Natural Resources and Conservation Education Programs available from the
LaSalle County Soil and Water Conservation District

• Powerpoint Soils Lessons
• Outdoor Education Areas
• Education Programs
• Scholarships
• Education Committee Meetings

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PowerPoint Soils Lessons

Attention Educators: Visit the Soil Science Society of America  Soils Lessons Website for soil facts, lessons, links, activities and experiments. Just posted to the site are two Power Point presentations to help teach the Soil Color Lesson and the Soil Texture Lesson. The site focuses on educational resources for K-12 teachers.

Outdoor Education Areas

The LaSalle County Soil and Water Conservation District owns and manages two properties for educational purposes. The property, known as the Costello Nature Preserve, is located in the Illinois River Bluff area between Marseilles and Seneca and was donated to the district in the fall of 2004 by the Costello and Vignola families. The Rasmusen Nature Area is an outdoor education area in Northville Township that was donated to the District in the early 90's by the Rasmusen family.

Educational Programs

Our educators can visit your classrooms and present the programs listed below. If you'd like a program on a different, but related subject area, please don't hesitate to ask - if we don't have something suitable we may be able to make some suggestions.

Linda Roberts , Education Coordinator
email: llrobert@uiuc.edu

Please complete this form to request a program.

Kindergarten - Trees
This program will share the importance of trees with the students and will help them realize what role trees play in our lives. The program will also help students better understand their role in helping the environment. The students will create a tree of thanks to celebrate everything trees give us.One 45 minute lesson.
State Goal 12.B1a. Describe and compare characteristics of living things in relationship to their environments.Kindergarten - Butterflies
This program will introduce students to the wonder and beauty of butterflies and includes a fascinating and informative video on butterflies. The students will learn about food chains and life cycles. We will also look at what types of plants/habitats are needed to help conserve these beautiful creatures. They will end the program by making a butterfly craft. One 45 minute lesson.
State Goal 12.A. Know and apply concepts that explain how living things function, adapt and change. 1st Grade - Circle of Earth
This introductory conservation program touches on the basic principles of natural resource conservation: soil, water, air quality, wildlife, and their preservation. As an activity, students make a simple “Circle of Earth” bracelet from beads, with each color representing a different requirement for life on our planet. Students will also watch a great video on ecology titled, “Everyday is Earth Day on the Farm.” One 45 minute lesson.
State Goal 12B. Know and apply concepts that describe how living things interact with each other and with their environment.1st Grade - Bats
This program introduces students to bat characteristics and habitats and also how people are endangering these fascinating nocturnal mammals. Students will learn the importance of these mammals and why we should help protect them. One 45 minute lesson.
State Goal 12B. Know and apply concepts that describe how living things interact with each other and with their environment.2nd Grade - The Incredible Edible Landfill
This popular program discusses the history of garbage, smart consumer choices, the consequences of poor choices, and the basic physical properties of a landfill. Students build their own “landfill” from edible components as we discuss how to reduce the amount of waste we generate. At the end, they get to eat their creations! One 45 minute lesson.
State Goal 13B. Know and apply concepts that describe the interaction between science, technology, and society.2nd Grade - Birds
This program will share the wonder of birds with the students. The students will learn more about the backyard birds of Illinois, including how to identify them. The students will learn what they can do to help our feathery friends and will be making bird “snacks” to take home and hang outside for them. One 60 minute lesson.
State Goal 12B. Know and apply concepts that describe how living things interact with each other and with their environment.3rd Grade - Animal Tracks
This program will introduce students to Arthur Dorros’s book, Animal Tracks. Participants will be better able to match an animal with its track and be introduced to/review the meaning of “herbivore”, “carnivore”, and “omnivore”. The students will participate at activity stations that will enable students to see the tracks that animals make as they walk within their habitat, and therefore the importance of keeping habitats as intact, natural, and clean as possible. One 45 minute lesson.
State Goal 12.B2b Idenitfy physical features of plants and animals that help them live in different environments.3rd Grade - Just A Dream
This program will introduce students to Chris Van Allsburg’s book, Just a Dream. Through their “My Dream” drawings and the class discussion, students will realize the important role recycling today will play on helping them to make their“dreams” of a beautiful future come true. One 45-60 minute lesson.
State Goal 13.B.2f Analyze how specific personal and societal choices that humans make affect local or regional ecosystems.4th Grade - Career Critters
Through a small group activity, students evaluate how wild animals and plants can be used to manage some environmental problems. One 45 minute lesson.
State Goal 12B Know and apply concepts that describe how living things interact with each other and with their environment. 5th Grade - Enviroscape Model
The Enviroscape resembles a miniature community, complete with houses, factories, a golf course, and a farm. Students add “pollutants” usually associated with the presence of these things and are able to see how one’s actions can affect other parts of a community. Possible solutions for the problems created are discussed. One 45-60 minute lesson.
State Goal 13B. Know and apply concepts that describe the interaction between science, technology, and society.6th Grade - Trash Crisis
Students will see how much trash is being thrown away and the problem trash has become while watching parts of "NYC's Dirty Secret: The Trash Crisis." Groups of students will then become experts on one of the following conservation methods source reduction; recycling; composting; waste-to-energy; and sanitary landfills. Groups will make a poster explaining their conservation method and its advantages and disadvantages to commmunities. Group posters will be used to teach the concept learned to their fellow classmates. A class discussion will follow the presentations to help to determine if one method is better than all of the rest, or if they all need to be used to help keep our communities clean. One 75-90 minute lesson.
State Goal 13.B.3e Identify advantages and disadvantages of natural resource conservation and management programs. Birds of Prey - 3rd-6th Grade
Preserved specimens of a Great Horned Owl, Eastern Screech Owl and Red-tailed Hawk and two Merlins can visit your classroom. Discussion includes physical characteristics, habitat, wildlife preservation laws, and endangered species status. This is a 40-60 minute lesson given by JoAnn Adams. To schedule this program, please contact JoAnn Adams at ajadams@cin.net.
State Goals for Learning: 12A Know and apply concepts that explain how living things function, adapt and change. 12B Know and apply concepts that describe how living things interact with each other and with their environment.

.pdf listing of available programs.

Scholarships

• Krenz  Memorial Scholarship -  A $1,000 scholarship is available to a LaSalle high school senior or current college freshman, sophomore, or junior who is pursuing a degree in agriculture, environmental sciences, or natural resource management.  The scholarship is awarded in May each year.  Applications must be received in the District Office by deadline line date, April 4, 2008. Application Form
   
• Section VII FFA Scholarships – LaSalle County SWCD will award $500 scholarships to each winner of the Section VII Land Judging Contest, Ag Mechanics Contest, and Crop Contest.  These career development contest scholarships will be paid out to each winner when he or she graduates from high school and completes the first semester in a university, junior college, or technical school.
   
  
• George McKibben Scholarship. - This scholarship has been established by the Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation District (AISWCD) to assist outstanding agriculture students in the completion of their education at any Illinois state college (University of Illinois, Eastern, Western, Southern and Illinois State). The student awarded the scholarship should demonstrate superior agriculture academic achievement, commitment to soil and water conservation and potential for innovation and/or leadership ability. The AISWCD Scholarship is awarded in the fall semester of the academic year. The Fall 2008 award will be $500.00. Application Form

Education Committee Meetings

• March 12, 2007 Meeting MinutesMarch 27, 2007 Meeting Minutes
• June 4, 2007 Meeting Minutes

 

 

 

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