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Sugar Grove Nature Center Field Trips
2010 – 2011 School Year
Sugar Grove Nature Center in beautiful, historic Funks Grove,
IL, offers a variety of nature-related field trip experiences
for all grade levels. We are located off Old Route 66, between
Shirley and McLean, just a short distance from
Bloomington-Normal.
What can you expect on your field trip to Sugar Grove Nature
Center?
A full day of educational fun! While we can certainly
accommodate a shorter time frame, we encourage school groups to
stay the day in order to experience all we have to offer! Bring
your lunches to enjoy in our picnic shelter. Larger groups will
be divided to ensure a quality program for all. Students will
travel between the stations listed below throughout the visit.
1) Program of your Choice
Choose from a wide variety of programs offered on the following
page, or suggest your own!
2) Exploration in the Nature Center
Your students will explore the many hands-on interactive
exhibits inside Sugar Grove Nature Center. They can go on a
“campout” in a tent while coyotes howl in the background. Their
own puppet shows take center stage in the cabin. Animal pelts
are displayed for feeling, and the Touch Table encourages
students to pick up and examine an assortment of nature
materials from bones to shells. Several native animals such as
turtles and snakes are on exhibit in Critter Corner. And our
Wildlife Observation Room offers the opportunity to view birds,
chipmunks, and other wildlife up-close.
3) Guided Hike
An experienced naturalist will lead your group through the
trails of Funks Grove, making discoveries at every turn. Each
hike is different, as your guide will share natural encounters
and discuss seasonal occurrences while tailoring the program to
your group’s specific interests through questions and
discussion.
4) Nature Play in Imagination Grove
Students will experience unstructured nature play in Imagination
Grove. This area is designed to create a bond between children
and nature that lasts a lifetime. Children of all ages are
invited to tromp in the creek, climb a tree, pretend to be an
early explorer, dig to China, and just be kids.
Program Possibilities
(All programs are adapted to the appropriate grade level.)
Tracks, Scat, and All of That
Just because you don’t see any animals, that doesn’t mean they
aren’t there! Learn what to look for while on a hike, as well
as good hiking “etiquette.”
Dead Tree Biology
When a tree dies, that isn’t the end…it is just the beginning!
Take a first hand look at a tree that is no longer living, but
is giving life to the plants and animals around it.
Meet the Critters
Visit with the animals of the Nature Center, and learn all about
them: turtles, snakes, and other critters. In this hands-on
program, students get to touch selected animals.
Incredible Insects & Invertebrates
There are spineless creatures all around us! Discover what
makes an insect different from the other animals without
backbones. Weather permitting, we’ll then go on an “insect
safari!”
Amazing Adaptations
From the top of the head to the tip of the tail, from the leaf
to the roots, we’ll examine the characteristics that help living
things survive.
Plants, Flowers, & Seeds
Imagine that for your entire life, you had to stand in one
place. How would you get food? Defend yourself? Reproduce?
This program examines the life of a plant, and how it gets what
it needs to survive.
Create Your Own Adventure
Many other programs are available, both seasonally and year
round, including our popular Maple Sirup Experience from late
February through early March. Don’t see it? Just ask! We will
do our best to accommodate any special topics you’d like us to
cover, including incorporating math, art, history, or other
subjects into your program.
General Information
Cost is $5/student. Chaperones, up to one per 5 students, are
free. Additional chaperones will be charged $3/person.
Visiting Sugar Grove Nature Center on Your Own
While a program will ensure you get the most out of your visit,
you are welcome to spend the day on your own. A reservation is
still required to ensure that large groups do not overlap.
There is no charge, however a donation would be greatly
appreciated. Even toilet paper, paper towels, or bird seed
would be welcomed. Please see our Wish
List if you would like donation ideas.
To book your field trip, contact Jill Wallace, Environmental
Educator at 309.874.2174 or
jill@sugargrovenaturecenter.org. For directions and more
information,
click HERE.
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