Grade Level: 4

Lesson author(s):

Pam Bilderback

Michele Crispell

Kristin Grooms

Sandy Benton

Curricular Resources:

This lesson extends the foundation of using Teachers College Units of Study in Reading and Writing (Lucy Calkins) curricula. 

- Wisconsin Forestree: Wisconsin Forestree: Bridging the Gap Between Environment and Economy 

- LEAF Wisconsin K-12 Forestry Lesson Guide

- Discovery Education, a subscription service

Community Resources: 

- Wisconsin Master Naturalists and Friends of Roche-A-Cri State Park Volunteers 

-Tree seedlings made available to fourth grade students by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

- Circle Tree Farm (Peggy Werner)

Wisconsin Standards for English Language Arts: 

- CCSS.ELA.RI.4.9 Integrate information from two texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably. 

Wisconsin Standards for Environmental Literacy and Sustainability Standards Addressed (Full Document or searchable spreadsheet):

ELS.C1 Students develop and connect with their sense of place and well-being through observation and questioning.

ELS.EX2 Students evaluate relationships and system structures to demonstrate the interdependence of natural and cultural systems.

Evidence of Need:

Based on the KWL chart 0% of students could identify natural divisions and forest types within the Central Sand Plains region of Wisconsin.

Evidence of Success:

Students will revisit the Natural Divisions Information Chart and add what they learned following the lesson.  Students will complete the reflection: What did you notice about the natural divisions within the forest and why do you think those divisions occur?

Inquiry Experience 1

This lesson is uses parts of the Wisconsin Forestree Lesson 3.

Setting and Estimated Time:  Parts 1 & 2 combined (30 minutes in classroom), Parts 3, 4, 5 (1 hour each in classroom), Part 6 (45 minutes in classroom)

Learning Target: I can discuss identifying natural divisions and forest types within the Central Sand Plains region in Wisconsin. 

Formative Assessment:  (as outlined in Forestree Lesson 3) 

-Natural Divisions Information Chart with reflection question.

-Vocabulary Discussion and Notes

-Complete Natural Divisions Information Chart

Locations: Classroom and forested area of school grounds

Procedure:

Adapted from page 4, Forest Tree Lesson 3.

Parts 1 & 2 (30 minutes)

Ask students to compare and contrast living in Adams, a community in Wisconsin, to living in a community in Florida (or other significantly different region). How are would living in each be the same? How would living there be different? How does the natural environment influence and shape the community? Lead student discussion so that students understand that human communities are shaped by the natural communities and forests are too. By the end of the lesson you should be able to recognize important vocabulary and identify how climate zone, glacial history, and watershed affect the growth of the plant communities in Wisconsin.  

Use linked slide show to explore and discuss forest types in the Central Sand Plains region.

Part 3 (1 hour)

Group students into groups of 2 or 3.  Pass out the Natural Divisions Information Chart. As the maps are shown help the students to use inquiry and sentence stems such as “I notice, I wonder, A connection I have is…”

Part 4 (1 hour)

Connect with Friends group or master naturalist to host a nature walk in the school forest or nearby public forest to identify and explore the forest types, communities and transitions. Teaching some hiking etiquette may be needed before taking your students out on the trail.

Part 5 (1 hour)

In class assess understanding by having students go back to the Natural Divisions Information Chart. and adding what they learned from the nature walk.  Add a reflection answering: What did you notice about the natural divisions within the forest and why do you think those divisions occur?