March
2010
The
Illinois Rain Garden Initiative grant
program provides funds for the construction of a rain garden on public
property. A rain garden is a depression that is planted with native wetland or
aquatic vegetation. It is designed for and built in a location that will hold
stormwater runoff or snow melt, allowing the water to be absorbed slowly by the
plants and the soil. Rain gardens are desirable because they reduce stormwater
runoff, improve water quality, allow for the recharge of groundwater supplies,
increase wildlife habitat and often reduce the need for mowing and its
associated costs and pollution. You’ll find the application forms at http://dnr.state.il.us/education/CLASSRM/RainGarden/applicationpage.htm.
Teachers, not-for-profit organizations and community groups may apply. The
maximum award is $1,000. For more information, contact the Illinois Department
of Natural Resources’ (IDNR) Division of Education (dnr.teachkids@illinois.gov or
217-785-0973). The IDNR and Illinois Conservation Foundation administer this
program. Funds are provided through a grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service.
Thursday,
March 4, 2010, 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Cache River Wetlands Center, 8885
State Route 37 South,
Movie Night: Is That Skunk? BBC
production. Explore the secret lives of often misunderstood wildlife of
the
Saturday,
March 6, 2010, 10:00 a.m.
Geology
of the Cache: Geology
can reveal secret wonders about the natural history of a place. The
Saturday,
March 20, 2010, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Cache River Wetlands Center, 8885
State Route 37 South, Cypress
All
About Hummers!: These
jewels of the sky have specific needs when it comes to food sources and nesting
habitat. Learn about the natural history of hummingbirds and how to
enhance your chances of having these fascinating birds as neighbors.
Forest
Ecology Can
Involve Your Students in Learning about the Ecology and Management of
Forest
Ecology is
now ready for download at http://dnr.state.il.us/teachkids
in the “Activity Books” section. This 48-page publication from the IDNR
Division of Education is targeted to students of grades four through eight and
contains many activities about the complex ecological relationships in our
forests and how they are managed. The booklet is a revision of an activity book
produced by the Illinois Department of Conservation in the 1980s. Preview and
download your copy today!
Federal Junior Duck
Stamp Design Contest Application
Deadline is March 15, 2010!
The
2010 entry form and guidelines for the Federal Junior Duck Stamp Design Contest
are available at http://www.fws.gov/juniorduck/ArtContest.htm.
Students of grades kindergarten through 12 can learn about waterfowl and
wetland conservation in this program as they design artwork depicting North
American waterfowl species. The
ENTICE
Workshop Registration
Register
soon for ENTICE (Environment and Nature Training Institute for Conservation
Education) educator workshops from the IDNR. Visit https://www.enticeworkshops.com and
enroll now! You won't want to miss the background information, supplemental
resources, networking with other educators and opportunity to work with natural
resources professionals. Continuing Professional Development Units are
available to all ENTICE participants.
March
8-21, Online Illinois Frogs
and Toads, online
March
27, The Effects of Climate
Change on
April
10, Prying into Prions:
Investigating Chronic Wasting Disease, Fermi National Accelerator
Laboratory,
April
24,
April
27, The Massasauga:
May
1, 2010, Pioneers and the
Prairie, Boone County Conservation District,
June
15, The Ohio River: History,
Ecology, Commerce,
Teachers, Get Free
OutdoorIllinois
Magazines While Supplies Last!
Surplus
copies of 2009 OutdoorIllinois
magazine issues are available to
If
you enjoy the outdoors of Illinois, are interested in learning more about the
Prairie State's great natural and cultural resources, the location of some of
Illinois' most scenic state parks and recreational areas, or if you are looking
for compelling stories, news and photographs of our cultural and natural
resources treasures you will enjoy OutdoorIllinois.
If your school library does not receive the magazine, educational institutions
may receive a one-year (12 issues) subscription for $10 (regularly $15). For
the discounted rate, submit the subscription information on school letterhead,
along with a check made payable to OutdoorIllinois
and mail it to Illinois Department of Natural Resources, P.O. Box 19225, Dept.
NL, Springfield, IL 62794-9225.
IDNR
Programs Calendar included on Youth Programs Web Page
Visit
http://dnr.state.il.us/youthprograms/
to see the latest schedule of events for youth- and family-related programs
from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. You’ll find many options to
select from. Youth leaders and educators will be interested in the information
as well. Sign up for the email list and receive weekly updates. Let’s all work
together to get our youth involved in outdoor activities!
IDNR
Division of Education Joins Facebook
Join
us on Facebook for more information and resources. We have discussion topics
for you to participate in as well. Go to http://www.facebook.com
and search for "Illinois Department of Natural Resources Division of
Education."
For
This
supplemental unit for high school students explores prion diseases, including
chronic wasting disease. In six lessons, students learn about transmissible
spongiform encephalopathies by examining the role of proteins in organisms, the
chemistry and properties of proteins, the genetic processes that create
proteins, and how proteins can become pathogenic. Students also study how
chronic wasting disease is affecting
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.
Several
school fishing programs are available. One is a physical education-based
fishing program for middle school and high school students. Students are taught
the basics of fishing at school (45-60 minutes) and then are taken fishing
during their physical education classes during the last two to three weeks of
the school year. Other fishing programs are mainly for younger students and
include school-time field fishing trips and after-school fishing trips. For
both of these programs, it is beneficial to invite parents/grandparents to
accompany students to help them with fishing.
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.
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 (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://dnr.state.il.us/safety or call
1-800-832-2599. The Ameritech Relay for the deaf and hearing impaired is
1-800-526-0844.
Wild
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
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.