This is a collaborative document of resources recommended by members of the Using BEETLES and Nature Journaling for High Quality Science Instruction. It is compilation of the ongoing chats of the Zoom meetings of the group.

Updates and revisions will occur throughout the collaboration by members of the group.

NUTSHELL: In the optional Field Enhancement portion of the lesson, the class explores the living and nonliving parts of a forest while on a hike. Students spend individual quiet time observing and drawing parts of a forest. In main portion of the lesson, students match plant species with forest ecosystems and learn that living things are influenced by the nonliving things around them. They create a song or skit to show what they have learned about living and nonliving connections. The students conclude the lesson by creating a mural of different types of Wisconsin forests.
BIG IDEAS
Forests are ecosystems characterized by a dominance of tree cover and they contain a variety of other organisms (e.g., other plants, animals).Forests differ in composition (species within a forest) and structure (layers in a forest). These are both affected by biotic (e.g., animals, plants, humans) and abiotic (e.g., soil moisture, sunlight, climate) factors. 
OBJECTIVES Upon completion of this lesson, students will be able to:
Explain how living things in a forest depend on nonliving things.Recognize that all forests do not contain the same plants and animals.
SUBJECT AREAS: Arts, Language Arts, Science
LESSON/ACTIVITY TIME
Total Lesson Time: 190 minutes (including optional Field Enhancement)Time Breakdown: Field Enhancement (optional)--50 minutes; Introduction--15 minutes; Activity 1--35 minutes; Activity 2--45 minutes; Conclusion--45 minutes
TEACHING SITE Classroom; well-forested site for optional Field Enhancement

This powerpoint presentation was provided by Cathy Techtmann, a Professor of Community Resource Development and an Environmental Outreach Specialist for the University of Wisconsin-Division of Extension to gain an understanding of public perspectives on climate issues. Cathy lives and works in the homeland of the Lake Superior Ojibwe people. This presentation was part of the 2023 Fall Climate Education Series. Portions of this presentation could be used to introduce learners to place-based climate impacts. 

NUTSHELL In this highly interactive lesson, students explore the tools used by foresters to measure tree diameter and height, then calculate the number of board feet in a tree and the number of products that can be made from that tree. Afterwards, students go on a scavenger hunt to explore many ways that forests are valuable.
OBJECTIVES Upon completion of this lesson, students will be able to:
Determine the number of board feet in a tree.Identify social, economic, and environmental values of trees.
SUBJECT AREAS Mathematics, Science, Social Studies
LESSON/ACTIVITY TIME
Total Lesson Time: 150 minutes (not including optional add-on lesson)Time Breakdown: Pre-activity--60 minutes; Introduction--10 minutes; Activity 1--40 minutes; Activity 2--30 minutes; Conclusion--10 minutes (Optional classroom lesson "We All Need Trees--90 minutes)
TEACHING SITE: A wooded area with trees at least 10 inches in diameter. Ideal species include maple, oak, aspen, birch, and pine.