Mighty Acorns strives to connect communities with nature in their neighborhood. Thankfully we are one of many people who are trying to do the same! Here is a list of resources you may find helpful for learning more about or leading environmental education for you and your classroom. If you are on this page looking for the full Mighty Acorns curriculum, please contact us for more information.
- Field Guides: the Field Museum’s website with free Field Guides documenting life and culture around the world. The Chicago Region section has over 100 guides alone! Mighty Acorns teachers may like the Seed Heads of Common Native Prairie Plants guide as well as the Selected Plants that Threaten the Chicagoland Natural Areas. Other popular guides are: Creating Monarch Habitat as well as Common Summer Birds. Explore and enjoy!
- Outdoor Rx: a Field Museum microsite about utilizing nature for mental and physical healing. Includes a host of lesson plans that incorporate outdoor education with Social Emotional Learning, with Splish Splash as our favorite.
- Chicago Community Climate Action Toolkit – a Field Museum website with tools for addressing climate change with lesson plans, models, and even more!
- Stewardship Community of Practice – a website highlighting six organizations dedicated to implementing community-centered ecological stewardship in the Chicago Wilderness Region.
- Grants from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources: funds for field trips and school gardens!
- Funds from National Park Trust: grants for visiting National Park sites.
- Chicago Wilderness Alliance – a regional partnership of conservation organizations across four states that offers a wide variety of workshops, conferences, and working groups to connect you to other people passionate about nature.
- Environmental Education Association of Illinois – an Illinois-based environmental education network that offers workshops and events for educator cross-collaboration.
- North American Association for Environmental Education – a D.C. based organization dedicated to improving best practices amongst environmental educators and offering professional development opportunities and resources.
Looking for a specific type of resource? Email us to see if we have the answer!