Lending Trunks at BCCD

Illinois has a wealth of natural resources and exploring them can be great fun for children as well as a wonderful educational experience.  The Illinois Department of Natural Resources offers lending trunks and field trip packs for loan to help you encourage children of grades Pre-K through 8 to take a closer look at the natural world.

The IDNR resources listed below is available to loan through the Boone County Conservation District.

Fill out the online form here to reserve your materials today!

Illinois Prairies

Prairies were once the dominant landscape in Illinois.  Now they are very rare.  Make your students aware of the wonders of prairies with the lessons and supplemental resources of the Illinois Prairies trunk.  Field guides, books, DVDs, posters, bison artifacts and many other items are included.  Discover what it was like to live on the prairies by using the pioneer resources.  Trunk contents are correlated to the Illinois Learning Standards, and the correlation to the Next Generation Science Standards will soon be available.  To see a complete list of this trunk’s contents, Click Here.

Targeted Grades: K – 8

Illinois’ State Symbols

Are you teaching about Illinois?  Then the Illinois’ State Symbols trunk is perfect for you!  Photos, replicas, actual samples, activity books, information and other items are included for your use.  There’s an Illinois Facts section, too.  Trunk contents are correlated to the Illinois Learning Standards, and the correlation to the Next Generation Science Standards will soon be available.  To see a complete list of this trunk’s contents, Click Here.

Targeted Grades: K – 6

Illinois’ Invasive Species

Invasive species cause tremendous ecological problems.  With this resource trunk, you and your students can learn about why they are detrimental, how they arrived in Illinois and what actions can be taken to control them.  Field guides, books, lessons, DVDs, specimens, replicas and other items are included.  Trunk contents are correlated to the Illinois learning Standards, and the correlation to the next Generation Science Standards will soon be available.  To see a complete list of this trunk’s contents, Click Here.

Targeted Grades: 7 – 12

Field Trip Pack

The Field Trip Pack includes many items to assist your early childhood students as they explore nature.  Hands-on equipment will encourage self-initiated learning.  Suggestions for teachers on how to incorporate natural resources activities into your lessons are also included.  Classroom teachers, homeschooling educators, youth group and scouting leaders, day care center staff and families are among the people who have successfully used this resource.  To see a complete list of this trunk’s contents, Click Here.

Suggested Grades: Pre-K – 3

Online Resources from IDNR

IDNR Field Trip Grant Information

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources has online resources for you to use in your classroom. Visit the IDNR links below for more information.

Wildlife in the Classroom

The IDNR has updated their regulations for wild animals and other found items when used in a classroom. Read them here to make sure you’re in compliance.

Lesson Plans and Student Activities

Lesson plans, background information, student activities, videos and other resources are part of the teaching units produces by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). Aquatics, birds, wild mammals, trees and biodiversity are the topics currently available. More units are being developed. Visit the following Web address to access this information. http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/education/Pages/Lessonsinfo.aspx

Publications

Various activity books and worksheets are available to order or download. (FREE orders for K-12 Illinois school districts) Visit http://dnr.state.il.us/teachkids

Podcasts

Podcasts produced by the IDNR Division of Education are available on the IDNR website, YouTube (search IDNREducation) and iTunes. There are lesson demonstrations as well as general information podcasts. The lesson demonstrations can help you preview and set up an activity. Podcasts can be used on your SMARTBoard™. Visit http://dnr.state.il.us/education/podcasts.htm for more information.

SMARTBoard™ Lessons

The IDNR Division of Education has prepared SMARTBoard™ lessons for you. A variety of topics are available. You can find the information by following this link.