ENTICE Classes - Your first workshop is on us!

Explore the biological tapestry of the Lake Michigan dune ecosystem and understand what biological session is about. How does something take root on the sand and become stable? How do animals survive in this area? How does change happen over time? Learn more about biological session what is happening on the beach at Lake Michigan. This area is the only dune and swale topography in Illinois.

Birds are all around us and provide a gateway to learning about the natural world. This workshop for educators of 5th-12th grade provides an introduction to bird biology, identification, and conservation. Dress for spending time in the forest and prairie at Tawny Oaks Field Station. 

Fall is a great season for young children to explore nature! There is so much to see and learn. Join us to discover what nature can tell us in fall. We?ll take a hike to put our knowledge to work and will feature the Field Trip Pack from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. We'll be incorporating several topics. Although targeted to grades prekindergarten through three, all educators are welcome to register for the workshop, but the information may need to be adapted, as appropriate.

Explore early French Fur Trapping History of Illinois. This interdisciplinary teaching unit for educators of grades four through eight focuses on early exploration and settlement, riparian and geography of early Illinois and compares trapping from the past to the present. Both Illinois science and social studies standards are covered. The activities and lessons are designed to supplement Illinois history and science instruction and includes the uses of wildlife by Indigenous peoples and the trappers who came from Europe. Also highlighted is the conservation movement and how it affects views and uses of wildlife today. Educators of other grade levels are welcome to register and attend the workshop but may need to adapt the materials as appropriate.

The world is full of objects built by animals to help them survive. Attend this workshop for educators of grades prekindergarten through five and learn about beaver dams, spider webs, bird nests and so many other amazing objects constructed by animals in our local environment. Challenge the engineering skills of your students to create similar structures by using the resources provided and activities presented at the workshop. All educators are welcome to register for the workshop, but the information may need to be adapted, as appropriate.

Discover how to bring the fascinating world of Illinois mammals into your early childhood classroom! This hands-on workshop, designed specifically for early childhood educators, will explore ways to connect young learners with local wildlife through observation, play, and exploration. Participants will learn about common mammals found in Illinois, their tracks and signs, and seasonal behaviors. We'll spend time outdoors investigating habitats and modeling activities you can easily replicate with your students.

They dive, screech, and soar! Take a deep dive into the world of raptors as we learn about the hawks, owls, vultures, falcons, and eagles of Illinois. Explore the life history, biology, and habits of these magnificent birds. Learn tricks and tips for identifying different birds of prey. Staff from the Illinois Raptor Center will have live raptors to observe, too. You'll participate in educational activities related to raptors and will receive many resources to incorporate the topic into your curriculum. This workshop is for grades pre-K to 8th, but can be adapted to other grades.

Temperatures below freezing and snow on the ground might mean warm hot chocolate by the fire for us, but what about the animals that call Illinois home? Have you thought about where the animals go in winter and how they survive the cold? Explore the amazing ways that animals survive in winter, what adaptations they have, and where they are hiding. Discover which animals stay and which ones go! This workshop is for grades PreK-12.

You may know that the white-tailed deer is the state mammal, but did you know it is Illinois' largest herbivore?  But what does it eat, and how does it survive the winter? Discover the answers to these questions and many more as we spend a year with a deer. Explore the life history and biology of this ungulate, hoofed mammal in Illinois. Join us as we discuss deer hunting and population management, and challenges faced by deer, including various diseases. This workshop is for grades 6-12, but can be adapted to other grades.

Have you ever wondered about keeping a collection and how to use one in your teaching? For more than 160 years, the Chicago Academy of Sciences/Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum has been assembling and maintaining a variety of natural history specimens and collections. Teachers of grades PreK-8 can learn about the collections of the Museum and how they can be used to learn more about the past and present of local ecosystems. We will discuss how the museum builds and maintains our collections, and provide guidelines for collecting natural materials and using living and preserved specimens in the classroom. 

Discover the beauty and importance of prairie ecosystems in this engaging, hands-on workshop designed for K–5 educators. Participants will explore the plants, animals, and natural processes that make prairies one of our most valuable native habitats. Educators will learn about pollinators, biodiversity, fire, roots, and seasonal changes while investigating ways to connect these topics to learning standards. The workshop will include a guided hike to observe prairie habitat features firsthand, along with interactive activities and inquiry-based lessons that can be adapted for K-5th grade students.

Dive into the watery world of these beautiful, blue-billed diving ducks. Take part in scientific research while helping to band lesser scaup and other diving ducks during the spring migration at the Forbes Biological Station on the Chautauqua National Wildlife Refuge. Learn about the many long-term datasets involved in the management of ducks, from estimating populations, harvest, and hunter numbers, to utilizing banding data.  See how these datasets can be adapted for use in the classroom. Explore the life history of lesser scaup, challenges they face, and what research is being done on this species. This workshop is for grades 6-12 but can be adapted for other grades.

