Earth Day in the Parks

Earth Day in the Parks is a new event, sponsored by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.  It is meant to provide students with an opportunity to perform meaningful stewardship activities.  The program was open to only 26 state parks this year.

Ms. Lee Bryar’s fourth grade class from Kaneland John Shields Elementary School in Sugar Grove was one of the lucky recipients of this year’s experience to learn of the responsibility of caring for and conserving our environment with hands-on activities.  They traveled to Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area where all of the 21 students and 5 parent volunteers participated in planting prairie wild flowers such as Rattlesnake Master, Prairie Blazing Star, Culver’s Root and Butterfly Weed.  Sowing Big Bluestem and Little Bluestem Grass seeds, the two most well know prairie grasses, was the final event of the day.

Sean Spaetzel said “I never thought gardening and saving the prairie would be so much fun.”  Jessica Pachard wrote, “It was the best field trip so far.”  Madison Edward wrote that, “I loved it so much, I am going to try to make a small prairie in my back yard.”

Paige Wallace summed it all up by writing, “I would like to go back to Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area because it felt good to plant wildflowers and enjoy the nice weather knowing I was doing something to help the park.  I’m happy that we were one of the classes to be able to go to the park and help the environment.”

The teacher, Lee Bryar, was very happy with the program.  “Many students loved the military-style line up and running to their designated area to sow their seeds.  Of course, the provided lunch was a big hit.  How great was that, having our first picnic of the season with our classmates and our new friends at Goose Lake Prairie State Natural Area” she said.

At the end of the day each student boarded the bus with a packet of materials on Illinois prairie parkland, supplied by IDNR, and a huge cookie to eat as their bus hurried back to Sugar Grove.

Visit the 2008 Earth Day in the Park photo album.  Click here.

The entire class sent us letters.  This is just a sample. 
The entire group is posted in the visitor's center on the large bulletin board.

"Today at the Park  To Goose Lake Park,  We learned to sow seeds and plant prairie plants.  It was so fun.  And the lunch was so good.  We don't always have Subway every day.  Thank you for giving us the opportunity to come to Goose Lake Park.  Sincerely, John."

"Dear Goose Lake Park.  Today was a great experience.  I had lots of fun.  All of the kids were separated into groups of three and the great thing was we all got to do something.  My class got to plant and dig.  We even got to look at different prairie plants.  Lots of the kinds in my class loved the long bus ride and the prairie plants.  The air was so nice and fresh.  It was so cool when you could hear the frogs, ribbit really loud.  I really liked diggings because I saw wierd ladybugs that were pink and black, but they were very unusual because they were small.  When we passed to go plant we saw a really small cabin that a family lived in.  They even had a tool to make butter.  It was really cool.  Well, I hope you will have fun because I really did.  Sincerely, Kayla"

"Dear Goose Lake Park, I had a great time visiting Goose Lake Park.  I leared how to plant flowers and sow seeds.  When I was planting the flowers the soil felt soft and comfortable.  When I was planting a few flowers I learned you don't want to plant to many seeds in the same place.  I will like to come back and see how my flowers are doing.  I will like to start a prairie at my house.  Sincerely, Bobby"