ACTIVITIES

For more information contact:
Dr. Elaine AbuSharbain, Biology, SIUE, Edwardsville, IL 62026
618-650-2453  or eabusha@siue.edu

Developing a Schoolyard Lab Links to help you.

Schoolyard Ideas for the SIUE Science Building Grounds

Curriculum for the Schoolyard Laboratory

Key to the Macroinvertebrates of Streams

Ichthyology (All about fishes) Key of fishes

Grant Sites for the Schoolyard Laboratory

Wild Ones Handbook" by E.P.A. Native Plant Landscaping
References to assist in teaching in the outdoors

Assignment 1: TEAMS of 2 Students: List and describe 2 essential items to the SIUE native and nonnative gardens.  One full paragraph description containing < 40 words (be terse) for each item.  Gather all the details of installing it, caring for it, and the funds needed to keep it going (if any). Two-sided copies please and/or submit on email to me or on disk (email is preferred).  Look at "Students Ideas for SIUE Schoolyard labs" on my web site for ideas as well as internet sites and your books I gave you. The educational target range is elementary teachers. 



Assignment 2: Schoolyard Lab Project - A short draft is due the June 21^st. Final project is due August 2, 2004. Deliver to my mail box or under my door.
   Design you own outdoor laboratory for your own use at either your school (or a fictitious school if you are a preservice student)
    A. Requirements:  40 species (native or nonnative)with descriptions of each within a landscape map denoting:
    1)  the spacing for species (how far apart they must be planted)
    2) mature height for the species,
    3) The wildlife need (either food, nesting area/material, protection, water, etc),
    4) Category of planting (large tree, understory tree, shrub, tall grass, flower, understory herb, etc.)
    5) What part of your plan it corresponds to.


    B. There should be a minimum 10 installations (ex. dead trunk planting, trellis, weather station, various feeders (each counts as one installation), nest boxes, viewing blind, bathing rocks, interpretive signage, paved walks, a stone wall, pergola, vine wall, grape arbor, garden fence, etc. CAD is encouraged for the landscape map, but graph paper with colored pencil is ok too.

    C.  A narrative is a two page, double-spaced persuasive document that introduces your garden/laboratory idea to the school board and/or principal etc.  It should be a persuasive paper explaining the educational benefits of the project. An example is handed out. Include information about how maintenance won't be an issue, how it can be funded, the educational benefits and the attraction to students, the community partners who could possibly be involved, how decisions and management will be overseen in the future should you die or move away, etc.

    D.  Complete one of the grant application forms that I will have available for you. The draft is due June 21 for feedback.  It will be graded as well.  Your final grade will depend on this draft for 10% of your grade. Look under grants for schoolyard development on this homepage.

    E.  You must select and tailor at least 10 educational lessons into a unit that would utilize your proposed outdoor classroom.  Each lesson should specify which Illinois Standards are addressed at the beginning. Each should have a science standards, but reading/writing, special education or math standards can also be included.


    Assignment 3: Graduate Students only
A COIILS experiment led by you to be done in class.  This should take approximately 20 minutes and should be done outside. 

Assignment 4:
We will be going to Heartland Prairie and learning some of the prairie species.  They are quite numerous.  On the last day of class we will have a lab practical on 30 prairie species.  The internet site below is a good place to help review the prairie plants.  The posters I have given you will help also. The course book for study is Tallgrass Prairie Wildflowers A Falcon guide by Doug Ladd and Frank Oberle, A Nature Conservancy Book.

