Illinois has so many unique habitats! Campers will explore some of them through a scavenger hunt, a hike, and a hands-on lesson about plants and animals.

Discover the amazing world of insects and their role in Illinois habitats. Campers will do some insect catching, look at parts of an insect under the microscope, and learn about insects through hands-on activities.

Dive into the world of Illinois fish and learn about their lives by dipping and scooping in the pond, making our own fishing poles, and of course – going fishing!

Learn about local plant eaters, including what they eat and how they survive. Campers will play a predator vs. prey game, get up-close with different mammal furs, and learn about plants that people and animals eat through hands-on activities.

Carnivores have their own unique strategies to survive! Learn about local meat eaters through skull and teeth investigation, perform a skit, and play a predator camouflage game.

Discover how the planets in our solar system change over time and how their ‘ecosystems’ differ from ours. Campers will conduct crater experiments, make paper planets, and view the sun through a telescope.

Dig into the world of rocks and minerals to learn how our landscape has been changed and shaped on a geologic timescale. Campers will investigate rock and mineral samples, conduct scratch and acid tests on rocks, and make a crystal “geode”.

Learn how glaciers affected the landscape of Illinois over 130,000 years ago. We will try our hand at mapping major landforms in our area, examining soil and sediment samples, and creating a miniature glacier model.

Explore the vital role of water and how it changes the landscape and supports life. Campers will go canoeing, collect and test a water sample, and look at it under the microscope.