1. Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant Applications due November 30
Are you helping your students to become shareholders in the natural world? The Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant program can assist you! Funds of up to $600 per educator are available through this competitive grant program. Butterfly gardens, prairie plots, wetlands and other wildlife habitat areas can be implemented. Teachers and youth group leaders are eligible to apply. Students should be involved in all aspects of the program, from design to maintenance, and the project must increase the wildlife habitat value of the site. Applications are due by November 30. For complete instructions and a copy of the application form, visit http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/education/CLASSRM/grants.htm.  The Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant program is sponsored by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ (IDNR) Division of Education with funding administered by the Illinois Conservation Foundation.

2. OutdoorIllinois
Discover Illinois' great natural resources by picking up a copy OutdoorIllinois, the Department of Natural Resources' award-winning monthly magazine. OutdoorIllinois is a great tool for learning about Illinois ' natural, cultural and recreational resources and a bargain at only $15 for a one-year, 12-issue magazine subscription that includes an information-packed annual calendar in the December issue. Submit your order on school letterhead and receive a one-year subscription for only $10! Visit www.dnr.state.il.us/OI or call 1-800-720-3249 to subscribe. VISA and MasterCard are accepted.

3. Natural Illinois Tip Sheets
The first of the Natural Illinois series of Tip Sheets is now available on the Illinois Early Learning Web site at http://illinoisearlylearning.org/tipsheets/insects.htm. “Insects” is the first topic of these resources produced by the Illinois Early Learning Project and the Illinois State Board of Education in cooperation with the IDNR Division of Education. Designed for the early learning educator and parents of early learning students, the one-page informational sheets offer suggestions and resources to use. Additional tip sheets on “Trees” and “Leaves” will be available soon. More topics will be developed in the coming months. Tip Sheets are produced in both English- and Spanish-language versions.  

4. 2009 Federal Junior Duck Stamp Design Contest Information – New Format
The 2009 Federal Junior Duck Stamp Design Contest rules, information and entry form are now available. Go to http://www.fws.gov/juniorduck/ArtContest.htm to download your copy. PLEASE NOTE that a hard copy of the brochure was not printed for 2009 so you will not receive one by mail at your school. Get started with this program now to ensure that you have plenty of time for your students to complete the artwork. Entries must be received by March 15, 2009. The Federal Junior Duck Stamp Design Contest is a program for students of grades K-12 that uses the fine arts to teach about waterfowl, wetlands and wildlife conservation. Illinois co-sponsors are the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the IDNR. Should you have any questions, email dnr.teachkids@illinois.gov or call 217-524-4126.

5. For Illinois High School Biology Teachers:
Prying into Prions: Investigating Chronic Wasting Disease DVD
This supplemental unit for high school students explores prion diseases, including chronic wasting disease. In six lessons, students learn about transmissible spongiform encephalopathies by examining the role of proteins in organisms, the chemistry and properties of proteins, the genetic processes that create proteins, and how proteins can become pathogenic. Students also study how chronic wasting disease is affecting Illinois ’ white-tailed deer herd and what control measures are being taken. Adapted by the IDNR Division of Education with permission from the Colorado Division of Wildlife’s original unit, the lessons are designed to be taught in sequence. A video is included. All lessons are correlated to the Illinois Learning Standards. This unit is produced in DVD format and will be ready for distribution in late fall 2008. It will only be available to high school teachers in Illinois . Request should be made in writing on school letterhead and mailed to the IDNR Division of Education, One Natural Resources Way , Springfield , IL 62702 .

6. New Web Address for ENTICE Workshop Registration
The IDNR Division of Education announces the arrival of its new ENTICE (Environment and Nature Training Institute for Conservation Education) workshop registration page. Visit https://www.enticeworkshops.com for descriptions of upcoming workshops and to register for them. Bookmark https://www.enticeworkshops.com now! If you haven't checked the workshop schedule lately, now's the perfect time to try the new link. We've got a variety of workshops planned for the 2008-2009 school year, and you can receive Continuing Professional Development Units at all of them. ENTICE workshops provide you with background information presented by resources professionals, educational activities that can be used to supplement your curriculum and many resources related to the topic. Don't want to travel to a workshop? We offer online workshops, too!

Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat Development, Mattoon , November 7

7. Aquatic Illinois and Illinois Birds Resources Trunks are Now Available!
Aquatic Illinois and Illinois Birds have joined the popular resources trunks series from the IDNR. Aquatic Illinois is targeted to grades five through nine and contains lessons, student activities, sampling equipment, field guides, posters, CD-ROMs, videos, aquatic specimens and many other supplemental resources. Illinois Birds is designed for educators of grades preK through six. In this trunk, you’ll find lessons, activities, CD-ROMs with bird songs, plush birds that sing, egg and skull replicas, posters, field guides, reference books and more items. Several new lending locations have also recently been added for all of the seven topics now available. Previous trunks include Illinois Fossils, Illinois Trees, Illinois Insects and Spiders, Illinois Wild Mammals and People and Animals from Illinois’ Past. Go to http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/education/CLASSRM/teach.htm to access the complete list of lending locations and their contact information. Make your reservation today!

8. The Illinois Biodiversity Squirrel Study can Engage Your Students in Scientific Research
The Illinois Biodiversity Squirrel Study offers teachers and their student of grades kindergarten through 12 the opportunity to participate in a statewide, year-long study of three Illinois squirrel species: the fox squirrel; gray squirrel; and red squirrel. Students will observe and collect data about squirrels at their school, then record and analyze the results as well as communicate with other classes in the state who are also collecting data. IDNR scientists will monitor the results and interact with classes as needed. This cooperative program is sponsored by the IDNR Division of Education and Northwestern University ’s Collaboratory Project.

The Illinois Biodiversity Spider Study for fourth through eighth grade teachers and their students starts its second year. Students learn about and collect data on any of six spider species commonly found in and around schools. All information is accessed through and posted to the online Collaboratory Project. Classes will be able to communicate with students/teachers at other schools to compare results and discuss their experiences.

The Illinois Biodiversity Frog and Toad Study will allow your students of grades four through eight to help monitor six species of frogs and toads in the state by listening for their calls. Monitoring is conducted once a month from March through May or June. All instructions are available online. The frog and toad study project is ideal for involving the students’ parents in their children’s education. Enrollment begins in February. 

If you are a  kindergarten - 12th grade teacher interested in participating in the IDNR Illinois Biodiversity studies,  please go to the Collaboratory Project Web site at http://collaboratory.nunet.net and click the “Participate” button (if you do not already have an account). To create a new Collaboratory account, click the “Request New Account” button at the bottom of the page. Once your account is approved, please send a  message to Collaboratory Staff (cstaff) using your Collaboratory account, stating which project you are interested in participating in and what grade your students are in. You’ll soon be helping us monitor Illinois species!

9. Arbor Day Poster Contest
The Arbor Day Poster Contest instruction and curriculum packet was recently mailed to Illinois schools containing fifth-grade classes. Additional copies are available from the IDNR through the online ordering system at http://www.idnrteachkids.com or from the National Arbor Day Foundation at http://www.arborday.org/kids/postercontest/index.cfm. The deadline for the Illinois poster contest is February 20, 2009. Questions should be directed to Reinee Hildebrandt, Urban Conservation Program Administrator, IDNR, One Natural Resources Way , Springfield , IL 62702 , 217-785-8771, reinee.hildebrandt@illinois.gov.