Field trips

The Forest Preserve District is now accepting requests for the 2023-2024 school year via the "request a school program" link on this page. Virtual programs, in-school programs and field trips are available from September 4, 2023 through June 7, 2024. 

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Field trips are available to assist you in your teaching. These programs are STEM strong and aligned with Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards. If you have questions pertaining to these standards as they relate to school programs, please contact the facility that offers that specific program. All programs are presented by our team of professional and knowledgeable naturalists. 

Requests are time stamped and queued in the order they are received. Please note that submission of a request form does not guarantee a reservation. Request forms are processed in a first-come, first-served order.

REQUEST A SCHOOL PROGRAM

A is for Adaptations

Location: Four Rivers Environmental Education Center
Grades: K-2
Time: 1.5 hours
Adaptations are like superpowers that help a living thing survive in its habitat. A bat using echolocation to hunt, a hummingbird using its long beak and tongue to drink nectar, and a human using thumbs to hold a fork are all examples of adaptations. During this field trip, your class will explore the special adaptations of our local species. All birds have beaks, but look at the different shapes and sizes! Discover the diversity of frogs that live in our preserve, then collect insects and draw conclusions about why they look like they do.

A Voyageur’s Life

Location: Isle a la Cache Museum
Grades: 2-6
Time: 1.5 hours
What was life like for a French fur trader in the 1700s? How much knowledge did these early explorers need to survive their journey in search of furs? Students learn about the challenges, risks and rewards of being a French fur trader and demonstrate the skills necessary for success.

Animal Signs

Location: Four Rivers Environmental Education Center and Plum Creek Nature Center
Grades: K-8
Time: 1.5 hours
Animal Signs teaches the basics of investigating the clues left behind by Will County Wildlife. Observation and critical thinking skills are used to investigate patterns of tracks, feeding scenes, various homes and other signs made by often-unseen creatures. On a guided exploratory hike, students will learn about the important reasons humans and other predators track the animals around them. This is an inclusive field trip, welcoming individuals of all abilities.

ELEX Trail

Location: Plum Creek Nature Center
Grades: K-3
Time: 1-2 hours
It’s humans vs. wildlife as students are challenged on the Early Learner’s Exercise, or ELEX, Trail. By becoming a mole, a spider, an opossum or other local wildlife, students discover how adaptations help these animals survive. As a group, the class then compares their abilities with those of wildlife to better understand and appreciate their own adaptive strengths.

Flowering Plants

Location: Four Rivers Environmental Education Center
Grades: 6-8
Time: 1.5 hours
Students will take a look at the beautiful diversity of spring wildflowers during this seasonal offering. They will review the plant life cycle and examine flower anatomy. Students will be introduced to various ways humans use plants and practice identifying native species in the field. Available in April and May.

Forest Ecology

Location: Four Rivers Environmental Education Center
Grades: 5-12
Time: 1.5 hours
Unlock the mysteries of the forest ecosystem. Students will study tree identification, anatomy and function. Your class will learn the benefits of their local forest community and use investigative skills to discover the diversity in Will County.

Forest Invaders

Location: Four Rivers Environmental Education Center and Plum Creek Nature Center 
Grades: 6-12
Time: 2-4 hours
Talk about hands-on! This award-winning program brings students into a forest preserve near your school to participate in an active restoration project. Students learn how non-native species are introduced and what allows them to outcompete native species. Key ecological principles of diversity, competition and endangered species are part of the discussion. Possible restoration work for your class includes seed collecting, non-native species removal and planting of native plants. This program is available at Four Rivers Environmental Education Center, Plum Creek Nature Center, or at select Will County forest preserves near your school.

Golden Opportunity: Botanical Illustration Field Trip

Location: Four Rivers Environmental Education Center
Grades: 3-12
Time: 1.5 hours
From purple mountain majesties (Denver Botanic Gardens) to amber waves of grain (Four Rivers), the bilingual Golden Opportunity: Botanical Illustration traveling exhibit has arrived! For a limited time, bring your classroom to enjoy this custom-made, science curriculum-focused field trip. You and your students will interact with this temporary exhibit filled with gorgeous illustrations of yellow in the natural world. Hike the trails and discover the mysteries of gold woven throughout the woods and prairie. Return to the building and enter a specialized UV-lit room to experience first-hand how other animals perceive the world of colors. Create your own artistic masterpiece celebrating natural colors and the process that creates them. Indoor programming available in case of inclement weather. This is an inclusive field trip, welcoming individuals of all abilities. Available Nov. 1-Dec. 31.

