New This Month
November 2010
Comment Now on Environmental
Literacy for Illinois Plan
Draft Two
Draft Two of the Environmental Literacy for Illinois strategic plan is available for comment through November 15, 2010. Visit http://dnr.state.il.us/el4il/index.htm to review the document and submit comments. Your comments and support are essential to the success of this plan. Please take a few moments to review it.
Important
Information for Teachers Regarding the Arbor
Day Poster Contest
The National Arbor Day Foundation has discontinued the Arbor Day Poster Contest. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) will no longer offer this contest.
November 30
Application Deadline is Quickly Approaching for Grant Programs
Start working on your Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant and Illinois Rain Garden Initiative grant applications now! Both applications must be postmarked by November 30, 2010. The Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant provides teachers and youth group leaders with funds to help in the development or enhancement of wildlife habitat on the school grounds or other public place. The application maximum is $600. All funds for this program are donated to the Illinois Conservation Foundation. Major support is provided by the Jadel Youth Fund. The Illinois Rain Garden Initiative provides up to $1,000 to successful applicants to establish a rain garden. Teachers and community group leaders are eligible to apply. Funding is possible through a grant to the Illinois Conservation Foundation by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. To access the application forms, visit http://dnr.state.il.us/education/CLASSRM/grants.htm. For more information, contact the IDNR Education Section at dnr.teachkids@illinois.gov or 217-524-4126.
Illinois
Conservation Foundation Offers Conservation Achievement Scholarships for High
School Seniors
The Illinois Conservation Foundation will honor high school seniors who have demonstrated outstanding efforts to preserve, protect, enhance and/or promote Illinois’ natural resources with the awarding of three Conservation Achievement Scholarships. One $5,000 scholarship, one $3,000 scholarship and one $2,000 scholarship are available. The applicant must be an Illinois resident and a senior in an Illinois high school during the 2010-2011 school year. Voluntary, effective contributions to Illinois’ natural resources throughout the applicant’s high school enrollment must be documented. Other criteria also apply. See the application form at https://www.ilcf.org/documents/YouthSchlrshp2011final.pdf for complete details. Applications must be postmarked by November 30, 2010. Questions may be addressed to Kathy Wheeler at kathy.wheeler@illinois.gov or 217-785-2003.
Change in Federal Junior Duck Stamp Design Contest
in Illinois
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is now the exclusive sponsor of the Federal Junior Duck Stamp Design Contest in Illinois. For more information about the program, contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Barrington office (847-381-2253). To access the application form, visit http://www.fws.gov/juniorduck/ArtContest.htm.
Wildlife Prairie
State Park Events
The Wildlife Prairie State Park in Hanna City (near Peoria) is hosting several events in November. See details below.
Boy Scout Badge
Day- Oceanography
This program provides a structured curriculum for Boy Scouts
to earn merit badges. Each month a different topic is scheduled. Some badges
have pre- or post-requirements before the badge counselor will sign the blue card.
Space is limited.
*First
Saturday of the month (unless noted)
*10:00
a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (unless noted)
*Bring
a lunch.
*Cost:
$25 for non-members/members $20 (unless noted)
*PRE-REGISTRATION
and PRE-PAYMENT ARE REQUIRED. Call 309-676-0998 extension 6758 or email saramackey@wildlifeprairiestatepark.org
to register.
*Parents
and family members staying in the park during the session must pay admission.
Junior
Explorers - Mysteries of the Deep
November 13, 2010, 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Calling all five- to seven- year-olds for this program designed for having fun,
learning and meeting new friends! By becoming a Junior Explorer, you can do it
all! Join us for crafts, games and projects. Each month a different topic is
covered.
Cost: $7, plus applicable
admission fee /$6 for park members
Pre-registration is required. Call
309-676-0998 extension 6758 or email saramackey@wildlifeprairiestatepark.org
to register.
Homeschool Connection - Candid about
Canines
November
10, 2010, 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
This multi-age-level program is conducted by a park naturalist. The program will
be followed by activity stations that are set by skill level. There will also be
a hike, game or other all-age activity to further the lesson of the day.
Cost: $3 per child for program and supplies, plus school admission rate.
