January 2009
Listen to the podcast of this information.
Click here to read the Spanish-language version of this text.
Earth Day in the Parks 2009
Teachers, visit http://dnr.state.il.us/education/CLASSRM/EDITPinstruct.htm to find the application form, date and list of participating state parks for the 2009 Earth Day in the Parks event from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and the Illinois Conservation Foundation. Earth Day in the Parks promotes stewardship of our natural resources by Illinois school children by letting them take part in activities such as: planting native trees and wildflowers; building and installing nesting/roosting boxes; removing invasive exotic species; and constructing woodland ponds for salamanders. Students will be helping the environment and wildlife, participating in outdoor activities to increase their fitness and learning that their actions can make a difference in the world. Students are encouraged to return to the state park to see and study the results of their work. One winning application per state park will be drawn from all qualifying applicants for that park. Please note that only one application per teacher will be accepted. Incomplete applications will not be considered. No faxed, emailed or personally delivered applications will be accepted. The application must be RECEIVED by the IDNR Division of Education any day from January 1, 2009, through February 28, 2009. All applicants will be notified by email after the drawing as to their status. Winners will be provided with additional information. PLEASE NOTE: Due to the nature of the projects that students will be working on, parks have grade-level and other restrictions for participants. If you have any questions after visiting the Web site, please email dnr.teachkids@illinois.gov or call 217-524-4126 the IDNR Division of Education.
More Natural Illinois Tip Sheets
The second and third editions of the Natural Illinois series of Tip Sheets are now available on the Illinois Early Learning Web site at the addresses found below. Natural Illinois: Leaves are All Around and Natural Illinois: The Trees You See join the Natural Illinois: Insects tip sheet released earlier this fall. These resources are produced by the Illinois Early Learning Project and the Illinois State Board of Education in cooperation with the IDNR Division of Education. Designed for the early learning educator and parents of early learning students, the one-page informational sheets offer suggestions and resources to use. Additional tip sheet topics will be available soon. Tip Sheets are produced in both English- and Spanish-language versions.
Natural Illinois: Leaves Are All Around
http://illinoisearlylearning.org/tipsheets/leaves.htm
http://illinoisearlylearning.org/tipsheets/leaves.pdf
Natural Illinois: The Trees You See
http://illinoisearlylearning.org/tipsheets/trees.htm
http://illinoisearlylearning.org/tipsheets/trees.pdf
Natural Illinois: Insects
http://illinoisearlylearning.org/tipsheets/insects.htm
http://illinoisearlylearning.org/tipsheets/insects.pdf
New Web Address for the IDNR Publications Order Form
Be sure to bookmark the new address for the IDNR online publications order form: http://dnr.state.il.us/teachkids. This address has already been implemented so make the change right away! If you haven’t ordered your publications for spring semester yet, now would be an excellent time to try out the new address and place your order.
Illinois Biodiversity Field Trip Grant Applications due January 31
Submit your Illinois Biodiversity Field Trip Grant application now to the IDNR Division of Education! Awards of up to $500 per educator are available through this competitive grant program. Teachers in Illinois are eligible to apply, and the field trip destination must be in Illinois. The purpose of the field trip should be for students to learn about Illinois’ natural or cultural biodiversity. Applications are due by January 31, 2009. For complete instructions and a copy of the application form, visit http://www.dnr.state.il.us/education/CLASSRM/grants.htm. The Illinois Biodiversity Field Trip Grant program is sponsored by the IDNR Division of Education with funding administered by the Illinois Conservation Foundation.
OutdoorIllinois
Discover Illinois' great natural resources by picking up a copy OutdoorIllinois, the award-winning monthly magazine of the IDNR. OutdoorIllinois is a great tool for learning about Illinois' natural, cultural and recreational resources and a bargain at only $15 for a one-year, 12-issue magazine subscription that includes an information-packed annual calendar in the December issue. Submit your order on school letterhead and receive a one-year subscription for only $10! Visit www.dnr.state.il.us/OI or call 1-800-720-3249 to subscribe. VISA and MasterCard are accepted.
2009 Federal Junior Duck Stamp Design Contest Information – New Format
The 2009 Federal Junior Duck Stamp Design Contest rules, information and entry form are now available. Go to http://www.fws.gov/juniorduck/ArtContest.htm to download your copy. PLEASE NOTE that a hard copy of the brochure was not printed for 2009 so you will not receive one by mail at your school. Get started with this program now to ensure that you have plenty of time for your students to complete the artwork. Entries must be received by March 15, 2009. The Federal Junior Duck Stamp Design Contest is a program for students of grades K-12 that uses the fine arts to teach about waterfowl, wetlands and wildlife conservation. Illinois co-sponsors are the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the IDNR. Should you have any questions, email dnr.teachkids@illinois.gov or call 217-524-4126.
