Into the Woods: Discovering the forest with 4th grade students and novice forest teachers

an interdisciplinary literature based unit for 4th grade by Lauren Ashley
Academy School, Brattleboro, Vermont

“The art of teaching is the art of discovery.”
Mark Van Doren

Into the Woods is an interdisciplinary literature based forest curriculum for teachers who are not nature experts, but love the woods and highly value experiences that allow children time to explore and learn on their own. This unit is for teachers who have always wanted to take their students into the woods but didn’t know how to get started. The intent herein, is to give teachers a tool to provide that their students with opportunities to gain a greater sense of wonder, joy, knowledge, reverence, and connection to the natural world.

Through weekly outings into the woods, students will be sleuthing the landscape, observing, investigating, collecting data, nature sketching, journaling, orienteering, singing, reading, writing and performing poetry, reading books about stories of the land, creating keys and identifying trees, bringing the school community together by creating a courtyard butterfly garden. Students will gain an understanding of what a forest is, the role our forests play on our planet, and how our decisions affect the plant and animal life within.

WHAT DO THE U-32 GROUNDS HAVE TO OFFER? Developing a sustainable natural community for the future

an interdisciplinary unit for middle and high school science students by Bodo Carey and Maggie Desch
U32 Jr/Sr High School, Montpelier, Vermont

"What Do the U-32 Grounds Have to Offer?" has been developed to guide interactions between the U-32 school community and the school grounds. The U- 32 district is in the midst of developing a more versatile and accessible school. "What Do the U-32 Grounds Have to Offer?" centers on community service and sustainability. Its purpose is to educate U-32 students and the community about ecological concepts and forest stewardship. In our attempt to foster a sense of community within the school, we will embark upon a joint project that will involve the collaboration between middle and high school students. It is our hope that by working through the different components of the project, students will gain an understanding and appreciation for the natural habitat surrounding the school and develop guidelines for the community's interactions with this environment.

30 Acre Woods:
How can the Polaris Crew help their community manage Bristol's 30 Acre Woods?

an interdisciplinary math and science unit for high school students by Joanne Casey
Mount Abrams Union High, Bristol, Vermont

The site chosen for this service learning forestry unit is a 30 acre wooded area adjacent to our schoolyard. The New Haven River, Lovers Lane, and Stoney Hill border this site. The Town of Bristol had tried to get commercial development here but have not been able to get the voters to agree. On this site is evidence of two old gravel pits; they were perhaps in use until just a few years ago. There is varied terrain and approximately 90% is wooded. This site is favorable for several reasons:

	• Close to school, within walking distance
	• Rich in history––land use, river use, human impact.
	• Illustrates succession in several locations
	• Young and relatively old trees
	• Wildlife sign/presence
	• Great views of Bristol Cliffs Wilderness, Elephant mountain, farms, and fields
	• Support of town manager and recreation director for walking/biking trails, lookouts, etc.

This unit provides students a real opportunity to make a difference in their community and learn about forestry, as well as town politics, and the role of citizens in community decision-making.

Following a Woodland Path: A Field-Based Program for Learning about the Forest

a unit for kindergarten children by Mary Dodge
Weybridge Elementary School, Weybridge, Vermont

This unit is designed for kindergarten children. During a series of walks through the woods adjacent to the school, the children will observe first-hand the complexity of life in the forest The first walk has several designated stops where the children engage in activities that help them learn about the forest floor, animals and their homes, bedrock ledges, trees, and the process of decay and decomposition. In subsequent trips other aspects of the forest will be highlighted including the impact of the changing seasons. The children will have ample time to explore the forest during these walks and to talk about their observations and reflections. Several forest drawings will be completed in the field or in the classroom. In-school experiences such as making a cardboard tree home complete with holes for the children's stuffed animals or learning about forest products will also be an important part of the study. The unit will culminate in a service project in which the children's will share their experiences and knowledge about the trail with the entire school.