The Bookmarks on Schoolyard Ecology will be of some help for your assignment.  So will Curriculum Grant sites on the main web page.
Reference materials by IDNR lists reference materials, pamphlets, other depts.
Prairie Plants to Study   Tallgrass prairie of Illinois-Ken Robertson
MO Dept of Cons. Prairie Plant Pictures
Conservation Education Catalog

1. Introductions - Icebreakers,
   
2. Pretest
   
3. Expectations & Assignments (Teams of two - assigned for EEC project).
4. Telltale Bait Station Setup & Hypothesis
5. Looking at Science Schoolyard (outside the Science Building)
6. Assignment for Next Time : Look over our web site at SIUE http://www.siue.edu/~eabusha    to get idea for your own schoolyard project "Schoolyard Ideas" "Curriculum for Schoolyard Lab", "Grant Sites" and "Wild Ones"
7. Second Assignment for Next Time: Review COIILS Experiments  "Connecting Outdoor Learning to the Illinois Learning Standards" http://web.stclair.k12.il.us/splashd/Experimt.htm
8. For Next Time: Bring suitable clothing for being outside. Your favorite gloves, (I have generic gloves for people). A hat, pants, insect repellent, handkerchief, perhaps a garden tool, kneeling pad, clippers, etc. I do have some tools, but if you like certain ones - you are welcome. Bring some ice water.

• Examining the "Outdoor Science Garden" outside the north of the science building. Learning Prairie species. Native VS Nonnative gardens. Establishing native species. Planting, fertilizing and weeding at SIUE
• Discussion of individual project ideas.
• Discussion of a service idea
  
• Discussion of COIILS web site- Pitfall trap
• Films  "Landscaping for Wildlife", "Backyard Wildlife" and "Using an Outdoor Classroom", 
• At 12:00 - 1:15- Drive over to Edwardsville High School to visit their outdoor classroom.

• First we meet at Edwardsville High School to view their outdoor classroom, arboretum and miniprairie from 8 - 9:15
  
• At 10,  we will meet at Dupo Middle School just off Interstate 255 south  of East St. Louis.  Susan Kautzer will explain her projects there the "Little Woods" and the indoor courtyard project.  Bring a hat.
  Homework:  Review your prairie plants that bloom in June. To get to Dupo Middle School go down 255 towards the Jefferson Barricks Bridge.  You will take exit #9 Dupo.  At the stop sign you will see the school on your right. You will turn right and then take the first right onto Admiral Troost Drive.  You can park anywhere in the fron circle or in front of the school. 
  

Wednesday, June 16
Heartland Prairie is near Alton on the North side of Route 140.  It is located on the opposite side of the road from Gordon F. Moore Park's spenser T Olin Golf Course. If you go north on route 3 to Alton turn right onto route 140 and you will be going East, you will pass Fosterburg road and the park is just after the Alton Mental Hospital, there is some lights, turn left onto Swinney opposite the Gordon Moore park entrance  There are some shubs at that intersection and some daylillies. You will see some soccer fields follow the curve on the road going further east.  You will see a wooden sign saying "Heartlland Prairie".

Friday, June 18

• GRANTS: Outdoor Habitat Grants / Projects - National: EPA, NGA, LEAP, IDNR.
• Assignment: Pick one of the grants and fill it out for your project in draft form. Monday we will review them and they will need to be turned in by August 2nd with the rest of your project for your grade.
• Visit Bob Grinstead at Grinstead Gardens on Creek Street in Edwardsville off Route 143/Marine Road. Turn North on Wyandotte go 2 blocks to Creek.   turn on Creek - go to the first corner and that is it. Bob specializes in native plants of Madison county and Illinois.

Week Three
Monday, June 21
Peer review grants written.
Leopold Education Project Activities.
Reading Assignment:  Read the essays pages in Sand County Almanac for Wednesday - (pay particular attention to: January Thaw, Addler Fork (june),The Good Oak, and Prairie Birthday!!)
LEP video biography portion,  Jig Saw puzzle

Wednesday, GRANTS June 23
Leopold Education Project (LEP) with Sandy Kennedy as facilitator 8 - 12:00

Friday, June 25 Last day of class
Planting, fertilizing and weeding, mulching at SIUE
Lab Practical - Prairie Plants, Tree ID and Mammal Tracks Test.
Project Presentations and peer review.
Final Projects must be turned in by August 2^nd, so I can get them graded and get grades turned in.
  Last updated June 4, 2004
Mailto: eabusha@siue.edu