Welcome to the Wildfire Ecology module. Our focus is on interpreting large data sets of wildfires in Idaho. We will be exploring key variables related to wildfire risk, and investigating questions about relationships between human activity, invasive plants, and wildfire outcomes. Data analysis tools include CODAP and pivot tables in Google Sheets.
After viewing the intro video / slides, but before looking closely at the data, share your initial thoughts about EACH of the three essential questions via the provided Padlet corresponding to your grade level workshop (linked below).
Spend about 1 hour working on either (or both) of the following two methods for describing wildfire data.
Access and download the Idaho Wildfires data as a .csv file, and upload it to CODAP [it will prompt you to sample the data - here is a how-to video]. **Be sure to look at the "guide" tab on the original data file to better understand the column headings.** Then answer the following:
Access and make a copy of the Idaho Wildfires data set in Google Sheets. Use pivot tables [how-to video] to answer the following questions:
Recommended: Watch these videos [video 1 and video 2] on how to interpret and work with pivot tables.
Submit a summary of your results via the following Google Form.
Spend about 1 hour working on the following analysis of county-level data about wildfire and related variables.
Download the Idaho Wildfires by County data as a .csv file, and upload it to CODAP. **Be sure to look at the "guide" tab on the original data file to better understand the column headings.**
Calculate new variables in your spreadsheet [how-to video] to help in your analysis, including:
logFires = log(nfires)
logFireArea = log(fireArea)
logPop = log(pop)
percBurned = 100*fireArea/area
Optional: Watch this video on how to interpret a logarithm scale.
Then, answer the following:
Record a brief video of what you did, what you discovered, and what you wondered. Submit your video in Flipgrid.
Spend about 1 hour working on either (or both) of the following two methods for describing Idaho wildfire data.
Access and make a copy of the Idaho Wildfire Causes by County data in Google Sheets. Use sorting and cell functions [how-to video] to answer the following:
Access and download the Idaho Wildfires and Idaho Wildfires by County as .csv files. **Be sure to look at the "guide" tab on the original data file to better understand the column headings.** Upload the data sets to separate CODAP pages, and answer the following:
Optional: Watch this video on interpreting data quality. (Note: indicators of data quality include completeness, timeliness, consistency, accuracy, validity, and interpretability).
Based on your analysis, make one claim about the effects of human activity on wildfire outcomes. Make a slideshow presentation for your claim and supporting evidence (include images, words, statistics, graphs), and use Flipgrid's screen recording feature to record your video [how-to video].
Comment on other participants' video presentations in Flipgrid.
Watch the Flipgrid videos from your peers and provide feedback on at least three. Learn more about how to respond to your peers here.
For more details on the expectations of this feedback, see this rubric.