4 Unit:
(7 classroom lessons, 1 careers lesson, 3 field enhancements)
The 4 Unit focuses on Wisconsin forest history. Students learn about the logging days, farming the cutover, events that led to modern forestry, and why forests are important today.
IntroductionLesson 1 - Native Americans and the Forest | Subject Areas: Arts, Language Arts, Social Studies
Students learn what Wisconsin forests were like before European settlement and how Native Americans used the forests by reading the journal of an early explorer.
Native Americans and the ForestLesson 2 - Forests Built Our State | Subject Areas: Language Arts, Social Studies
Students explore the importance of forests to early settlers and learn how forests played a role in settling Wisconsin through a mapping activity.
Forests Built Our StateLesson 3 - Help Wanted-Lumberjacks | Subject Areas: Arts, Social Studies
Students examine the steps and people involved in an 1800s logging process by following a tree from Northern Wisconsin to a house in Iowa.
Help Wanted - LumberjacksLesson 4 - Broken Dreams | Subject Areas: Language Arts, Social Studies
Students experience what it was like to farm in Wisconsin during the "cutover" by role playing and studying letters, photographs, and documents.
Broken DreamsLesson 5 - I Saw It on the 6 O'clock News | Subject Areas: Arts, Language Arts, Social Studies
Students learn about 150 years of events in Wisconsin that have led to the forests of today by participating in a live newscast.
I Saw It on the 6 O'Clock NewsLesson 6 - Forests are Important to You and Me | Subject Areas: Language Arts, Science, Social Studies
Students discover reasons why Wisconsin forests are important to our quality of life through guided imagery, brainstorming, and an interactive media presentation.
Forests are Important to You and MeLesson 7 - Sustaining Our Forests | Subject Areas: Arts, Language Arts, Social Studies
Students are introduced to the sustainability and stewardship of forests by listening to a fable, brainstorming, reading situation cards, and creating an art project.
Sustaining Our ForestsCareers Exploration | Subject Areas: Arts, Language Arts
Students learn about professionals in Wisconsin with forestry-related careers, play career bingo to learn about skills used in each profession, and describe and draw themselves in a career.
Careers ExplorationField Enhancement 1 - Unlocking a Forest's Past | Subject Areas: Arts, Language Arts, Social Studies
Students uncover a forest's history by becoming detectives, collecting data, and making predictions about a forest.
Unlocking a Forest's PastField Enhancement 2 - Are Forests Important Today? | Subject Areas: Arts, Language Arts, Science
Students find out why forests are ecologically, economically, and socially valuable by searching a forest and playing scavenger hunt bingo.
Are Forests Important Today?Field Enhancement 3 - Caring for the Future of Forests | Subject Areas: Science
Students learn what a tree needs to grow, how to choose an appropriate site, and how to properly plant a tree by putting one in their schoolyard.
Caring for the Future of Forests Tree Planting for Arbor Day2.ppt4 Standards Addendum
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