Education is central to our mission to connect community members of all backgrounds to the Chicago River, and one of our most popular educational opportunities are field trips!
We offer free field trips to any school or youth group who asks -- Field trips always begin with a tour of the park (led by either staff or out docent-trained volunteers) before splitting into small groups for ~20 minute station rotations. This is where we need your help!
With so many students, we need help leading activity stations centered around ecology and nature. Stations can include seed bomb making, exploring aquatic habitat and macroinvertebrates, cleaning the river by picking up trash, and more. All stations are straight forward and fun to teach, so you can pick your preference!
If you love education, engaging students with the environment, or just want to hang out with some cool folks, sign up today! Most of our field trips occur in the Spring and Fall. We will update this opportunity with new field trip dates as they are scheduled.
In addition to these field trips, we'll use this opportunity to post any public programs we might need help with. Monthly fishing events, partner events, etc... Please be sure to read the description of each event before signing up!
If you have any questions, please feel free to email rangers@urbanriv.org or maddie@urbanriv.org
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April 1st: Spring Break Fun Fest at Thatcher Woods *NOTE that this is offsite:https://fpdcc.com/event/spring-break-fest-2/ The station actvity will be Mussel Mania to promote awareness of the mussels that make thier homes in our area! Thatcher woods is very close to the DesPlaines River so this is a natural fit.
April 3st: North Park Field Trip at River Park. 8:30-10:30 AM. Stephen and I (Maddie) will both be there as well and will take care of materials. Will be doing Macro inverts and Microscopes. *Note that this is at River Park and not the Wild Mile. Volunteers can meet at the launch/dock on the west side of the river here.
April 4st: Cultivate Collective Field Trip 930-11:30 AM. We will be doing Macros, Seed Pods and Nature Journaling- if there is time.
April 7: BEAVER CELEBRATION @ Wild Mile. Will need a general info tabling; and a beaver education tabling. We may also need help with S'mores.
April 9: Wilbur Wright Field Trip at Wild Mile. Activites: 22 students doing Seed Bombs and Macros. 2-4:30pm.
April 15: Daystar Academy. 35 students, + 4 chaperones rotating activities, probably macroinvertebrates, and seed bombs. 9-11am
April 18th: Healthy Kids Day at YMCA: As part of their Water Works Water related career exploration programming for 16-24 yr olds, we will be tabling and doing a station activity on Buoyancy. The Tabling aspect should aim to highlight the careers that make up urban rivers; and also highlight the river rangers program The Buoyancy activity will relate to our floating wetlands and connect to swimming which is a big component of their program. *Note that this is at Lakeview YMCA Volunteers will need to take materials to the location at 3333 N Marshfield Ave, Chicago, IL 60657
April 22: North Shore Field Trip at Wild Mile. 20ish kids, Plant ID and Seed Pods. 12:30-2:30
April 26: Honeycomb Project Field Trip at Wild Mile; 15 kids and caregivers. Plant ID and Seed Pods. 10am-12
April 28: Trinity High School Field Trip 10- 12. 20 students We will be doing Macros, Plant ID Nature Journaling.
May 2nd: BEAVER Festival 11-2 at Nichols Park fieldhouse. We will be doing the Lego Activity to get kids thinking about Beavers as engineers and our Work on the Wild Mile as similar. ***OFFSITE
May 3rd: Current Water Tour@ Wild Mile. General tour and Nitrogen Cycling activity. Joe and I (Maddie will be leading this)
May 24: Honeycomb Project Field Trip at Wild Mile; 15 kids and caregivers. Plant ID and Seed Pods. 10am-12
May 27: World Otter CELEBRATION @ Wild Mile. Will need a general info tabling; and a otter education tabling. We may also need help with S'mores.
