Forest Teaching and Learning Guide

NatureSpark Academy’s Forest Literacy Framework translates the language of forests and sustainable forest management into concepts that are accessible to everyone at any age. The framework provides multiple forest concepts for grades K-12 organized into four themes:

• What is a forest?

• Why are forests important?

• How do we maintain our forests?

• What is our responsibility toward our forests?

Whether you are a teacher who wants to teach students about trees on campus or a forest professional seeking outreach to youth in your community, including career days or field trips, this forest literacy framework helps lay out age-appropriate concepts, knowledge, and skills about forests and related topics. The framework presents a conceptual structure to increase people’s understanding of forests and empower them to take action that benefits them and all of us.

BY GRADE LEVEL

Kindergarten-2 (Ages 5-8)

Primary students are active explorers and are naturally curious about their world. They learn best through direct discovery with hands-on experiences that engage the five senses. During the primary years, students develop the ability to approach the world logically, and their capacity to use abstract reasoning increases.

Students in urban and suburban areas may never have seen a forest in person and may have preconceived notions about forests based on things like stories or movies. At this level focus on the following concepts:

• What is a forest?

• Who lives in forests?

• How do forests help us?

• What can we do to help forests?

Sample Activities

Here are some examples of forest concepts and activities that are appropriate for elementary school students:

• Plant a Tree: Work with students on a tree planting project.

• Three Cheers for Trees: Explore the many things made from trees and tree products.

• The Life of a Tree: Students discover that the life stages of a tree are similar to other living things.

3-5 (Ages 8-11)

Students in the intermediate years are interested in the natural world, how things are put together, and how things work. During this time, their intellectual capabilities expand greatly as they move from a focus on the here-and-now toward abstract thinking.

Students this age work well in groups and enjoy doing collaborative projects. They enjoy problem solving, sharing ideas and voicing opinions. They also want to be responsible members of the local community. At the intermediate level focus on the following concepts:

• What do forest organisms need to survive?

• How are forests and their inhabitants adapted to the climate and landscape?

• In what ways are forests important to the environment, economy, and society? How do forests contribute to our health?

• What can people do to take care of our forests?

Sample Activities

Here are some examples of forest concepts and activities for elementary school students:

• A Close Look: Challenge students to identify the names of trees on campus, in a park, or along the street.

• The Web of Life: By conducting research and modeling a food web, students can take a closer look at forest ecosystems and discover the ways plants and animals are connected.

• My Green Future: All kinds of people work in forests—from foresters to loggers to scientists.

6-8 (Ages 11-14)

Middle school students are gaining a deeper sense of themselves as members of communities, including human and natural communities. They are becoming aware of how people’s actions impact others. Friends and relationships consume a lot of their thoughts and energy.

Students this age understand that problems have multiple solutions, and are able to see different perspectives on an issue. They should also be able to back personal opinions with evidence and to distinguish between opinion and fact. At the middle school level focus on the following concepts:

• What social, economic and environmental benefits do forests provide?

• How do we sustain forests and preserve the benefits they provide?

• What can individuals do to ensure the well-being of our forests?

Sample Activities

Here are some examples of forest concepts and activities for middle school students:

• Tree Values: Students use the U.S. Forest Service’s i-Tree Design software to discover and analyze the many ecosystem services that trees provide.

• If You’re the Boss: Students role-play as forest managers of a 400-acre (162-hectare) public forest and explore the complex factors that influence forest land management decisions.

• Fields, Forests, and Streams: Take students on a field study of three different environments, such as a lawn, a woods, and a pond or stream.

9-12 (Ages 14-18)

High school students are able to use sophisticated reasoning to understand difficult concepts, particularly when the learning context is familiar to them. Using forests as a context for learning is beneficial for students this age, as it provides them with a real-world basis for applying new knowledge.

Many high school students still have difficulty proposing explanations based on logic and evidence instead of on their prior conceptions of the natural world. Providing opportunities to collect evidence and develop explanations based on that evidence can help them develop this skill. At the high school level focus on the following concepts:

• What factors contribute to the biodiversity of different types of forests?

• How do people manage forests to achieve desired forest outcomes and ensure the sustainability of our forests?

• What role do foresters and natural resource professionals, governments, private companies, and individuals play in managing and sustaining our forests locally and globally?

• What career opportunities are available in the forest and conservation sector?

Sample Activities

Here are some examples of forest concepts and activities for high school students:

• Monitoring Forest Health: Using various health indicators, learners assess the health of forest areas and learn how soil scientists, wildlife biologists, arborists, and other forest professionals monitor forests.

• Stories of Succession: Study the process of succession by reading about the rebuilding of ecological communities after the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.

• Everyday Life: Everyday Life highlights 12 different career opportunities. Invite students to explore forest-related careers through further research. Encourage them to understand what education, experience, skills, and personal qualities their chosen career requires or helps them have.