Forest Preserves of Cook County 2022 Winter Brochure

kid was able to have a hands-on experience. It was really beneficial, all that outside time. Being exposed to something they might not have ever done with their families was really eye-opening.” Working with Forest Preserves staff to set up both a hands-on activity at John Mills prior to the trip and the field trip itself was extremely easy, Murray says. “When we went there, [students] had an idea of why we were doing it,” she says. “The whole entire process was really smooth. We would love to return to do something this winter.” While the fall and spring are the busiest seasons, the Forest Preserves hosts plenty of outings in the winter months, too. “In the colder months, we do a lot of classroom visits, or virtual visits,” Baki says. “But please come out in the winter!” Popular wintertime field trips include nature walks and snowshoeing, as well as cross-country skiing at Sagawau Environmental Learning Center in Lemont. Toward the end of the winter, it’s maple syrup season at River Trail Nature Center in Northbrook. Elizabeth Murray, a fifth-grade reading, writing and English- language arts teacher at John Mills Elementary School in Elmwood Park, organized a trip last spring for more than 100 students who planted a pollinator garden at Thatcher Woods Forest Preserve in River Forest. The students moved station-to- station through the garden set-up, nature hikes, and tours of the Forest Preserves Trailside Museum of Natural History across the street. “It was a fabulous experience. It was well organized,” Murray says. “Every 15 A free Education Access Permit, fpdcc.com/downloads/permits/FPCC- Education-Field-Trip-Daily-Access- Permit-043019.pdf , is required for all school and educational activities at the Forest Preserves of Cook County, and it’s recommended that teachers seek one out three weeks in advance of the intended field trip date, regardless of whether Forest Preserves staff will be providing educational content. Learn more at fpdcc.com/nature-centers.