What is weather and climate, and how does it relate to climate change? How are Illinois species being affected?  Learn more about the science behind climate, weather, and climate change. Explore which species will be the losers and the winners with what is happening. Explore ways to help students understand this challenging and complicated topic that is in the headlines. Learn ways you can incorporate citizen science into your classroom to help students explore what is going on in their backyard. This workshop is for grades PreK-12.

Bay lynx, wildcat, bobcat oh my!  And found in Illinois, too! How do scientists study this elusive native feline and its growing population? Once listed as a threatened species, their numbers have rebounded and increased, allowing them to be delisted and recovered. Learn about bobcat ecology and behavior, and what lead to the bobcat flourishing.  Participants will learn about how and why scientists are studying bobcats in Illinois, including learning about telemetry and how the information is gathered. The workshop is for teachers of students in grades 6th-12th, but can be adapted for other grades.

Longer days and warmer weather mean trees are waking up after their winter dormancy. Trees like the flowering dogwood, serviceberry, and redbud are starting to bloom. Others, like the white oak and sycamore, are starting to leaf out. Explore tree life cycles and the role they play in the southern Illinois forest ecosystem. Learn about springtime tree identification and how dendrology can be used in your classroom.

This engaging workshop uses the legend of Bigfoot and other cryptids as a gateway to teaching real scientific concepts. Educators will explore how folklore, eyewitness claims, and media stories can spark student curiosity while reinforcing critical thinking, evidence evaluation, ecology, and wildlife biology. Participants will learn strategies for guiding discussions on scientific methods, habitat suitability, and species identification - turning

From the birds flying overhead to the insects flitting about the weeds growing in the cracks of a sidewalk, nature persists all around us, even in highly developed urban areas. You can learn about plants, animals, and fungi right in your own backyard or even in a parking lot. Kindergarten through 12th grade educators will learn how to examine nature and natural phenomena right outside their front door, learn how to contribute to community science and participate in projects like the City Nature Challenge, to better understand the life cycles and adaptations of the lifeforms around us, and to look for patterns in nature.

When does spring start? When do the flowers bloom? How does nature know when to start a different time of year? It's all about phenology, or nature's timing. Learn about this concept and how you can bring it to your students in your classroom. Phenology is also a great way for students to explore the changes happening in nature due to climate change.  Explore different ways to collect data with students of all ages, connect it to common core math you are already doing in your classroom, and help students understand nature in new ways. Discover the art of nature journaling to document nature and the connections to language arts and writing.

Mosquitoes and ticks are often looked at as the scourge of summer. These fascinating creatures fill an important niche. Explore how they live, the various types and diseases they carry, and where they are found. Participants will see how scientists sample and study them with hands-on fieldwork.  Other hands-on activities will be conducted, and you'll receive supplemental educational resources. Educators of all grade levels are welcome to register and attend the workshop, but may need to adapt the materials as appropriate.

Shorebirds in Illinois? Yes! On the shores of Lake Michigan, many different species of shore birds can be found, from plovers to sandpipers and yellowlegs. Join us as we investigate the world of Lake Michigan shorebirds, learning what makes them different from other birds, their life history, and how to identify different species.

There are around 500 species of native bees in Illinois ranging from small, metallic sweat bees to large, fluffy bumble bees. Kindergarten through 8th grade educators will investigate native bee identification and life histories, their interactions with native plants, and the challenges they face. Educators will take a walk to observe native bees and learn about initiatives at the Chicago Botanic Garden in native bee and pollinator conservation, including Rethinking Lawns and Pollinators Living in Urban Gardens, and how to create pollinator friendly spaces in your Neighborhood.

Take a closer look at birds and bring the biodiversity of Illinois birds into your classroom.  See how birds use their physical characteristics to adapt to the environment and how each species has a unique niche in the ecosystem. Get hands-on field experience banding birds with the Lincoln Land Association of Bird Banders (LLABB). Discover why scientists track and band birds as we join LLABB for a walk on the prairie, identifying birds in their natural habitat. This workshop is for grades PreK-12. 

When all the lights go out, and you have gone to bed, who comes out at Night? How many mosquitoes do bats eat in a night? Do flying squirrels really fly? What is a trash panda? Discover the answers to these and many more questions about some of the amazing nocturnal creatures that call Illinois home. Explore the importance of dark skies for plants as well as animals. Pack a red light flashlight and join us as we head out into the night for a hike or two. You never know what we might find as we explore what goes bump in the night. This workshop is for grades PreK-12. Please note the time of this workshop is 4:00-10:00 p.m. 

