LaBagh Field Trip
Guide for Teachers:
What you Need to Know
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:
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.
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.
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 6585 feet.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
Cut wood
Compare the two
severed tree
limbs: Which one
is man made, and
which is naturally
decayed?
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/maleand-female-duck-differences/
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
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
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_parsni
px.htm
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
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
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.
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
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 Vformation.
Resource:
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/canada_goose/li
fehistory
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