Nature’s Apprentice is a 45-hour course exploring the natural history, plants, animals, habitat and ecosystems of northern Illinois, and the relationship humans have with nature.
It is open to the public and is designed to deepen the understanding of volunteers and educators about the region’s natural assets. They will learn how to better interpret the natural world for others.
Dates: *Jan. 8-Mar. 14, (Mon. & Wed.) 6-8:30 p.m., plus field trips.
Instructor: Keith Blackmore.
Classes at Severson Dells Nature Center, 8786 Montague Road, Rockford. 335-2915.
Fee: $150. CPDUs available.
Week 1 (Jan. 8 & 10) – The Nature of Our Region
- History of Nature Study
- Pre-European Settlement
- Post-European Settlement
Week 2 (Jan. 15 & 17) – The Role of Evolution
- DNA – The Central Thread
- Microevolution/Macroevolution
- Co-evolution
- Biodiversity
Week 3 (Jan. 22 & 24) – How the World Works
- Matter matters – Sagan, Ackerman, Leopold, cycles
- Energy flow – Capture, food chains
Week 4 – (Jan. 29 & 31) – The Role of Taxonomy
- Talking about life
- Categorizing the living world
- Animals
- Labs: Taxonomic key; selected invertebrates/invertebrates; flower dissection.
Week 5 (Feb. 5 & 7) – Biological Arrangements
- Populations
- Communities
- Lab: Pond communities
- Ecosystems
- Biomes
Week 6 (Feb. 12 & 14) – Communities
- Wetlands
- Terrestrial
- Labs: Pond life, stream work, woodland visit, berlese funnel
Week 7 (Feb. 19 & 21) – Invertebrates
- Annelids
- Mollusks
- Labs: Mollusks, arthropod identification
- Arthropods
- Lab: Insects
Week 8 (Feb. 26 & 28) – Vertebrates
- Fish
- Amphibians
- Mammals
Week 9 (March 5 & 7) – Management of the “Natural” World
- Philosophy
- Practice
- Wetlands, prairies, woodlands.
- Mitigation
- Applying the Central Thought: “A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and the beauty of the biotic community.”
Weather makeup dates: March 12 & 14.
* Field Trips:
May 19 – Woodlands
June 16 – Wetlands
June 30 – Prairies
Supported by a grant from Community Foundation of Northern Illinois
For more information, call Brian at 335-2915