When all the lights go out, and you have gone to bed, who comes out at Night? How many mosquitoes do bats eat in a night? Do flying squirrels really fly? What is a trash panda? Discover the answers to these and many more questions about some of the amazing nocturnal creatures that call Illinois home. Explore the importance of dark skies for plants as well as animals. Pack a red light flashlight and join us as we head out into the night for a hike or two. You never know what we might find as we explore what goes bump in the night. This workshop is for grades PreK-12. Please note the time of this workshop is 4:00-10:00 p.m.

Lincoln Park Zoo’s Nature Boardwalk will serve as a living laboratory for an exploration of native Illinois plants and their pollinators. This lush garden space is modeled after prairie, wetland, and oak savanna ecosystems, and it welcomes a variety of wildlife in the heart of Chicago. Educators will learn about the interactions of plants and animals in this space and hear from experts who manage the Nature Boardwalk flora to keep this space thriving.

What is all the buzz about? Native bees are where it's at, and there are lots of them in Illinois. Almost 500, to be exact. From small, metallic sweat bees to large, fluffy bumble bees, learn all about the amazing bees that call Illinois home.  Explore bee taxonomy, bees versus other pollinators, mimics, native versus nonnative bees, behavior, and reproduction. Discuss the challenges they face and discover ways to help native bees with human-enhanced nesting structures, pollinator gardens, and more.

What are weather and climate, and how do they relate to climate change? How are Illinois species being affected?  Learn more about the science behind climate, weather, and climate change. Explore which species will be the losers and the winners with what is happening. Explore ways to help students understand this challenging and complicated topic that is in the headlines. Learn ways you can incorporate citizen science into your classroom to help students explore what is going on in their backyard. This workshop is for grades PreK-12.

When all the lights go out, and you have gone to bed, who comes out at Night? How many mosquitoes do bats eat in a night? Do flying squirrels really fly? What is a trash panda? Discover the answers to these and many more questions about some of the amazing nocturnal creatures that call Illinois home. Explore the importance of dark skies for plants as well as animals. Pack a red light flashlight and join us as we head out into the night for a hike or two. You never know what we might find as we explore what goes bump in the night. This workshop is for grades PreK-12. Please note that the time of this workshop is 4:00-10:00 p.m.

Chirp, hiss, buzz, whirr are the sounds of the noisy nighttime insect symphony from cicadas, crickets, katydids, and more. But what about the silent moths and flickering fireflies? Join us as we dive into the mysterious world of nocturnal insects. Learn about the biodiversity of insects found at night, why their populations are declining, and how that affects other animal populations. We will use nets to sweep for specimens as well as set up UV lights to draw in and observe insects. This workshop is for all grades.

Buzz on to The Morton Arboretum to learn about pollinators on the prairie, how plants and animals have adapted to survive in this harsh ecosystem, collect data in the field and analyze it to determine how humans impact the ecosystem’s balance, and see how bees see when learning about energy and how it is transferred within the prairie. Although targeted to teachers of grades fourth through eighth, all educators are welcome to register for the workshop, but the information may need to be adapted, as appropriate.

Bison are a keystone species of tallgrass prairie ecosystems, with intimate ties to Indigenous cultures. After more than 200 years' absence, bison have returned to Kane County prairie. As part of a three-way partnership between the Forest Preserve District of Kane County, the American Indian Center of Chicago, and Ruhter Bison, a bison herd now thrives at Burlington Prairie Forest Preserve. Explore the incredible diversity of a tallgrass prairie ecosystem at LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve, then travel to Burlington Prairie to experience bison ecology firsthand. Learn about the crucial role that bison play in a healthy grassland.

What do a cottonmouth, rough green snake, ringneck snake, and a copperhead all have in common? All are snakes you might see as you trek down Snake Road. Join the Department of Natural Resources, State Herpetologist Scott Ballard, as he leads a group of adventurers into the LaRue-Pine Hill Natural Area for the fall snake migration from LaRue Swamp to the limestone cliffs. Explore the life history and migration of common southern Illinois snakes. Get up close to snakes as they move from their summer to winter grounds. How many species can you find? This workshop will include walking the entire Snake Road. The road is 2.5 miles one way and/or 5 miles round trip of moderate walking.

Wetlands are habitats for a wide range of different organisms that work together to maintain a healthy ecosystem that can support biodiversity and provide valuable ecosystem services. This workshop will highlight local wetland ecosystems as we learn about adaptations and interactions of organisms in a wetland. We will also explore how humans can help maintain biodiversity in wetlands. Developed for teachers of grades four through middle school, other educators are welcome to register but may need to adapt the information and activities, as appropriate. Correlations between the information presented and Illinois Early Learning and Development Standards and Next Generation Science Standards will be addressed.

