Kelly DeGrandchamp shows 4th grade students gray wolf fur. - FWS photo

Apollo student "tries on" a walrus tusk. - FWS photo

Apollo students don dark phase wolf fur. - FWS photo

As part of Apollo Elementary School’s (Aledo, IL) “Laura Ingalls Wilder Day”, Rock Island Field Office biologist Kelly DeGrandchamp met with 4^th grade students and spoke about the changing environment of Illinois over the last 100 years. 

The children had read the book by Laura Ingalls Wilder entitled “Little House in the Big Woods”, and were asked to identify the differences between the habitat of the Midwest in 1890 and today. 

DeGrandchamp talked with the students about the history of important habitat such as prairie, as well as the history of extirpated and endangered species.  The students were asked to give their own ideas of how and why the environment has changed. 

The class also had the opportunity to look at and touch furs from animals such as wolf, bobcat, and river otter.  They also got to handle skeletons from deer, raccoon, opossum, and even a walrus tusk.  Other activities of the day included wearing traditional 1890’s clothing, cooking recipes and singing songs from the book.