Thanks to a generous two-year grant from the District 220 Educational Foundation to the Barrington elementary school science program, all second grade classes, over 600 students, took part in Leave No Child Inside field trips, which studied the life cycles of insects at Vehe Farm during the months of September and October. The Leave No Child Inside initiative encourages children to turn off the video games and computers in order to once again spend time outside with nature. 

A partnership between District 220 and Vehe Farm was a good fit due to the close proximity of the high quality natural settings at Vehe and the hands-on classroom experiences of District 220. Children were able to easily walk from the butterfly garden, to the prairie, and the wetland area. Vehe Farm also has a wonderful classroom setting that can be used for learning, reflection, journal writing, or field documentation.

Teachers and volunteers from District 220 began training with a district curriculum consultant in June and completed the training in early August. Beginning in September, the second graders were led in the study of complete and incomplete metamorphosis, learning the parts of an insect, and completing a milkweed bug tally. In addition, the second graders created a bill of rights for living organisms stating that all living organisms have the right to be respected, cared for, and released without being harmed.

Children were able to use their own “Leave No Child Inside Guide to Getting Outside” passbook, developed especially for this field trip. Included in the passbook were discoveries to look for such as animal footprints, information regarding complete and incomplete metamorphosis, climatic data documentation, areas for creative writing and drawing, and additional venues for parents and children to visit to learn about nature.

For more information regarding the Leave No Child Inside effort in our area, visit www.funoutside.org or call 847-331-0967. Vehe Farm is open year round and is located at 23680 West Cuba Road, Deer Park. Visit www.vehefarmfoundation.org to learn more.