Suggestions for extensions for teachers
Using a field guide for Illinois plants and flowers, have the students go into
their own yards at home and identify what types of plants species are present.
Take string and section off a square parcel of the school's yard. Break the
large area into smaller parcels and have the students identify the main type of
plant species found. Have them determine, per square foot, what the dominant
plants are around the school. With permission, bring some of the plants found
back into the classroom for students to use to make their own field guide of
plants.
Have the students look or name areas around where they live that is an example of water management. Such places could be catch basins, lakes, ponds, or marshes. Most of these places are set inside subdivisions to catch run off and prevent flooding.
Have the students test the pH of a lake or a pond near their home, and also observe which types of vegetation is growing around it.