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Lesson Plans/Activities (Still in process of expanding and detailing as of 1:54 pm 5/16/07)

Brief Intro to prairies (history and why we should preserve them)

History

Why Preserve

-animals

-Environment

Birds

-Native Illinois Birds

-Field trip to look at birds

Grasses

-Native Illinois/Prairie grasses

-Bring in examples to touch and see

Flowers

-vase idea

-bring in examples to touch and see

insects

-Native prairie insects

animals

-native prairie animals

-each kid picks one, reads about it and talks to the class about it

-http://www.museum.state.il.us/muslink/pdfs/pr_class.pdf

Preparations

-kids pick what grasses and wildflowers they want in their plot (appropriate percentages)

-decorate their watering can

Field trip to Rockefeller's native plant garden and Jackson park bobolink meadow

Square meter of area for each student (take care of their own area)

-watch the growth of their chosen plants, have a journal and record differences and animal, insect sightings

-take care of their area (watering), invasive non-native weed reduction