Distance Learning, Student Activities, Teacher Reference Materials
- Grade Level:
- Upper Elementary: Third Grade through Fifth Grade
- Subject:
- Science
- State Standards:
- 5-ESS3-1 Obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth’s resources and environment. (SEP:8; DCI: ESS3.C; CCC: Systems)
Background
This lesson is designed to support teachers in teaching Fifth grade students about fire ecology, and how prescribed fire works. Students will be walked through the steps of first discussing their thoughts on fire - do they see it as a bad thing? That's okay! From there the lesson discusses how fire can also be used as a tool to help forests regrow, and help the plants and animals of an area.
This lesson breaks down the following knowledge into bulleted lists:
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How fire helps manage an area
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The risks professionals need to consider
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The aspects measured to know if a prescribed fire can safely happen.
The activity to go along with this lesson is called "Testing the Conditions," where students will get to go outside and see for themselves if a prescribed fire could happen. They'll test the temperature, wind speeds, and humidity.
Vocabulary
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Prescribed Burn: A planned fire.
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Wildland firefighter: Professionals trained to fight fire in the wild.
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Fuels: Anything that burns, commonly down trees, shrubs, wood, plants.
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Anemometer: An instrument used to measure speed of wind.
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Reforestation: The process of replanting an area with trees, can be done by people or naturally.
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Restorative: The ability to bring life or health back to something, someone, or a place.
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Combustion: The process of burning something.
Materials
Last updated: March 6, 2023