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Education Services |
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The Coles County Soil and Water Conservation District is
actively involved in educating the public, teachers, and students of Coles County
regarding the conservation of our natural resources. Kristin Yager of the SWCD also serves as the Coles County contact for Illinois Ag in the Classroom.
ENVIROTHON
The Envirothon is a
natural resource education program sponsored by local Soil and Water
Conservation Districts (SWCDs) for high school students. The Envirothon
emphasizes hands-on, team oriented problem-solving skills. The team is
tested on their knowledge in the areas of Aquatics, Forestry, Soils,
Wildlife and a current environmental issue that changes each year.
CONSERVATION FIELD DAYS
A day-long conservation
field experience held at Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site each
spring for county 4th grade classes intended to educate students
about natural resources.
TEACHER WORKSHOPS
We are available and eager to
present materials suitable for classroom use to teachers at their
convenience and location. CPDU's are available.
CONSERVATION CLIPBOARD
A bi-annual newsletter
alerting educators to available resources, grant programs, & professional development opportunities. View our Newsletters Page for past issues.
NATURAL RESOURCES LIBRARY
Our library includes educational videos, games, kits for classroom use on a multitude of topics, and technical resource information for K-12 on most environmental issues facing Coles County and Illinois. We will deliver and retrieve materials to and from your school at no charge to you. Email kristin.yager@il.nacdnet.net or call 345-3901 ext.3 to initiate requests. |
Kindergarten - Third Grade:
- Mud Discovery
Fun with mud, finger painting a “mud picture”. All paint and cleaning supplies provided
- The Life Box
Students play a game and learn that we all need air, water, soil and food to survive. Easy to play, students do not have to be able to read.
- Farm Animals Tub
Hands on activities that teach children all about farm animals. Matching games, sound games and activities that promote working together.
- Beanie Babies
Students grow their own soybean plant. Wonderful for introducing the
life cycle of plants. All materials provided.
- Insects Tub
Excellent materials to teach young students all about insects. Games,
hands on activities, building insect models and the Clever Catch Ball.
- Butterfly Tub
Students learn about the butterfly life cycle, then make their own
butterfly. Good project for numbers, colors and listening to
directions. All project supplies provided.
- Soil to Hamburger
Giant Foam/Cloth Hamburger, will removable pieces. Tops & Bottoms
book provided with activity. Teaches students how the ingredients in
their hamburger comes from the soil.
- How I use Water!!
Guide and worksheets that get students thinking about where water comes
from, the water cycle (very simple) and how they use water everyday.
This project goes great with “That’s ALL!!” as a visual.
- Deep, Deep, Underground
Students learn about soil and its living organisms, while doing math story problems.
- Moo Masks
Craft project where students make their own dairy cow masks, comes with
Dairy Cow information and handouts. All supplies provided.
- The Water Cycle
Fun and interactive project that teaches younger students all about the
water cycle. Posters, materials and handouts provided.
- Apple Tub
How do apples grow? Where do all those varieties of apples come from?
Take an inside look at apples and their history. Hands-on activities,
games, things to make and eat, videos, posters, teacher’s guides with
objectives listed and worksheets.
- Pumpkin Tub
Discover the wonder of pumpkins. Posters, books, hands-on activities,
teachers guides, worksheets and fascinating pumpkin facts. Excellent
fall program.
- Pumpkin Charm Bracelet
Students make a charm bracelet that represents the pumpkin life cycle. Handouts and materials provided.
- Lofty, Level, Lumpy
All about homes—for animals that is. Teach students about different
types of animal habitats. Wonderful lead in for geography lessons.
Worksheets and teachers guide provided.
- My Soil Profile
Great introduction to the Rocks and Minerals series. Students learn how
soil is formed, what a soil layer is and what lives in the soil. Great
hands on activity with a bonus worksheet on measuring!! Wonderful math
lesson as well as science. All materials provided.
- Illinois Rocks & Minerals
Great resource!! Examples of all rocks and minerals, teachers guide,
worksheet, Clever Catch and activities.
- Water Cycle Charm Bracelet
Students make their own charm bracelet while learning about the water
cycle and pollution. Posters, books and worksheets provided.
- Pizza Tub
Learn how all the ingredients on your pizza begin on farms. Explore
Planet Pizza, pizza party fractions game. Hand-on activities, books,
posters, teachers guide and worksheets.
Fourth Grade - Sixth Grade:
- Dairy Cow Capers
Explore dairy farming in action. Follow the path milk takes as it
leaves the farm and comes to you. Videos, hand-on activities, teacher
guide and worksheets.
- Soil Sammy
Students learn how plants grow in soil and make their own “soil man or
woman”, fun, hands-on activity. All supplies provided.
- My Pet Rock
Continuing with Rocks and Minerals, hand-on activity, guide and
worksheets provided.
- A Water Drops Life
Students play a game that teaches them all about the water cycle,
pollution and the limited supply of fresh water. Teachers guide and
worksheets. Materials provided.
- Don’t Use It All Up
Social Studies project, teaching students that human populations are
resource consumers. Introduces recycling and positive steps we can take
to conserve our resources. Teachers guide and materials provided.
- That’s All
Fun, interactive activity that really shows just how much water we have
to use. Very effective, short program that goes well with any other
water cycle and pollution program featured here.