For Illinois High School Biology Teachers: Prying into Prions: Investigating Chronic Wasting Disease DVD
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 Illinois’ white-tailed deer herd and what control measures are being taken. Adapted by the IDNR Division of Education with permission from the Colorado Division of Wildlife’s original unit, the lessons are designed to be taught in sequence. A video is included. All lessons are correlated to the Illinois Learning Standards. This unit is produced in DVD format. It is only available to high school teachers in Illinois. Request should be made in writing on school letterhead and mailed to the IDNR Division of Education, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702.
ENTICE Workshops
Visit https://www.enticeworkshops.com for descriptions of upcoming ENTICE (Environment and Nature Training Institute for Conservation Education) workshops from the IDNR Division of Education and to register for them, too! If you haven't checked the workshop schedule lately, why not do it today? We've got a variety of workshops planned for the remainder of this school year, and you can receive Continuing Professional Development Units at all of them. ENTICE workshops provide you with background information presented by resources professionals, educational activities that can be used to supplement your curriculum and many resources related to the topic. Don't want to travel to a workshop? We offer online workshops, too!
Upcoming Workshops
Online Mammals from Illinois’ Past, Online, February 16-March 1, 2009
Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Development, Fermilab, Batavia, February 21, 2009
Online Native Americans and Nature in Illinois, Online, March 23-April 5, 2009
Illinois Birds: Backyard Birds Connecting Cultures Across the Americas, Volo Bog State Natural Area, Ingleside, April 9, 2009
Community Stewardship through Education on the Benefits and Risks of Eating Fishes, Anita Purves Nature Center, Urbana, April 16, 2009
The Microscopic World, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Chicago, April 18, 2009
Illinois’ Woodland Ecology, Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe, May 16, 2009
Illinois Amphibians, Illinois State Museum, Springfield, June 17, 2009
Aquatic Illinois and Illinois Birds Resources Trunks are Now Available!
Aquatic Illinois and Illinois Birds have joined the popular resources trunks series from the IDNR Division of Education. Aquatic Illinois is targeted to grades five through nine and contains lessons, student activities, sampling equipment, field guides, posters, CD-ROMs, videos, aquatic specimens and many other supplemental resources. Illinois Birds is designed for educators of grades preK through six. In this trunk, you’ll find lessons, activities, CD-ROMs with bird songs, plush birds that sing, egg and skull replicas, posters, field guides, reference books and more items. Several new lending locations have been added for all of the seven topics now available. Previous trunks include Illinois Fossils, Illinois Trees, Illinois Insects and Spiders, Illinois Wild Mammals and People and Animals from Illinois’ Past. Go to http://dnr.state.il.us/education/CLASSRM/teach.htm to access the complete list of lending locations and their contact information. Make your reservation today!
The Illinois Biodiversity Squirrel Study can Engage Your Students in Scientific Research
The Illinois Biodiversity Squirrel Study offers teachers and their students of grades kindergarten through 12 the opportunity to participate in a statewide, year-long study of three Illinois squirrel species: the fox squirrel; gray squirrel; and red squirrel. Students will observe and collect data about squirrels at their school, then record and analyze the results as well as communicate with other classes in the state who are also collecting data. IDNR scientists will monitor the results and interact with classes as needed. This cooperative program is sponsored by the IDNR Division of Education and Northwestern University’s Collaboratory Project.
The Illinois Biodiversity Spider Study for fourth- through eighth-grade teachers and their students is in its second year. Students learn about and collect data on any of six spider species commonly found in and around schools. All information is accessed through and posted to the online Collaboratory Project. Classes will be able to communicate with students/teachers at other schools to compare results and discuss their experiences.
The Illinois Biodiversity Frog and Toad Study will allow your students of grades four through eight to help monitor six species of frogs and toads in the state by listening for their calls. Monitoring is conducted once a month from March through May or June. All instructions are available online. The frog and toad study project is ideal for involving the students’ parents in their children’s education. Enrollment begins in February.
If you are a kindergarten - 12th grade teacher interested in participating in the IDNR Illinois Biodiversity studies, please go to the Collaboratory Project Web site at http://collaboratory.nunet.net and click the “Participate” button (if you do not already have an account). To create a new Collaboratory account, click the “Request New Account” button at the bottom of the page. Once your account is approved, please send a message to Collaboratory Staff (cstaff) using your Collaboratory account, stating which project you are interested in participating in and what grade your students are in. You’ll soon be helping us monitor Illinois species!
