Module 1: Our Forests Introduction

What causes certain parts of the forest to have different types of plants than other parts of the forest?

Lesson 1.1: Social Emotional Learning on Fire

Acknowledges prior experiences around forest fires.

Lesson 1.2: Our Forests Introduction

Students are introduced to a plant diversity phenomena and their role as community scientists in the Our Forests program.

Lesson 2.1: Pre-Lesson to Forest Investigation on Tree Density

Students will prepare to collect tree density and diversity data and they will gain an understanding of plant structures and how those structures help the plant survive.

Lesson 2.2: Forest Investigation on Tree Density and Diversity

Students collect data on tree density and diversity in their Our Forest plots and begin to understand what tree density for forest health. Students will conduct personal forest investigations that are self-guided.

Lesson 2.3: Data Analysis on Tree Density and Diversity

Students analyze their tree density and diversity data set and build their understanding about how different parts of the forest vary in density and diversity.

Lesson 2.4: Yosemite Tree Density

Students will explore the concept of forest density in Yosemite through historical texts, photographs, and data tables and graphs.

Module 3: Shrub Diversity

What does the number of kinds of shrubs (diversity) and the amount of shrubs (density) mean for the health of our forest?

Lesson 3.1: Pre-Lesson to Forest Investigation on Shrub Diversity

Students will gain a basic understanding of shrubs  and their role in the forest.

Lesson 3.2:  Forest Investigation on Shrubs

Students collect data on shrubs in their forest plots and explore the greater forest gaining further understanding of the role of shrubs and the potential impacts of non-native shrubs species. 

Lesson 3.3: Data Analysis on Shrubs 

Students will analyze their shrub diversity data in the classroom and build their understanding around the connection between forest health and shrub diversity.

Lesson 3.4: Community Partner Lesson

Students revisit their forest experiences, including their observations and questions to send to their community partner as a class.

Module 4: Understory Plant Diversity

What does the number of kinds of understory plants (diversity) mean for the health of our forest?

Lesson 4.1:  Pre-Lesson to Forest Investigation on Understory Plant Diversity

Students prepare to measure understory plant diversity in their forest plots and to think about what forest management will mean for their forest site.

Lesson 4.2:  Forest Investigation on Understory Plant Diversity

Students collect data on understory plant diversity and will also gain experience presenting information about their forest site by sharing what they have learned about their plots to their classmates.

Lesson 4.3: Data Analysis on Understory Plant Diversity

Students will analyze and make sense of their understory plant diversity data.

Module 5: Community Partner Share-Out

What causes certain parts of the forest to have different types of plants than other parts of the forest?

Lesson 5.1:  Sharing What We Learned

Students design and create a meaningful presentation that can be in multiple or different formats for a variety of audiences.