H is for Habitat

Location: Four Rivers Environmental Education Center and Plum Creek Nature Center
Grades: K-8
Time: 1-2 hours
Our forest preserves have forest, prairie, and wetland habitats. Let your classroom explore them all and discover what makes each special. Through activities and observations, students discover who lives in each ecosystem, compare different habitats, and learn the connections that keeps the whole habitat in balance. This is an inclusive field trip, welcoming individuals of all abilities.

Incredible Insects (and More)!

Location: Four Rivers Environmental Education Center and Plum Creek Nature Center
Grades: K-12
Time: 1-2 hours
Think insects will take over the world? They already have. Join us as we explore some of the more than 1 million insect species as they hop, fly, crawl, click, chirp and buzz. Learn their special adaptations, life cycles and habitats, plus what makes an insect an insect. Explore those non-insects of our preserve too, including arachnids, crustaceans and others. Get ready for a hands-on experience using nets, rolling logs and digging in the leaves to catch, observe and release insects at our preserve! This is an inclusive field trip, welcoming individuals of all abilities.

Living on the Land

Location: Isle a la Cache Museum
Grades: 2-6
Time: 1.5 hours
Explore in detail the American Indians’ relationship with the land. Students will learn about the seasonal preparations and activities of the Potawatomi people.

Maple Syrup Magic

Location: Plum Creek Nature Center
Grades: 4-12
Time: 1-2 hours
Students are recruited to the maple syrup work crew to become part of the process. They first learn tree identification and do some tree tapping, then they haul harvested sap. At the sugar pans, students learn the chemistry and ratio necessary to cook sap down to syrup. Last is the test of their labor – tasting the maple syrup. This experiential program is strong in chemistry, math, local history and forestry. Available Feb. 23-March 22, 2024.

Pollination Pals

Location: Plum Creek Nature Center
Grades: K-8
Time: 1-2 hours
Engage your students with experiential learning as we dive into the world of flowers and pollinators. We will explore the prairie and forest seeking pollinators and flowers to study. What better way to understand a pollinator than becoming one! This program is inspired by Next Generation Science Standards to teach students about plants and their dependence upon pollination. 

River Bottom Bugs

Location: Four Rivers Environmental Education Center
Grades: 3-12
Time: 1.5 hours
Explore the diversity of life in the murky depths of the DuPage River. Become scientists and use nets to collect and observe critters before releasing them back into their habitat. Students will meet river dwellers, discover their unique characteristics, and learn how they help us determine the health of the river. This program is adaptable for all ages. This is an inclusive field trip, welcoming individuals of all abilities.

Stalk, Track, Hunt

Location: Isle a la Cache Museum
Grades: 4-6
Time: 1.5 hours
Take a trip to the past to discover the skills used by Americans Indians to hunt for food in the wilderness. This program will focus on animal tracking, stalking skills and hunting methods. Students will explore the island and learn about the animals of Illinois country and their role in the survival of the Potawatomi.

The Story Circle

Location: Isle a la Cache Museum
Grades: 2-6
Time: 1.5 hours
Students learn the importance of oral stories as a means to promote cultural values and traditions as they explore the stories of the French and the American Indians of the Great Lakes region. During this exploration, students will create a myth using pictography and communicate in American Indian sign language.

The Trade 

Location: Isle a la Cache Museum
Grades: 2-6
Time: 1.5 hours
Step back in time to Illinois during the 1750s. Students practice the barter system used by the French and American Indians to exchange goods. By participating in a trade, students learn and see the benefits of this economic process.

Water Chemistry

Location: Four Rivers Environmental Education Center
Grades: 6-12
Time: 1.5 hours
Water is essential! During this engaging program, students will discuss different types and sources of water pollution and then perform chemical field tests to see how our water quality measures up.

Wetland Wonders

Location: Plum Creek Nature Center
Grades: 4-12
Time: 1-2 hours
Hidden beneath the surface of the pond is an abundance of life that awaits discovery. Students learn about water as a resource and the importance of quality fresh water. Armed with nets and buckets, they sample a wetland, identify aquatic invertebrates and draw conclusions from data.