and other “biofacts.” This version of “Raptor Outreach” has concepts and a run time suited for younger children.

Eight-foot table required. First class $150; each additional $50. Sept. 1 – May 31.

Grades Length Min/Max Standards 1 – 2 45 min + 1 class ILS: 17, 21

30-min setup NGSS: LS1, 2, 3

Willowbrook Wildlife Center

Reptiles in Review This program introduces children to the scientific concept that animals are grouped by shared characteristics. It focuses on reptiles and how they differ from other terrestrial vertebrates through discussions, activities and a presentation of live reptiles. Eight-foot table required. First class $100; each additional $25. March 1 – Nov. 30.

Nature Programs at Willowbrook Wild Lifestyles

This program focuses on three vertebrates — birds, mammals and reptiles— their habitats and lifestyles, and how they meet the challenges of surviving in a temperate climate. Students visit two outdoor exhibits and have an indoor encounter with live snakes. $40 per program. Year-round.

Grades Length Min/Max Standards 2 – 3 60 min + 1 class ILS: 17

30-min setup NGSS: LS1, 3, 4

Grades Length Min/Max Standards 2–3 90 min 8/25 ILS: 17

NGSS: LS1, 2, 3, 4

Raptor Outreach

Wildlife-Scene Investigations

This program teaches natural history using wings, feet, skulls, pictures and other “biofacts” and ends with a presentation of live birds of prey. Eight-foot table required. First class $150; each additional $50.

Sept. 1 – May 31.

Grades Length Min/Max Standards 3 – 12 60 min + 1 class ILS: 19, 21

30-min setup NGSS: LS1, 2, 3, 4

Examining Ectotherms Students learn about reptiles, their survival strategies, and differences between reptiles and amphibians through discussions, activities and a presentation of live animals. Eight-foot table required. First class $100; each additional $25. March 1 – Nov. 30.

Grades Length Min/Max Standards 4 – 6 60 min + 1 class ILS: 17

30-min setup NGSS: LS1, 2, 3, 4

Willowbrook Wildlife Center

Students discover how to identify wild mammals that live in DuPage by studying skulls and bones, learning basic natural history and using techniques that unravel wildlife mysteries. With teamwork and observations, they then solve their own wildlife investigations.$40 per program. Year-round.

Grades Length Min/Max Standards 4 – 8 60 min 10/20 ILS: 19, 21

NGSS: LS1, 2, 3, 4

Value of Biodiversity This class serves as an introduction to the diversity of life on Earth, narrowing to a focus on Illinois.

Students discuss the importance of and diverse benefits provided by plants and animals and the role humans play in the natural world. $30 per program.

Year-round.

Grades Length Min/Max Standards 6 – 12 90 min 8/25 NGSS: LS1, 2, 3, 4

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Animal Encounters at Willowbrook Aminals!

Activities include a story, a poem that students perform, pictures, and a look at animal homes, bones and skeletons. Students also meet and touch one of the center’s pets. $25 per program. Year-round.

Grades Length Min/Max Standards PreK – K 45 min 8/25 NGSS: LS1, 2

What Is a Reptile?

Students learn about reptiles and how they differ from mammals, birds, fish and other living things. A presentation of live raptors enhances the program.

First program $50; each additional $25. Year-round.

Grades Length Min/Max Standards K – 1 60 min 8/25 NGSS: LS1, 2, 3

Animal Exploration Day Students learn about three vertebrates — birds, mammals and reptiles — and where and how they live. The program features two of the center’s animals and a naturalist-led tour of outdoor exhibits. $125 per program. April – June and September – October.

Grades Length Min/Max Standards 1 – 2 120 min 1 – 3 ILS: 17

classes NGSS: LS1, 2, 3, 4

Owls This program teaches the natural history of these birds of prey and features live owls and “biofacts,” such as wings, feet, skulls and pictures. This version of “Raptor Outreach” has concepts and a run time suited for younger children. First program $75; each additional $25. Year-round.

Grades Length Min/Max Standards 1 – 2 45 min 8/25 ILS: 17, 21

NGSS: LS1, 2, 3, 4

Reptiles in Review This program introduces children to the scientific concept that animals are grouped by shared characteristics. It focuses on reptiles and how they differ from other terrestrial vertebrates through discussions, activities and a presentation of live reptiles. First program $50; each additional $25. Yearround.

Grades Length Min/Max Standards 2 – 3 60 min 8/25 ILS: 17

NGSS: LS1, 3, 4

Intro to Birds of Prey Students learn about the natural history of birds of prey during a lively discussion and a close look at “biofacts,” such as wings, skulls, feet and pictures.

The program ends with a presentation of two live birds of prey. First program $75; each additional $25.

Year-round.

Grades Length Min/Max Standards 2 – 12 60 min 8/25 ILS: 19, 21

NGSS: LS1, 2, 3, 4

Examining Ectotherms Students learn about the world of reptiles, reptile survival strategies, and the basic differences between reptiles and amphibians through discussions, activities and a presentation of live animals. First program $50; each additional $25. Year-round.

Grades Length Min/Max Standards 4 – 6 60 min 8/25 ILS: 17

NGSS: LS1, 2, 3, 4

Tours at Willowbrook Guided Tour

Take a personalized tour of the center’s animal exhibits, and hear interesting stories about Willowbrook Wildlife Center and its permanent residents. $2 per person. Year-round.

Grades Length All 45 – 60 min

Min/Max 6/25

Self-Guided Tour Enjoy a brief introduction to the center by one of its naturalists, and then tour the center on your own. $1 per person. Year-round.

Grades Length All 45 – 60 min

12

Min/Max 6/25 Willowbrook Wildlife Center