In The News
April 16, 2024
Step aside northern cardinal, white oak, and violet – make room for the ‘Giant Puffball’ mushroom.
While School House Rock is one way to learn about legislation, The 3rd - 5th-grade class at Prairie School of DuPage in Wheaton, IL is taking a different route. These young changemakers are learning about state government by creating legislation that would designate the Calvatia Gigantea, commonly known as the ‘Giant Puffball’, as the official mushroom and state symbol for Illinois.
This past fall, after a conversation in class about state symbols, the upper elementary students from Prairie School of DuPage decided to learn about Illinois state government by creating legislation that would designate the Calvatia Gigantea, commonly known as the ‘Giant Puffball’, as the official mushroom and state symbol of Illinois.1
With field guides in tow, the students began collecting data on mushrooms they observed on the school grounds and in nearby parks. Guided by their teachers, they surveyed over 100 Illinois-based educators, scientists, and specialists. The information gathered from these stakeholders allowed the students to compile a list of the best possible nominees for a state mushroom. They held a class primary election to narrow the choices to two mushrooms. Then they held an all-school general election – campaign posters, stump speeches, and all – for the two mushroom candidates. Students in grades K-8 voted in the general election and the overwhelming winner was the Calvetia Gigantea.
There are many reasons why the Giant Puffball was a clear winner. It is fairly common and can be found in various habitats throughout the state, allowing all residents of Illinois to have an opportunity to interact with or observe it. It is non-toxic and, in its early stages, even edible. It can grow to about the size of a large beach ball and according to the National Park Service, “Giant puffballs can produce a mind-boggling several trillion spores.”
Amid all the mushroom research and election planning, the Upper Elementary students also researched who their elected state officials were and requested a sponsor for the bill. State Senator Seth Lewis took up their cause and facilitated the official legislative process with the students. The students traveled to Springfield, IL to testify in front of a Senate committee hearing and tuned into the final vote on the Senate floor. As of 4/10/24 the student’s state mushroom bill (SB3514) passed the Senate unanimously. State Representative Mussman will sponsor the bill as it goes into committee in the Illinois State House of Representatives sometime in May.
Read more on the WBBM Newradio channel or visit Illinois State Sentator, Seth Lewis’ website for more details.
April 11, 2024
2:33 pm
Accreditations & AFFILIATIONS
The Prairie School of DuPage is registered with the Illinois State Board of Education and the State of Illinois as a private school with 501(c)3 educational status.
Chicago Wilderness Alliance
Chicago Wilderness Alliance is a regional alliance dedicated to protecting nature and enriching life. In June 2007, the Chicago Wilderness Alliance, a consortium of 311 organizations, launched Leave No Child Inside as part of the national children and nature movement inspired by author Richard Louv in his book, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder. The Chicago Wilderness Leave No Child Inside initiative is an effort to promote children's health and foster generations of kids who care about nature enough to care about it in the future.
The Children and Nature Network co-founded by Richard Louv
Richard Louv is co-founder and Chairman Emeritus of the Children & Nature Network and the author of eight books, including Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder; The Nature Principle: Reconnecting with life in a Virtual Age (Algonquin). His books have been translated into 12 languages and published in 17 countries, and helped launch an international movement to connect children and their families to nature. He is the recipient of the 2008 Audubon Medal. With artist Robert Bateman, he serves as honorary co-chair of Canada’s Child in Nature Alliance.
The Children & Nature Network is leading the movement to connect all children, their families and communities to nature through innovative ideas, evidence-based resources and tools, broad-based collaboration and support of grassroots leadership.
National Wildlife Federation
In 2012, The Prairie School of DuPage students created a bird habitat on the school grounds that has been certified by the National Wildlife Federation. A certified habitat helps to ensure available resources for wildlife locally and along migratory corridors. Certification requires adequate food, water, cover, places to raise young, and sustainable practices are met.
A mother robin sits on her eggs in an apple tree on the Prairie School grounds in springtime.
A raccoon sleeps high up in the trees.
Our resident great-horned owl, Athena, raises her young owls on the grounds each year. Our students enjoy spotting her and watching as the young owls mature and leave the nest each year. In addition, students collect and dissect owl pellets to learn more about the local owl diet.
A young great horned owl peeks through the branches, high up in the trees on the grounds of Prairie School of DuPage.
Athena, a great-horned owl looks down from her perch, not far from her nest, high up in the trees at Prairie School.
Nature Explore Classrooms – National Arbor Day Foundation
Prairie School of DuPage has Nature Explore Classrooms that are certified by the National Arbor Day Foundation. These classrooms are part of a national commitment to provide comprehensive programming to help children use the natural world as an integral part of learning.
Illinois State Board of Education and Anti-Bullying Policy
Prairie School of DuPage is registered with the Illinois State Board of Education as a private school in DuPage County. As such, the adopted Anti-bullying policy can be found here.
The Prairie School of DuPage Non-Discriminatory Policy
The Prairie School of DuPage does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, marital status, national origin, disability, status based on the Victims’ Economic Security and Safety Act (VESSA) or status as a disabled or Vietnam-era veteran, or any other factor unrelated to professional qualifications, in employment or in admission or access to, or operation of its educational programs.