New this Month - June 2025

When people think of conservation, they typically imagine wild spaces away from urban centers, but cities can also present exciting opportunities for the conservation of rare species. The largest nesting colony of state endangered black-crowned night-herons in Illinois can be found at Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo, where scientists have been studying and protecting these birds for more than ten years. In this workshop, teachers will learn about the ecology of black-crowned night-herons and how the concept of OneHealth connects with conservation efforts for this species. They will come away with strategies for teaching about adaptations and ecosystems and ways to help their students develop skills in making observations and collecting data. Although targeted to teachers of third through fifth, all educators are welcome to register for the workshop, but the information may need to be adapted, as appropriate. Supplemental resources will be provided. Professional Development Hours are available. 

The elusive coyote has survived and flourished against all odds. Learn about this canid and how scientists study them. Look at real data from radio-collared coyotes in urban and rural areas of Illinois. See how a data-based, interactive visualization tool can be used in the classroom to teach about ecology and behavior.  Participants will learn about how and why scientists are studying coyotes in Illinois including learning about telemetry and how the information is gathered. The workshop is for teachers third through high school students.

What is all the buzz? Native bees are where its at and there are lots of native bees in Illinois. Explore and learn about bee taxonomy, bees versus other pollinators, mimics, native versus nonnative bees, behavior, and reproduction. Discover ways to help native bees with human-enhanced nesting structures and plant selection for a successful pollinator garden. Good for all grade levels. Supplemental resources will be provided. Professional Development Hours are available.

The 2025 - 2026 IDNR Historic Sites Field Trip Grant application is open! The application deadline is September 30, 2025.

The 2026 Illinois Biodiversity Field Trip Grant and the Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant applications are both open, too.

ENTICE workshops provide background information, networking opportunities, hands-on lessons, supplemental resources on the topic and the opportunity to work with resources professionals. Professional Development Hours are available. Correlations to relevant Next Generation Science Standards and/or Illinois Early Learning and Development Standards are provided. Shown below is a list of upcoming workshops through September 2025. Visit https://www.enticeworkshops.com for details, the complete list of workshops and to register. Experience ENTICE!

Sometimes a weed growing in the cracks of a sidewalk, or pigeons nesting in the eaves of a building are better teachers than we realize. Learn more about how urban flora and fauna can be just as impactful as visiting a forest preserve. Educators will be introduced to strategies to utilize nature in their neighborhood to bring their science curriculum to life. Although targeted to teachers of pre-K through second grade, all educators are welcome to register for the workshop, but the information may need to be adapted, as appropriate. Supplemental resources will be provided. Professional Development Hours are available.

Join us for a day learning about the most imperiled aquatic organisms in our community, freshwater mussels. Explore the life cycle of freshwater mussels, their ecological value, the challenges they face in the wild, and the cutting-edge science happening to help keep common mussels common at the Urban Stream Research Center in Blackwell Forest Preserve. We will end with a freshwater mussel experience in a local stream that includes identifying local freshwater mussels. Supplemental resources will be provided. Professional Development Hours are available.

Learn about butterflies and moths in Illinois. This workshop is geared towards educators from 6th - 12th grade, but all are welcome. Learn about identification, life cycle, conservation, and adaptations. Learn about Monarch Watch and other butterfly conservation programs. Lab and field methods will be demonstrated. We'll go outside to observe and identify butterflies in native habitats. Continuing Professional Development Units are available. Teachers of other grade levels are welcome to register for this workshop but may need to adapt the materials for their students, as appropriate.

The elusive coyote has survived and flourished against all odds. Learn about this canid and how scientists study them. Look at real data from radio-collared coyotes in urban and rural areas of Illinois. See how a data-based, interactive visualization tool can be used in the classroom to teach about ecology and behavior.  Participants will learn about how and why scientists are studying coyotes in Illinois including learning about telemetry and how the information is gathered. The workshop is for teachers third through high school students. Professional Development Hours are available.

When people think of conservation, they typically imagine wild spaces away from urban centers, but cities can also present exciting opportunities for the conservation of rare species. The largest nesting colony of state endangered black-crowned night-herons in Illinois can be found at Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo, where scientists have been studying and protecting these birds for more than ten years. In this workshop, teachers will learn about the ecology of black-crowned night-herons and how the concept of OneHealth connects with conservation efforts for this species. They will come away with strategies for teaching about adaptations and ecosystems and ways to help their students develop skills in making observations and collecting data. Although targeted to teachers of third through fifth, all educators are welcome to register for the workshop, but the information may need to be adapted, as appropriate. Supplemental resources will be provided. Professional Development Hours are available. 

What is all the buzz? Native bees are where its at and there are lots of native bees in Illinois. Explore and learn about bee taxonomy, bees versus other pollinators, mimics, native versus nonnative bees, behavior, and reproduction. Discover ways to help native bees with human-enhanced nesting structures and plant selection for a successful pollinator garden. Good for all grade levels. Supplemental resources will be provided. Professional Development Hours are available.

Look up close at these invasive fish from the water. These fish, also known as Asian Carps, are nonnative fishes that have invaded the waterways of Illinois and many other states.  They responsible for enormous economic, recreational, and environmental impacts.  At this workshop we will provide an introduction to their life history as well as data to quantify their effects.  Containment methods being used in Illinois to keep invasive carp out of Lake Michigan will be discussed.  In the morning, we will be on the Illinois River in a boat. Life jackets will be provided.