A Forest for Every Classroom

an interdisciplinary unit for elementary school students by Sarah Harrison and Jorene Doria
Ripton Elementary, Ripton, Vermont

Ripton, Vermont is a small, unique town with a forested surrounding area. Our unit of teaching forestry in this community's elementary school focuses on showing the relationships of the forest with the people of the town over time. Changes have been dynamic and the evidence of the area's history is discovered through activities and investigation by the students.

The Village Quest Project

a 6-8 week integrated curriculum unit that uses a local village to teach local history
by Steven Glazer, Vital Communities, White River Junction, Vermont

What is Valley Quest?

Valley Quest is a series of treasure hunts that teach and share the natural and cultural history of the Upper Valley region to children, families, adults and visitors.

Upper Valley students create Valley Quest treasure maps and clues to teach and share what they learn about their community with others. Each lesson in The Village Quest Project is tied to the Vermont state standards, and overall, the entire project nests under standard 4.6, Understanding Place. Valley Quest is one of four programs of Vital Communities, a regional nonprofit organization.

Vermont History, Geology, Northern Forest?

an interdisciplinary unit for 3rd and 4th grade by Anna Ives and Tory Riley
Lincoln Community School, Lincoln, Vermont

Founded in the belief that young children need to explore the land around them in order to create their own understanding of place and stewardship, we have integrated three standards based units of study and framed them with ongoing outdoor exploration. Throughout these studies students will explore Lincoln’s forests and fields with three distinct yet interconnected focuses. First, students will consider the lay of the land they know best and the geological forces that shaped and continue to change it. Second, with this geological knowledge students will look at local soil and consider its role as they study the plants and animals that make up the Northern Forest. Third, students will use local resources to investigate the history of the relationship between this land and its people. Ultimately each fourth grade class will use their knowledge of Lincoln’s natural and human communities to participate in a community-based service learning project on town land. Standards assessed accompany the four unit introductions.

WHO LIVES HERE?
A Wildlife Inventory of the Milton Frye Nature Area

a unit for 3rd grade students by Lindsay Putnam
Marion Cross School, Norwich, Vermont

Adjacent to the Marion Cross School in Norwich, VT, is a 36-acre parcel of land owned by the town and long used by elementary school students for nature study. The town has recently decided to try to put a conservation easement on the land so that it will remain a natural resource for community members and students. Also recently, the Norwich Conservation Commission has been exploring the idea of participating in the wildlife survey program developed by Susan Morse called Keeping Track. "Who Lives Here?" is an attempt to involve students in helping the public become more aware of this town property's value to wildlife by initiating a Keeping Track-style survey, appropriate to third grade students, in the Nature Area.

By doing so, students will learn what wildlife lives in and passes through their Nature Area; they will learn some "stories" of these animals lives by interpreting their tracks and signs in the snow; they will gain an understanding of the requirements and preferred habitats of different species; and they will use computer database technology as a tool for collecting, interpreting and displaying their data. Their final results will be displayed for the public as maps, sketches, charts and graphs on the school web-site and in various public locations around town. In addition, students will present their final results to one (or more) town committees and community members. As a result of this unit, students will take an active role in their community by collecting data that informs the public about the Nature Area, at the same time as enriching their own learning about what wildlife depends on the forest environment in the own backyard.

Predators of the Northern Forest: What Do They Eat?

a science unit for grade 7 and 8 students by Michael Quinn
Hartford Middle School, Hartford, Vermont

This project is meant to be used with students after they have successfully completed curriculum units on basic ecosystem structure and function in the northern forest. This includes the role of organisms in the ecosystem and predator-prey relationships.

The goal of this unit is to introduce middle school students to the identification, biology and ecology of the small mammals of northern New England through field sampling, identification, GIS mapping and scientific literature research. Students will learn to prepare the results of their work for presentation to the community groups interested in local natural resources.

What makes up a forest ecosystem and
what is my connection to it?

an interdisciplinary unit for 3rd grade by Ginny White
Hartland Elementary, Hartland, Vermont

The forest is an amazingly rich and varied web of systems and relationships. It is quite magical and powerful. Humans play a part in that web. We need to come to love, appreciate, respect, understand, nurture, and care for our environment, Mother Earth.

