Response of Bison to Fire

This lesson is available with permission from The Prairie Project.


RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS

In this activity, students develop a map that reflects the spatial and temporal responses of bison to prescribed fires that have occurred on The Nature Conservancy's Tallgrass Prairie Preserve. Students use Global Positioning System [GPS] data from bison along with a map delineating the boundaries of the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve's "bison unit" and "winter burn units (2009)."


Resources

"GIS" Map That Is "Ready to Go" - Use the following link (share it with your students) if you would like to skip the steps necessary to create map layers using bison GPS data files: https://sites.google.com/view/jenksferst/gubernatores-ignis/response-of-bison-to-fire/ready-to-go-map-for-the-response-of-bison-to-fire-activity This link is also a good reference for instructors that would like to see an example of a correctly completed student map.

Student Worksheet - Use this link to download the "Response of Bison to Fire" student worksheet as a Word document. Feel free to make any adjustments necessary for your class.

Student Worksheet Key - Use this link to download the KEY for the "Response of Bison to Fire" student worksheet as a Word document. Feel free to make any adjustments necessary for your class.

Slideshow Presentation - Use this link to download the "Response of Bison to Fire" slideshow as a PowerPoint presentation. Feel free to make any adjustments necessary for your class

Slideshow Presentation Script - Use this link to download the "Response of Bison to Fire" slideshow script as a Word document. Feel free to make any adjustments necessary for your class.


Student Worksheet Submission - If you would like to include your information and Google form submission link with this activity, contact Bryan Yockers at yockfire@gmail.com, and he will assist you with the "set up" so that your information is available in a format similar to the examples below.

Bryan Yockers

Jenks High School

AP Environmental Science

Bryan Kearns

Dobyns-Bennett High School

Fire Science

Submission Link

Tanner Culbreath

Jenks High School

Environmental Science

Submission Link



Student Version of the Slideshow Presentation

Response of Bison to Fire - Presentation


Instructions for Preparing Files for Map Development

The following files contain locations for 3 GPS-collared bison (#149, #150, and #155) during the months of March, April, and May of 2009. Each file must be downloaded as an Excel file and, then, saved as a Google Sheets file in your Google Drive. Once the files are in Google Drive, they can be uploaded to your Google Map for this activity. A demonstration video has been provided.

TPP - Bison GPS Locations - March

TPP - Bison GPS Locations - April

TPP - Bison GPS Locations - May


Instructions for Producing the Map

The video to the right demonstrates the procedure necessary to produce the bison fire response map using simple geographic information system [GIS] tools included with Google Maps.