Advance registration is required. Please call 309-676-0998 extension 6758 or
email homeschool@wildlifeprairiestatepark.org
to register.
Junior Girl Scout Badge Day -
Science Sleuth
November
13, 2010, 10:00 am - 2:00 p.m.
This program is a fun and exciting way for Junior-level Girl Scouts to complete
their badge work.
Admission
Price: $15 per person, $10 for park members. Advance
registration is required. Call 309-676-0998 extension 6758 or
email msauder@wildlifeprairiestatepark.org
to register.
Remembering
November
13, 2010, 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Help us remember the Native Americans who assisted the first European settlers
with an event that focuses on their culture. Enjoy drumming, crafts and sample
homemade Native American cuisine. This event is free with paid admission to the
park.
Knee High Naturalists - Wiggle
Like a Worm!
November
16, 2010 - November 17, 2010, 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Gather the two- to four-year old
children in your life and bring them to the park for a curriculum designed
especially for them! This hands-on, learning program revolves around a main
topic and incorporates story-time, crafts, a hike and refreshments. The cost is
$6 per child, plus applicable General Admission; $5 for park members. Advance
payment and registration for either Tuesday or Wednesday is required. Please
choose only one session. Call 309-676-0998 extension 6758 or email kraines@wildlifeprairiestatepark.org
to register.
Girl
Scout Night in the Wild
November
20, 2010 - November 21, 2010, 4:00 p.m. Saturday through 8:00 a.m. Sunday
For our end of the year wrap-up, we will spend the night in Wildlife Prairie
State Park! Any Girl Scout (Brownie, Junior, or Cadet) can sign up for this
exclusively Girl Scout event! Chaperones and troop leaders are welcome, too,
but not required. Our Night in the Wild includes a private tour by a
naturalist, supper, breakfast, an Amazing Animal Program, crafts, s'mores and
so much more! Bring your sleeping bag for a one-of-a- kind night in the rustic
log room. Make your reservation today!
Cost: (per Girl Scout) $18 for members/$20 for non-members. Chaperones will be
charged $12 if accompanying a scout.
Starts: 4:00 p.m., Saturday, November 20, 2010
Ends: 8:00 a.m., Sunday, November 21, 2010
Please call the Education Department at 309-676-0998 extension 6758 or email msauder@wildlifeprairiestatepark.org
for additional information and to schedule reservations.
Order Illinois’ Natural Resources Trading Cards
Set #5 Now
Illinois’ Natural Resources Trading Cards Set #5 and poster are available (one set per teacher) by written request on school letterhead. The 63 cards in the set illustrate and provide information about species found in our state, representing mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fishes, invertebrates, plants and fungi. When combined with the first four volumes in this series, teachers have 315 resources cards to access and use. The poster illustrates all of the cards in the set and provides suggestions for helping you to meet the Illinois Learning Standards and Illinois Early Learning Standards. Do you have all five sets of resources cards? If not, request your missing set(s) by number when you send your request. Mail requests to IDNR – Education, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702
Revised 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 have just been revised! These field guides to more than 1,000 species 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.
New! Illinois’ Invasive Species Resources
Trunks
Invasive species are a daily topic in the news. What are they? How did they get here? What problems do they cause? What can we do about them? These questions and more can be answered by using the new Illinois’ Invasive Species resources trunk from the IDNR Education Section! The trunk is available for loan from approximately 60 lending locations in the state. Contents include student activities, background information, images, lessons, field guides, specimens and other items. A two-week loan period is suggested. Visit http://dnr.state.il.us/education for more information and to access the list of lending locations. Targeted Grades: 7-12.
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!
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.
Upcoming workshops are listed below.
February 14-27, 2011, Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Development, Online
March 14-27, 2011, Illinois Frogs and Toads, Online
March 25-26, 2011, The Greater Prairie-chicken, Prairie Ridge State Natural Area, Newton
April 30, 2011, Prairie School Gardening, Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe
May 21, 2011, Illinois Butterflies, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Chicago
June 18, 2011, Identifying Trees and Making Leaf Collections, The Morton Arboretum, Chicago
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.
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 (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 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: Mark Yehling 618-462-1181