Forestry Project Based Learning Experience

Middle School Forestry Project Based Learning Experience

Description: This unit is designed for either 7th or 8th-grade science. The overarching theme of the unit is for students to answer the driving question, 'How are forests similar and different from one another'. However, this is very loose and can be adjusted to the individual classroom. There are 3 main parts to the unit.

Part 1:   During part 1 of this unit, students will learn that they are joining a citizen science project to collect forestry data for a local organization. They will then work to learn about the importance of forestry, how to collect forestry data, and practice their new skills. During part 1, there is an option to run an ‘expert day’ where the teacher can choose to invite local community members with forestry experience to come to the school and teach the students about how to collect forestry data. If you do not choose to use this option, you will have to teach the forestry techniques yourself.

Part 2: During part 2 of this unit, students will use their new skills to collect forestry data in a real world place of your choosing. You should have an area in mind, local forest, local mountain, state park etc. Make sure to obtain all necessary permissions before planning your field trip. This can also be conducted at a specific location on your school’s campus. You will also want to pre-think about what questions you might want students to be able to ask after they complete their data collection. So will they be comparing data with other groups? Will there be a difference in the areas that they collect data in? Will they compare different elevations (say if you choose a mountain)? Will they compare the field trip location to your school location? Will you take 2 field trips to different locations?

Part 3: During part 3, students will return to the classroom, learn about big data, how to organize their collected data, analyze that data, and then report out their findings. The students will be able to look at all of their collected data and determine a question that they can answer with their data. They will then create a final presentation based on their chosen question. 

Standards Addressed

Part 1 and Part 2:

MS-ESS3-3. Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.

Part 3:

MS-LS2-4 Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations.