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Hands On, Plugged In:
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Project Overview
Our Life on the Prairie project creates a diverse community engaged in inquiry-based learning about the natural and cultural histories of East-Central Illinois, including students, teachers, environmental activists, naturalists, artists and poets, museum and nature center staff, university scholars, and librarians.
As part of the 'Silicon, Carbon Culture' initiative at the University of Illinois, Life on the Prairie integrates content across disciplines (science and humanities), and integrates technology into collaborative classroom activities to document the past, present and future of the region we live in. Existing resources like The Inquiry Page and Allerton Park-the silicon and carbon-are leveraged through interdisciplinary cooperation to create physical and cyber spaces for people to come together on a continuing basis.
Specific project activities include: workshops for educators, creating a clearinghouse of resources related to life on the prairie, field trips for students, support for the display and conservation of art by natural science illustrators, and a Chautauqua to share our experiences and promote future learning.
Our growing set of organizational partners include units associated with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Graduate School of Library and Information Science, Environmental Council, Illinois Water Resources Center, Allerton Park and Conference Center, National Center for Supercomputing Applications, Department of Atmospheric Sciences) Monticello Public Schools, Urbana Public Schools, and the Guild of Natural Science Illustrators.
To subscribe to Life on the Prairie electronic listserv or for further
information about the project, please feel free to contact:
Sharon Irish - slirish@uiuc.edu
Ann P. Bishop - abishop@uiuc.edu
Associate Professor
Graduate School of Library and Information Science
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
(217) 244-3299 (V)
(217) 244-3302 (F)
203 LIS Building (MC-493)
501 East Daniel St., Champaign, IL 61820