Chicago Botanic Garden

Fall Teacher Programs

PHOTO: Teacher Programs

Teacher Open House

Saturday, September 26, 2009
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Fee: $5 (before September 18), $10 (after September 18)

Grade level: PreK-12
CPDU credit: 1 per hour
CPS Lane credit: NA
Graduate credit: NA

Come visit the Children’s Learning Center and see what programs the Garden has to offer for schools and teacher professional development. Teachers will be able to participate in some of our most popular programs through hands-on workshops, visit with education staff, and tour the Garden. The Educator Open House also coincides with special events related to the grand opening of the Garden’s new Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Plant Conservation Science Center. Please join us and enjoy light refreshments, take home goodie bags, and register for special raffle prizes.

New! Prehistoric Life

Saturday, October 3, 2009, at the Brookfield Zoo
Saturday, October 10, 2009, at the Chicago Botanic Garden
8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Fee: $150 ($140 for Educator Members)

Grade level: K-12
CPDU credits: 15
CPS Lane credit: 1
Graduate credit: 1

Do your students fawn over fossils? Do they think T-Rex is terrific? Join other educators at the Brookfield Zoo and the Chicago Botanic Garden to learn more about prehistoric life. At the zoo you will experience a multisensory, interactive exhibit that features dinosaurs representing many of the creatures that once roamed the earth. At the Garden, learn about the forests and fields of the ancient earth, as well as plant evolution, while doing hands-on activities that can be adapted to grades K-12.

New! Library Teacher Preview Day: A Journey through Rare Books

Saturday, November 7, 2009
11 a.m. – noon
Fee: $5 (before October 30)/$10 (after October 30)

Grade level: 7-12
CPDU credits: 1
CPS Lane credit: NA
Graduate credit: NA

We invite teachers to get a preview of our new program, A Journey through Rare Books, for grades 7-12. Visit us at the Lenhardt Library to learn how you will immerse your students in the history of books and research methods in our specialized library.

New! African Habitats

Saturday, November 7, 2009, at the Brookfield Zoo
Saturday, November 14, 2009, at the Chicago Botanic Garden
8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Fee: $150 ($140 for Educator Members)

Grade level: PreK-12
CPDU credits: 15
CPS Lane credit: 1
Graduate credit: 1

Explore African habitats and their inhabitants by signing up for this two-Saturday workshop held at the Brookfield Zoo and the Chicago Botanic Garden. At the zoo, learn about the biodiversity of animals in Africa and the amazing adaptations that allow them to survive in their environments. At the Garden, discover bizarre plants of Africa like the “upside down” baobab tree and learn about their economic uses. At both locations teachers will learn about Africa through hands-on activities that support classroom instruction in language arts, math, science, social studies, and fine arts.

PHOTO: Workshop for Preschool Teachers

New! Turning with the Seasons: Workshop for Preschool Teachers

Saturday, December 5, 2009, at the Chicago Botanic Garden
Saturday, December 12, 2009, at the Lincoln Park Zoo
8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Fee: $150 ($140 for Educator Members)

Grade level: PreK-2
CPDU credits: 15
CPS credit: 1
Graduate credit: 1

Join us for a fun-filled day open to anyone who works with preschool children—including parents. This workshop, offered at the Chicago Botanic Garden and Lincoln Park Zoo, will focus on the importance of teaching science to prekindergarten children. Participating in hands-on learning “stations” will inspire you to incorporate the life cycle of plants and animals into your classroom in every season. This class is designed for preK educators but is adaptable for grades preK-2.