This unit is meant to teach third grade students about the parts of a forest and how they can be a meaningful part of it. As an elementary teacher of a self-contained classroom, having my students for only one year, one of my main objectives in teaching is integration. I do not believe that we learn best in isolation. All things are connected in life. Therefore, in my teaching, embedded within the stated curriculum standard lessons (primarily science) are numerous other skills and objectives from other disciplines. A major theme is integrating the social studies standard of teaching the history of our community (past, present & future use of the land), along with the concept of traditions and learning from others. Additionally, there are many opportunities to integrate math skills within the lessons that follow. The name of the game is to apply what we learn in meaningful ways in our lives. I see this unit as constantly evolving. The more I learn as an individual, the more I can bring to my students and deepen and enhance their learning. Each year brings new students, new families, and potentially new resources and connections to include in these experiences.

Personally, I feel a very deep connection to the environment, specifically the woodland, and the life it holds and sustains. I identify with the teachings and beliefs of the Native Americans. The earth is not ours to own. Rather, we are caretakers of it during the time we spend here. It is our responsibility to respect and protect it to pass on to future generations so that they may do the same. Everything we do, the decisions we make, should be made with the understanding of the effect it will have on seven generations to come. The trees, the rocks, the water have all been here before us and will live beyond us. They hold wisdom we have yet to appreciate. We, of the animal kingdom, have much to learn if we are to live in harmony and balance as part of Mother Earth.

What Stories are Told in Our Forest?

an interdisciplinary unit for 5th grade by Heather Best
Shoreham Elementary School, Shoreham, Vermont

Behind the school is a small forested area of land that is not utilized by the school or community. During a year long project fifth graders will make a digital map of the forest area, survey the "things" that live in the forest. Specific lessons can be found on trees, birds, insects, wildlife, and soil and water quality. After surveying what is there and developing an understanding of how the elements interrelate, students will decide where a public trail and outdoor classroom spaces should be. Students will research local history, write, and create artwork to be displayed on the trails and in the forest space. A final presentation of the mapped space will be shared to a variety of community audiences.

Is the Rochester School Forest Useful?

an interdisciplinary unit for 3rd grade by Barry Chadwick
Rochester School, Rochester, Vermont

I have designed this unit to introduce a group of 15 third grade students to some of the possibilities for using the Rochester School Forest. All of the activities attempt to begin to introduce these students to a school resource that they currently know nothing about. I have also designed some activities into this unit that will allow some middle school students a service learning opportunity. The middle school students will learn some specifics of the school forest so that they can help teach them to the third graders.

Teaching the Principles of Design Using Forest and Nature as Examples

a life skills unit for grades 7 and 8 by Marie Olson-Badeau
Woodstock Union Middle School, Woodstock, Vermont

This unit was created to tie into a design and textile unit. It was also important that the unit could be used in different seasons and with a variety of students. This unit can also be taught as an independent unit for either an art class or a Family and Consumer Science class.

The focus of this unit was on forest and nature designs. Students first participated in visit to the Mt. Tom forest at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park as part of an interdisciplinary team-based "FOREST FROLICS" fieldtrip. The unit activities completed after the fieldtrip included nature sculpturing, journal drawings and writings, making dyes from natural materials, coloring quilt squares and drawing nature and forest designs onto the dyed squares. The culminating activity will be turning the individual quilt squares into one complete quilt or wall hanging.

A Forest for Every Classroom through Physical Education: Learning Basic Orienteering

a physical education and interdisciplinary unit for 7th grade by Tim Whitney
Woodstock Union Middle School, Woodstock, Vermont

Orienteering is becoming increasingly more common across the United States as a recreational activity, which gives people the opportunity to enjoy the out of doors, particularly forest lands. At Woodstock Union Middle School, orienteering activities are an excellent way to incorporate interdisciplinary curriculum and community resources. The Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park is the primary community resource and backdrop for the large-scale orienteering activities.

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