Our feathered wild birds are all around us. We see them every day, but do not always know a lot about them. This workshop for educators of grades prekindergarten through 12 will provide an introduction to, and educational resources about the wild birds in our state. We will focus on the life history of these species, and we will go on a hike to look for birds and their signs. Supplemental resources will be provided. Professional Development Hours are available.

Explore early French Fur Trapping History at Illinois at Isle A Cache. 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. Supplemental resources will be provided. Professional Development Hours are available.

Educators of grades prekindergarten through eight are invited to register for this workshop to learn about the hawks, owls, vultures, falcons and eagles of Illinois at the Illinois Raptor Center in Decatur. Life history and identification information will be provided. 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 help you incorporate the topic into your curriculum. Teachers of other grade levels are welcome to register and attend the workshop but may need to adapt the information as appropriate. Supplemental resources will be provided. Professional Development Hours are available. 

What are those bumps on oak leaves? How did those swirly designs get into the wood? What made the D-shaped hole on this tree trunk? This workshop answers these questions and more. Take a closer look at the role insects play in trees and investigate the differences between commensalism, interdependence, and invasiveness while gaining knowledge and resources for your classroom. Although targeted to teachers of fifth through 12th grade, all educators are welcome to register for the workshop, but the information may need to be adapted, as appropriate.

Wetlands are habitats for a wealth of animals. At this workshop, we will visit wetland habitats around the Nature Museum 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. Supplemental educational resources will be provided. Professional Development Hours are available.

Bobcats in Illinois? How do scientist study this elusive native feline and its growing population. Learn about bobcat ecology and behavior. Once low in number, bobcat is now 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 grade 6th-12th but can be adapted for other grades. Professional Development Hours are available.

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 some ways you can incorporate some citizen science in your classroom to help students explore what is going on in their backyard. Targeted for grades PreK-12. Professional Development Hours are available.

Safety Education will host a volunteer instructor Workshop on June 20-21.  If interested in attending the workshop taking place at the Crowne Plaza in Springfield, please contact IDNR Volunteer Services Coordinator Shelli Jones at Shelli.Jones@Illinois.Gov. 

Chicago: Interested in Programs in Chicago, Jonathan Schlesinger at DNR.urbanfishing.Chicago@Illinois.gov. 

Northern Illinois: north of I-80, includes cities surrounding Chicago, Rockford, Moline, and Rock Island, Frank Sladek at Frank.Sladek@Illinois.gov.

Central Illinois: south of I-80 and north of I-70 (not including Alton/Grafton), includes cities of Quincy, Macomb, Peoria, Springfield, Champaign, Decatur, Danville, and Bloomington, Van Grissom at Van.Grissom@Illinois.gov.

Southern Illinois: South of I-70, including Alton, Edwardsville, Mt. Vernon, Carbondale, East Cape Girardeau, and Cairo please contact Scott Isringhausen at Scott.Isringhausen@Illinois.gov

If you’ve ever caught a northern pike or a muskellunge in Illinois, it very likely started its life at a hatchery in Mason County! Every year, IDNR stocks these prized fish all over Illinois, and right now, the newest ones are receiving specialized care at one of the largest fish hatcheries in the country! Visiting in early spring means you will get to check out the tiny pike and muskie, and you might still have time to check out the salmon and trout before we send them to Lake Michigan in May. If you want to learn about fish life cycles and how we raise these popular sportfish at the hatchery, call us to reserve a tour. In addition to scheduled tours, our walk-in visitor’s center is open every day from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm, with several informational displays and windows overlooking the production areas of the hatchery. All ages are welcome, and tours are completely free! For more information on public tours, please call the hatchery at 309-968-7531.

For more information on the hatchery, visit https://ifishillinois.org/programs/hatchery.html or follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/JakeWolfHatchery/.

Choose Starved Rock and Matthiessen State Parks as a field trip destination for your students, scouts and classmates! What better location to engage students in their natural surroundings than the trails, canyons, and sandstone overlooks of these two state parks. The IDNR offers FREE guided hikes/programs by request through the Natural Resources Coordinator. Check out what the park has to offer for teachers at https://dnr.illinois.gov/parks/interpret/park.starvedrock.html. Call or email to set up your field trip today Lisa.sons@illinois.gov, 815-667-5356.

Check out the “Nature’s Make and Take” series of workshops starting in March  Simple Composting, Backyard Landscaping for Wildlife - Natures Make and Take Series, Natures Make and Take Series - Discovering Fungi

Spring Field Trip Registration has begun! This unique site in far northeastern Illinois offers 19 different nature & environment programs for school age students including Animal Adaptations, Aqua Safari, Birds, and of course the always-favorite Bog Life. Programs cover a variety of topics including natural science, social studies, history, and more. Check out offerings here! Scheduling is by phone only – call Naturalist Stacy Iwanicki at 815-344-1294.

The following items are provided for your information only. They are not programs of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Should you have questions about them, please use the contact information provided with the items.

You can find the March DoIT STEAM Newsletter Volume 51 online now.  You can view this volume as well as previous volumes directly on the DoIT STEAM Newsletter webpage.   Additional resources can be found on the DoIT STEAM website.  

We hope that you find this newsletter to be informative and we welcome any feedback or suggestions that would make it more useful to you.  Please feel free to email to Mary Reynolds with ideas.  

Check out their three FREE and virtual trainings at https://www.ianetwork.org/distance-learning-sessions-2/. They have resources and other information available at https://www.ianetwork.org/. Check out their Annual conference, March 29, 2025, https://www.ianetwork.org/39th-annual-in-person-conference-2025/.  For more information, please contact Gwyndolyn Moss at gmoss@ianetwork.org.