Module 1: Different Burn Phenomena and Our Forest Framing

Why do some forests burn all the way and others don’t? How can we take care of our forests so they don’t burn all the way?

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 fire behavior phenomena and their role as community scientists in the Our Forests program.

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

Students prepare to measure tree density with diameter at breast height (DBH) tapes and explain the role of tree density in  fire behavior. 

Lesson 2.2: Forest Investigation on Tree Density

Students collect data on tree density and identify trees in their Our Forest plots and begin to understand what tree density means for fire behavior.

Lesson 2.3: Data Analysis on Tree Density

Students analyze their tree density data set and build their understanding about how fire behaves at their forest site by forming evidence-based claims. 

Lesson 2.4: Yosemite Tree Density

Students will use historical and present-day data from forests in Yosemite to define high severity fire, analyze and interpret data, and evaluate claims about cause and effect.

Module 3: Dead and Downed Woody Debris in Our Forests

What do different forest fuels tell us about fire behavior? How do we manage forest fuels for human safety? 

Lesson 3.1: Pre-Lesson to Forest Investigation on Forest Fuels

Students identify different forest fuels and learn to measure a specific type called dead, downed, woody debris (DDWD).

Lesson 3.2:  Forest Investigation on Forest Fuels

Students collect data on DDWD in their Our Forest plots and begin to understand what forest fuels means for fire behavior. 

Lesson 3.3: Data Analysis on Forest Fuels 

Students will analyze their DDWD data in the classroom and build their understanding about how fire behaves. They will supplement their analysis with information about prescribed fires, a forest management technique that helps reduce the amount of fuels on the forest floor.

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: Ladder Fuels in Our Forests

What do different forest fuels tell us about fire behavior? How do we manage forest fuels for human safety?

Lesson 4.1:  Pre-Lesson to Forest Investigation on Ladder Fuels

Students prepare to measure percent cover of ladder fuels and think about what forest management will mean for their forest site.

Lesson 4.2:  Forest Investigation on Ladder Fuels

Students collect data on a type of the coverage of shrubs and the canopy layer, and culminate their forest experiences with a share-out about their plot.

Lesson 4.3: Data Analysis on Ladder Fuels

Students will analyze their ladder fuel data in the classroom and build their understanding about how fire behaves and the potential for high intensity catastrophic fire at their forest site. Students will supplement their analysis with information about hand thinning, a forest management technique that helps reduce the amount of fuels on the forest floor.

Module 5: Community Partner Share-Out

Why do some forests burn all the way and others don’t? How can we take care of our forests so they don’t burn all the way?

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.