Spring Semester 2009 Online Courses for Graduate or CPDU Credit
The IDNR Division of Education and the University of Illinois at Springfield (UIS) are offering online courses for graduate credit (4 hours) or Continuing Professional Development Units (60 CPDUs) during Spring Semester 2009 through the UIS Master of Teacher Leadership program. To be eligible to register, students must first contact UIS admissions at 1-888-977-4847. Once students have been admitted to UIS, they may contact Raelynne Kynion at 1-217-206-7516 or rkyni1@uis.edu to receive permission to register for the classes.
EDL 588 Introduction to Illinois' Prairies for Teachers
This course will include the examination, research and practical application of Illinois prairie information with the goals of understanding location, composition, utilization, conservation and issues.
EDL 598 Introduction to Illinois' Geological Resources for Teachers
This course will include the examination, research and practical application of Illinois geological resources information with the goals of understanding location, composition, utilization, conservation and issues.
Arbor Day Poster Contest
The Arbor Day Poster Contest instruction and curriculum packet was mailed to Illinois schools containing fifth-grade classes. Additional copies are available from the IDNR through the online ordering system at http://dnr.state.il.us/teachkids or from the National Arbor Day Foundation at http://www.arborday.org/kids/postercontest/index.cfm. The deadline for entering the Illinois poster contest is February 20, 2009. Questions should be directed to Reinee Hildebrandt, Urban Conservation Program Administrator, IDNR, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702, 217-785-8771, reinee.hildebrandt@illinois.gov.
Illinois’ Natural Resources Trading Cards Set #3 Joins the Series!
Teachers, you can now request the third in the series of natural resources cards from the IDNR Division of Education. For the first time, the set includes examples of rocks, minerals and fossils along with a variety of animals, plants and fungi. Each card contains a photograph and information. The accompanying poster shows all the cards in the set as well as providing an activity and suggestions on how to use the cards to help your students meet the Illinois Learning Standards. To order, send a written request on school letterhead. Please specify that you want Illinois’ Natural Resources Trading Cards Set #3 and poster. If you don’t have the Illinois Natural Resources Trading Cards Set #1 and/or Illinois’ Natural Resources Trading Cards Set #2, you may order them, too. Only one of each set of cards is available per teacher. Send your request to IDNR Education, One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702.
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 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.
IDNR Division of Education Podcasts Available through the iTunes Store ©
Download information now and listen to it later with the IDNR Division of Education podcasts available through the iTunes Store©! Subscribe to these free podcasts through iTunes, and you'll automatically receive updates. Visit
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=268684806 to listen and subscribe.
SmartBoard™ Lessons from the IDNR
You know how valuable a SmartBoard™ can be to getting your students actively involved in learning. Now you have new options to use from the IDNR Division of Education! Interactive SmartBoard™ lessons are available for free download on the IDNR Division of Education Web page. These lessons are based on existing IDNR educational materials and cover a variety of topics and grade levels. More lessons are being added regularly. Look for SmartBoard™ lesson information at http://dnr.state.il.us/education.
Emerald Ash Borer Community Monitoring Poster and Door Hanger
Visit http://dnr.state.il.us/conservation/forestry/Urban/Index.htm to see the new Emerald Ash Borer Community Monitoring Poster. You’ll find images of this destructive insect as well as signs of its presence in ash trees. The information is available in a door hanger as well. Please educate yourself and others about this threat to our ash trees.
Illinois Trapper Education Online Course
The IDNR is offering a new 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,” said Jeff Hopkins, head of IDNR’s Division of Safety Education. “They can take a full-day course as in the past, 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.
Splash into the Rain Check Network
The Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS)* sponsors a rain gauge project for schools, the Rain Check Network. The ISWS will provide you with a rain gauge and instructions to initiate the project. Students are asked to measure rainfall every day at about the same time. Student data is posted at the Rain Check Web site where you can submit your daily rainfall totals, see your entries or search the database. Check out the Web site at http://www.sws.uiuc.edu/hilites/stfair/raingage/. An extensive listing of online resources for weather, climate, educational links and agencies is available by clicking on "Online Weather Resources for Teachers and Students" at the bottom of the home page.
Is chemistry your thing? Try the "Testing the pH of Rain Water" activity designed for students to determine if their rain water is acidic. The NADP/ISWS-sponsored Web site, http://nadp.sws.uiuc.edu/earthday/, provides the structure for students to report their pH results and, using zip codes, compare them to the average observed pH for rain in their area. Students can also print a certificate of completion or obtain a hydrologic cycle coloring sheet.
Let us know how we can help you, the educator. For more information, contact Mary LeFaivre at lefaivre@uiuc.edu or 217-333-5902.
(*The entire activity is sponsored by the Illinois State Water Survey, the East Central Illinois Section of the American Chemical Society and the National Atmospheric Deposition Program, NADP.)
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