- Earth Day Charm Bracelets
Earth Day activity, students make a Circles of the Earth bracelet. All
materials provided.
- The Giving Tree
Students learn how a tree eats, grows and lives. Products from trees
are investigated, fun interactive project. All materials provided.
- Soil Magic Kit
Students explore the Agricultural industry, the curriculum is
multidisciplinary, all inclusive and designed to bring soils to life.
Soil PH, creating soil profiles and learning the scientific components
of soil. Teachers guide, worksheets, puzzles, hands on activities.
Materials provided.
- Plant Magic Kit
Students learn all about plants and plant products. Plant propagation,
production and processing are all part of this hands on kit. Teachers
guide, worksheets, experiments and wonderful activities. Materials
provided.
- Dairy Magic Kit
Bring the dairy industry to life in your classroom. Hands on
experiences for students as they become involved in demonstrating
activities using milk and acids, enzymes, bacteria, heat and cold to
make cottage cheese and cream. Wonderful kit stressing the importance
of dairy to Illinois agriculture. Teachers guide, worksheets and all
materials provided.
- Insect Magic Kit
Bees, Butterflys, Boll Weevil… lots of exciting hands on activities,
multidisciplinary, life cycles, food chains, relationships of insects
to agriculture and everyday life. Teachers guide, worksheets and all
materials provided.
- Illinois Magic Kit
An extremely complete kit covering "all things Illinois".
Everything from Illinois state symbols, coal, prairies, trees,
architecture, farm products, skyscrapers, water, highways, etc.
- Poultry Magic Kit
Eggciting experiments, embryo and life cycle activities.
Multidisciplinary, curriculum based kit full of fun learning. Teachers
guide, worksheets and all materials provided.
- Careers in Horticulture Kit
Landscaping, horticulture and plant development, color coordination and
artwork with plants. Big industry and money to be made in the plant
world. Good companion kit for the Plant Magic Kit. Materials provided.
- H20 CSI
Help solve the mystery of the great Cholera epidemic of 1854 in London.
This project analyzes and interprets water resources and how this
outbreak occurred. Students love this game. All material provided.
- Water Jeopardy
What is…? Play Jeopardy with your students, all the facts you ever
wanted to know about water and then some. Game board, questions and
wonderful facts fit nicely with your science curriculum.
- Wad a Watershed
Students learn to make connections with water and land forms. Quick
easy project that introduces the concept of run off, recycling and
pollution.
Junior High through High School:
- Machines
Ranging from the simplest machines such as wheels and levers to highly
complex machines like combines and Global Positioning Systems, this
Machines mAGic Kit introduces students to the world of agricultural
machines. Numerous lessons/activities are provided with materials
needed for Math, Science, Language Arts, and Social Studies—each tied
to the Illinois learning standards. This is an excellent kit.
- Household Cleaners/Recycling Lesson
A lesson regarding chemical products in the home—their safety, label
reading, proper disposal. Activity sheets and game
includes. Local recycling information provided for each student.
- Horticulture Science
This kit is designed to help make students aware of the science
connections that exist to common applications in the horticulture
industry. Plant Breeding and Genetics, controlling horticulture pests,
and plant taxonomy are just a sampling of the topics covered. Hands on
activities and Illinois learning standards ready!
- Soil Magic Kit
Students explore the Agricultural industry, the curriculum is multidisciplinary, all inclusive and designed to bring soils to life. Soil PH, creating soil profiles and learning the scientific components of soil. Teachers guide, worksheets, puzzles, hands on activities. Materials provided.
- Plant Magic Kit
Students learn all about plants and plant products. Plant propagation, production and processing are all part of this hands on kit. Teachers guide, worksheets, experiments and wonderful activities. Materials provided.
- Dairy Magic Kit
Bring the dairy industry to life in your classroom. Hands on experiences for students as they become involved in demonstrating activities using milk and acids, enzymes, bacteria, heat and cold to make cottage cheese and cream. Wonderful kit stressing the importance of dairy to Illinois agriculture. Teachers guide, worksheets and all materials provided.
- Insect Magic Kit
Bees, Butterflys, Boll Weevil… lots of exciting hands on activities, multidisciplinary, life cycles, food chains, relationships of insects to agriculture and everyday life. Teachers guide, worksheets and all materials provided.
- Illinois Magic Kit
An extremely complete kit covering "all things Illinois". Everything from Illinois state symbols, coal, prairies, trees, architecture, farm products, skyscrapers, water highways, etc. Check this new resource out today.
- Poultry Magic Kit
Eggciting experiments, embryo and life cycle activities. Multidisciplinary, curriculum based kit full of fun learning. Teachers guide, worksheets and all materials provided.
- Careers in Horticulture Kit
Landscaping, horticulture and plant development, color coordination and artwork with plants. Big industry and money to be made in the plant world. Good companion kit for the Plant Magic Kit. Materials provided.
- H20 CSI
Help solve the mystery of the great Cholera epidemic of 1854 in London. This project analyzes and interprets water resources and how this outbreak occurred. Students love this game. All material provided.
- Water Jeopardy
What is…? Play Jeopardy with your students, all the facts you ever wanted to know about water and then some. Game board, questions and wonderful facts fit nicely with your science curriculum.
- Wad a Watershed
Students learn to make connections with water and land forms. Quick easy project that introduces the concept of run off, recycling and pollution.
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