LaBagh Field Trip Guide for Teachers: What you Need to Know

1. LaBagh Field Trip Guide for Teachers: What you Need to Know

2. Purpose: The objective of this field trip guide is to familiarize you, as the teacher, with the surroundings and flora/fauna of La Baugh. Field trips pose a challenge because you cannot plan out every 'teaching moment' whilst in the wild--it depends on what you see and the specific circumstances. This is a picture guide of what you may encounter and how you can make any moment educational for your students! Familiarize yourselves with the information, and how they relate to the four nature weeks! Animals, Habitats, and Human interaction can be seen throughout La Bagh! This website can tell you more about different plant life found in Illinois: http://dnr.state.il.us/education/habitatposter/wildflwr.htm

3. What is LaBagh Woods? LaBagh Woods is one of Chicago's urban forest preserves that is a great place for city dwellers to get in touch with nature. It is located near the North Branch of the Chicago River and is well known as a birding spot and a place filled with wildlflowers. Many groups work around in this area for conservation and restoration, including the Sierra Club.

4. LaBagh Woods in the News Future of Northwest Side woods divides environmentalists into 2 camps" Chicago Tribune (2008) "Sparks fly over Chicago’s ‘last urban forests’ - Northwestern's Medill Reports (2009) "Don't Go into the Woods!" - Chicago Reader (2000) "Chicagoist's 13 Best Places to Enjoy the Outdoors"– Chicagoist Read more about LaBagh Woods in news articles! These would be great to present to the students before or after the field trip to help kids understand the importance of this forest preserve. There is also a video on restoration on our website.

5. Oak Trees Illinois has 20 native oak species and the white oak is its state tree. Oak savannas are the natural habitats in the midwest, though many of them were destroyed by settlers moving into the area. Oak restoration is very important in Illinois. The oak tree can grow very large, between 65-85 feet. resource: http://oaksavannas.org/

6. Canopy & Shade A canopy is the upper, leafy layer of trees that casts shade on lower growing plants in the same habitat. If there is a dense canopy layer and sunlight is unable to reach lower plants then these plants will not be able to photosynthesize and grow.

7. Buckthorn The tree to the right is Buckthorn, which surrounds trees with larger trunks such as oak trees. Buckthorn, for example, is an invasive species introduced to the midwest in the 1800s that has rapidly grown throughout the region. Found in many forest preserves along the Chicago river, Buckthorn takes sunlight and nutrients away from species native to this area, such as the oak tree.

8. Garbage/ Litter Though it seems simple, this is a teaching moment for students at this age. Explaining the consequences of this thoughtless action can really shed light to students the impact humans have on this environment! This styrofoam cup would NEVER biodegrade.

9. Mushrooms & Other Fungi Mushrooms are the fleshy, fruit body of a fungus produced above ground. Many grow very quickly, and provide much nutrition to herbivores in the area. Some mushrooms can be toxic though, and even deadly to some animals! Fungus plays very important role in the forest; they can act as pathogens and saprobes, which means their food source is from non living organic matter.

10. Animal tracks! It's very hard to ensure that you'll come across these, but if you do, it's a great opportunity to show students evidence of larger animal presence! These tracks will show they how these animals could interact with the environment. Questions to ask: -Which animal could this belong to? -What do you think it was doing at this time?

11. Cut wood Compare the two severed tree limbs: Which one is man made, and which is naturally decayed?

12. Ducks These are two male ducks, common to this area. You can differentiate the male and female ducks by their coloring. The male ducks have a shiny green head and the female ducks have brown and white head. resource: http://quackling.com/articles/male-and-female-duck-differences/

13. Animal burrows Animals create burrows to protect themselves against predation or environmental elements. Animals in this area that would create such a burrow include rabbits, squirrels, or foxes. resource:http://web.extension.illinois.edu/wildlife/identify_burrows.cfm

14. Musk Thistle Rosette This is a common weed that must have been encountered by students already! Carduus nutans is an invasive weed that has become widespread in US lawns, and has Eurasian origins. This would be a good time to discuss with students the possible damages of exotic species--this weed has invaded pastures and forest lands, leading to competition for resources with native species. It doesn't appear to have any specific climate requirements, giving it lots of resilience, and seeds remain viable for more than 10 years! Resource: http://dnr.state.il.us/stewardship/cd/biocontrol/18muskthistle.html

15. Hairyjoint Meadow Parsnip This native perennial plant to Illinois can branch up to 3.5' and blooms during the late spring or early summer, and can last for a month. It prefers full or partial sun and moist environments, like woodland borders, borders of lakes, and openings to forets. The light flowery scent of Thaspium barbinode attracts many insects, including bees, wasps, flies and beetles. Resource: http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/prairie/plantx/hm_parsnipx.htm

16. Virginia Waterleaf This pale purple flowering plant is a delight to the Illinois landscape! It tends to grown in wooded lowlands, and moist conditions. It has leaves with hairy stems. This plant blooms from April-July. resource: http://dnr.state.il.us/education/habitatposter/wildflwr.htm

17. Dandelion Taraxacum offiicinale will be encountered most likely through your journey in La Baugh! This is a perennial plant that was introduced from North Europe, and the flowerheads are produced sporadically during late spring and early summer. These plants reseed themselves, leading to reproductive success. Though many people work very hard to get rid of 'these weeds' from their yards, they are quite beautiful to many insects, primarily pollinating insects like bees.They prefer full sunlight and moisture. Resource: http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/weeds/plants/dandelion.htm

18. Nests Trees serve as sites for birds to make nests and lay their eggs. LaBagh woods has heavily wooded riverbanks and a hilly terrain that makes it a perfect place to stop for migrating birds, especially spring warblers. The peak of bird migration is in Mid-May. LaBagh is well known to be a migration hot spot.

19. North Branch of the Chicago River The Chicago river used to flow into Lake Michigan. However, people in the city of Chicago used to dump sewage and other pollution into the river and when this flowed out to the lake, it would contaminate the drinking source of the city, leading to diseases such as typhoid fever and cholera. Therefore, the city undertook a huge project starting in 1982 that cost 70 million dollars and utilized canal locks and dug a drainage canal that was 28 miles long and 24 feet deep which allowed the water to flow to the Des Plains River--> Illinois River--> and to the Mississippi (took 8 years to dig the drainage canal) resource: http://www2.apwa.net/about/awards/toptencentury/chica.htm

20. Geese Geese eat grain, grass, and sometimes extend their neck underwater to get food. They usually travel in large flocks and they mate for life (monogamous). Geese migrate north in the summer and south in the winter, and when the migrate they fly in a V-formation. Resource: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/canada_goose/lifehistory

21. Chicago: The Windy City Severe wind storms can allow trees to act as a sail in the wind. WHen wind speeds are excessive, storms can cause trees to uproot. This is likely when the soil is wet and the tree's roots can't anchor themselves well. There is little one can do if a large tree is uprooted because they have such extensive root systems that draw water and nutrients and anchor the tree. Resource: http://www.savatree.com/wind-and-trees.html