Fire Ecology – PLT

Activity, Materials, Goal, Description
Tree Identification
Books, internet, tree identification handbook
Students will recognize trees that grow in our immediate area (school and home) and trees that grow in the Snow Mountain Ranch area.
Students will create a book in which each page describes a tree type. They will collect samples of leaves to put in the book from home and school. While in Snow Mountain Ranch, students will collect samples of leaves for trees that grow in that area.

Activity, Materials, Goal, Description
Name that Tree Activity #68
Identification sheet, pencils, clip boards, etc.
Students will identify trees using various characteristics. Tree species will be identified using the bark, the leaves, the fruit, the seeds, and the overall shape of the tree. Students will then play a game to test their knowledge.

Activity, Materials, Goal, Description
Pine Beetle
A Year in the Life of a Mountain Pine Beetle, pine beetle specimen, tree cookie, pictures of pine beetle infected trees, pine beetle gallery
Students will recognize a pine beetle and the damage that they can cause
Teacher will question the students about the situation in the mountains of Colorado (i.e. the death of the Lodge Pole Pine). The teacher will read the book, A Year in the Life of a Pine Beetle out loud. The teacher will share the pine beetle specimen.

Activity, Materials, Goal, Description
Alien Invasion Activity #12
Copy of Alien Invaders student page, access to the internet , and a map of the world
Students will learn what invasive species are, why they are problematic, and how to prevent their spread. Students will learn about native and non-native species and the common characteristics of non-native species and how to prevent them.

Activity, Materials, Goal, Description
Succession – Activity #80
Charts of succession in our environment, access to the internet, paper, crayons, etc.
Students will explore the basic relationships between species diversity and ecosystem changes Students will identify successional changes based on plant and animal species. Students will draw conclusions about the processs of succession.

Activity, Materials, Goal, Description
Every Tree for Itself Activity # 27
Paper plates, poker chips
Students will simulate how trees compete for their essential needs Students will describe how varying amounts of light and water affect the trees growth. Students will stand about three feet apart on paper plates and simulate competing for resources.

Activity, Materials, Goal, Description
Tree Cookies Activity #76
Tree cookies, student page, string, pins, etc.
Students will examine cross section of trees and will infer from a tree’s rings what environmental conditions might have occurred during its life. Trees growth is measured in annual rings. These rings show patterns of change in the trees life as well as changes in the area where the trees grow. Students will trace environmental and tree changes using a tree cookie.

Activity, Materials, Goal, Description
Journal
Journal, computer (net book)
Students will write creatively about nature.Using prompts from the book, A New Leaf, students will write with a creative focus about nature.

Activity, Materials, Goal, Description
Autobiography
Paper, pencil, colored pencils
Students will reflect on the important events that have shaped their lives. As part of the autobiography unit, students will create a “tree cookie” to represent their life. Students will use the prompt for the book, A New Leaf, on page 45.


During this unit, students will learn/explore some of the vocabulary from the following list.

Cat face
Succession
Mitigation
Dendrochronology
Duff layer
Sterigmata
Biomass
Defensible space
Pitch
Beetle gallery
Serrotinus cones
Mezzic area
Nomex
Xylem
Phloem
Noxious weeds
Water dog
Cryptogrammic soil
Timber beast