Insects are everywhere—underground, in treetops, on prairie plants, in ponds—and each habitat tells a different story about how these small creatures survive, adapt, and shape the world around them. Discover their hidden world as we explore how these small creatures support healthy ecosystems. This interactive workshop gives educators practical field techniques and easy‑to‑use classroom lessons that spark curiosity in PreK–6 learners but can easily be adapted for other grades. Walk away with engaging, nature‑based activities you can use all year long.

Discover practical ways to take learning outdoors and engage students through nature‑based investigations using Illinois woodland habitat and the species that call it home. This workshop introduces simple field activities, observation strategies, and classroom connections that support NGSS for PreK–6 learners but can easily be adapted for other grades. Participants will receive adaptable lessons and resources to help make the outdoors an extension of their everyday teaching. Ideal for teachers looking to strengthen environmental literacy and bring place-based learning into their curriculum.

From street trees to parks, urban areas host a wide diversity of tree species and organisms that use them. Third through 12th grade educators will learn to identify common urban trees and assess their health. Investigate how these urban forests can be used as conservation tools and create a functioning ecosystem in our backyards. Discover some of the research the Chicago Botanic Garden is doing with urban green spaces while discussing threats to urban trees and the animals that use them and the ecosystem services urban plants provide.

The American Beaver, mayor of its ecosystem, is a one-of-a-kind keystone species. Explore the life history, ecological importance, and reintroduction of the beaver in Illinois. Discover what makes a keystone species and why the beaver is considered one. Learn more about the importance of keystone species and why they matter. Visit the Nature Boardwalk at Lincoln Park Zoo, where a family of wild beavers has taken up residence and become a critical part of this local ecosystem, and learn about the zoo’s resident beavers.

Towering tulip poplar, majestic oaks, and beautiful red cedars are just some of the magnificent trees found in Illinois. Trees are the backbone of many ecosystems, and some, like the majestic oak, are keystone species. This workshop for educators of 5th – 12th grade provides an introduction to tree biology, seasonal changes, and distribution across Central Illinois. Dress for spending time in the forest at Tawny Oaks Field Station. Educators in attendance will receive ideas for activities and resources to use in their classrooms.

This fast-paced workshop equips educators with a practical overview of Illinois’ major habitats, including prairies, woodlands, wetlands, and river systems. Participants will explore defining characteristics, key plant and animal species, and the ecological relationships that shape each environment. The session also provides ready-to-use classroom connections aligned with Illinois’ learning standards, along with hands-on activities and local examples educators can immediately incorporate into lessons or field experiences. Ideal for teachers looking to strengthen environmental literacy and bring place-based learning into their curriculum.

Tiny bumps on a leaf, giant balls hanging from a branch- what are they, and how did they get there? Discover what galls are and where we find them. Some of the most cryptic insects are those that make or use galls. Learn about trees, galls, gall makers, and investigate how a diversity of tree species support all manner of gall-making insects. This workshop is geared for middle and high school teachers but can be adapted to other grade levels.

Discover practical ways to take learning outdoors and engage students through nature‑based investigations using Illinois habitats and species. This workshop introduces simple field activities, observation strategies, and classroom connections that support NGSS for PreK – 6 learners but can easily be adapted for other grades. Participants will receive adaptable lessons and resources to help make the outdoors an extension of their everyday teaching.

The summer has come and gone; the days are shorter, and the temperature is cooling off. For millions of birds, this means the start of fall migration. Join us as we explore the many species that use the Illinois flyway, from warblers to shore birds. Take part in community science and take a look at the data of birds migrating through northern Illinois. Discuss the impacts humans are having on birds moving through the flyway and discover ways that humans can help them.

Discover how fungi and decay help keep our natural world healthy and thriving. In this engaging, hands-on workshop, educators will explore the important role mushrooms, molds, insects, and decomposers play in breaking down once-living materials and returning nutrients to the soil. Participants will learn fun facts, investigate natural materials, and take a guided hike to search for signs of fungus and decomposition in the environment.

Winter got you down? Learn how animals survive and thrive during Northern Illinois winters at The Morton Arboretum! Study the different adaptations of animals, observe them in their natural habitat, and possibly track down a few on the grounds. Participants will walk away with indoor and outdoor activities related to local fauna. Although targeted to teachers of grades Pre-Kindergarten through fourth grade, all educators are welcome to register for the workshop, but the information may need to be adapted, as appropriate. You’ll take away several resources ready to plug into your classroom curriculum!

If it looks like a duck and it quacks like a duck…is it a duck?  Join us as we investigate the world of waterfowl, learning about their life history, what makes them different from other birds, and what unites ducks, geese, and swans. Explore the similarities and differences among waterfowl species, as well as identification of duck species using only their wings. In the afternoon, we’ll travel to The Nature Conservancy’s Emiquon Preserve, where we’ll look for ducks during the peak of fall migration. This restored wetland supports thousands of waterfowl and other migratory birds during their journey up and down the flyway.