Curriculum
Here you can browse the lessons designed and implemented by Canopy Connections 2016.
Scroll to the bottom of the page to view our full curriculum including lesson overviews, background information, lesson materials and step-by-step guides to use our lessons. You can also download our curriculum below! |
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Pre-Trip LessonDeveloped by: Alli Humphrey and Sky Worman
The pre-trip lesson is designed to familiarize and connect students with the terminology and processes of an old-growth forest. In the warm-up activity, students and educators assess students’ current knowledge on biodiversity and forest ecology. This lesson was designed to teach students the importance of their own cultural connections to natural systems, and to explore the value of biological and cultural diversity. This lesson provides students the tools to gain a familiarity with the concepts and species they may encounter at H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest.
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Station One: Ascending the GiantThis activity takes students ninety feet up into a Douglas-fir tree to experience an old-growth forest from the canopy level. This allows students to experience a part of the forest that is often left to the birds. This activity was led by the Pacific Tree Climbing Institute. This lesson influences students to utilize observational and critical thinking skills to hypothesize how conditions will change as they ascend the tree. As humans are usually restricted to the forest floor, climbing up into the canopy offers a special opportunity to experience another layer of the ecosystem found at H.J. Andrews. This climb is designed to instill a sense of awe and cultivate a deep appreciation for the forest within students.
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Station Two: Karin Rita Gastreich’s Studio
Developed by: Kennedy Potts and Artesia Hubbard
This activity introduces middle schoolers to the vital role observation plays in both science and the arts. Through individual reflection in ‘sit spots’ and small group activities, students are influenced to utilize their observation skills. The purpose of this lesson is to provide students with tools that will allow them to practice observation effectively and be able to integrate them into both scientific and artistic pursuits throughout the remainder of their lives. It also aims to give students a chance to explore their creativity and use their senses. The goal of this lesson is to build a strong connection between the student and nature using the beautiful old growth forest of H.J. Andrews as a medium.
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In order to make deeper connections between our lesson content and H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest, we chose to highlight the humanities program hosted by the forest, known as the Long Term Ecological Reflections Program. We did this by selecting and reading a piece of writing created by one of H.J.A.’s chosen program members.
Karin Rita Gastreich is an Associate Professor of Biology as well as a published author. During the Spring of 2011, she was selected to participate in the writer's residency at H.J.A. During her time at HJA she kept a daily journal in which she documented her personal experiences, reflections, observations, feelings, and field notes. Her reflective writing provides excellent examples of observation as a tool to use for both the arts and the sciences.
Karin Rita Gastreich is an Associate Professor of Biology as well as a published author. During the Spring of 2011, she was selected to participate in the writer's residency at H.J.A. During her time at HJA she kept a daily journal in which she documented her personal experiences, reflections, observations, feelings, and field notes. Her reflective writing provides excellent examples of observation as a tool to use for both the arts and the sciences.
Station Three: Life After DeathDeveloped by: Paige Book and Garrett Davidson
This lesson is focused on the life and death of a tree; it directs students to examine how long trees grow for, and what happens to a tree when it is no longer alive. Through a series of activities that utilize the scientific method and critical thinking, this lesson teaches students that trees serve an important role in the forest ecosystem whether they are dead or alive. This lesson aims to illustrate to students that even after death, the tree is still very much alive and full of tiny organisms, detritivores, moss, and fungal growth that all contribute to the nutrient cycling and decomposition of the old growth forest. The activities presented in this lesson aim to inspire and elicit feelings of awe, amazement, and appreciation for the world around us.
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Station Four: Naming and KnowingDeveloped by: Alli Humphrey and Sky Worman
This lesson introduces students to the plants around them through an exploration of biodiversity in old-growth forests. It guides children to learn how to use a dichotomous key in order to identify a few important plant and tree species present in the H.J. Andrews Forest. In order to understand the more complex processes that occur in a forest, the lesson also provides students informational facts about highlighted species found in H.J. Andrews. This station explores the concept of biodiversity within a forest ecosystem, focusing mainly on the diversity of trees and shrubs. Plant identification also allows students to use their observations and take notes to strengthen their senses and learn how scientists identify and categorize plant organisms. This lesson aimed to introduce students to the complexity of a forest ecosystem and how their own lives fit into the web of life.
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