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Working Trees: Reforestation and Responsible Forestry

Elementary, Middle

Description

Through the material in this guide and accompanying video, students will explore responsible forest management while learning about key science concepts related to ecosystems and environmental sustainability. They will examine the factors that create and maintain a healthy forest, including biodiversity, nutrient cycling, and ecological interactions. Additionally, students will discuss the detrimental effects of deforestation and other human  activities on forest ecosystems, gaining insights into conservation and environmental stewardship.

Students will:

  • learn about photosynthesis to explain the importance of trees.  
  • investigate the ecological importance of cacao plants, which make chocolate. 
  • discover how the cultivation of chocolate from cacao trees has benefited farming practices for generations
  • observe and describe trees and their leaves in their community.  
  • create food webs and discuss energy cycling through an activity based on forest wildlife. 
  • define the layers of the forest and discuss the crucial role of each layer.  
  • investigate the factors that lead to healthy forests.  
  • demonstrate their understanding of forests, tree species, and wildlife by creating a diorama. 

General Assessment

What skills does this resource explicitly teach?

Students develop skills in ecosystem analysis, observation, research, critical thinking, collaboration, sustainable decision-making, and presentation of findings. They also practice identifying species, analyzing human impacts on forests, and applying principles of sustainable forest management.

Strengths

  • A list of vocabulary that pertains to the resource is provided. 
  • Supplemental resources are provided for students. 
  • This resource has hands-on and inquiry-based learning, with opportunities for investigations, outdoor activities, and project work.
  • The resource is well-organized with clear lesson plans, background information, and supporting resources.
  • An extension activity is provided for those wishing to go deeper into the subject. 

Weaknesses

  • This resource offers few opportunities for student choice, as most activities, questions, and outcomes are predetermined by the resource.
  • The resource does not focus on implementing real-world environmental action.
  • Assessment tools are limited in this resource, with few rubrics, self-assessments, or formative assessment strategies provided.

Recommendation of how and where to use it

This resource is best used in Grades 5–8 Science, Environmental Science, or Geography to support units on ecosystems, biodiversity, climate change, sustainability, and natural resources. The lessons can be delivered both in the classroom and outdoors, allowing students to connect scientific concepts to real-world experiences through virtual field trips, tree identification activities, forest investigations, and project-based learning.

Relevant Curriculum Units

The following tool will allow you to explore the relevant curriculum matches for this resource. To start, select a province listed below.

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  • Alberta
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        • Earth Systems: Understandings of the living world, Earth, and space are deepened by investigating natural systems and their interactions.
        • Living Systems: Understandings of the living world, Earth, and space are deepened by investigating natural systems and their interactions
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        • Earth Systems: Understandings of the living world, Earth, and space are deepened through investigating natural systems and their interactions.
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        • Interactions and Ecosystems
        • Plants for Food and Fibre
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        • Science 5: Earth materials change as they move through the rock cycle and can be used as natural resources.
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        • Science 7: Earth and its climate have changed over geological time
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        • Science 5: Living and technological Systems: Learning and Living Sustainably
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        • Wayfinding: Making sense of your world: Learning and Living Sustainably
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        • Science 7: Earth and its climate have changed over geological time
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        • Social Studies 6: Canada & Our Atlantic Neighbours -Resources and Wealth
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        • Science 7: Life Science: Interactions within Ecosystems
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        • Science 5: Earth materials change as they move through the rock cycle and can be used as natural resources.
    • Grade 7
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        • Science 7: Earth and its climate have changed over geological time

Themes Addressed

Citizenship (1)

  • Sustainable Consumption

Ecosystems (3)

  • Appreciating the Natural World
  • Biodiversity
  • Habitat Loss

Land Use & Natural Resources (2)

  • Forests
  • Habitat Restoration

Sustainability Education Principles

Principle Rating Explanation
Consideration of Alternative Perspectives Good

Students explore different perspectives on forest management by considering the needs of ecosystems, wildlife, and people. They examine various solutions and trade-offs, but are not explicitly asked to take and defend an informed position.

Consideration of Alternative Perspectives:
  • Satisfactory: absence of bias towards any one point of view
  • Good: students consider different points of view regarding issues, problems discussed
  • Very good: based on the consideration of different views, students form opinions and  take an informed position
Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions Very Good

The resource examines how forests support ecosystems, wildlife, local livelihoods, and climate goals, while exploring the impacts of different management practices. Students are encouraged to see how environmental, economic, and social factors are connected when making decisions about forest management.

Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions:

Effectively addresses the environmental, economic and social dimensions of the issue(s) being explored.

  • Satisfactory: resource supports the examination of  these dimensions
  • Good:  resource explicitly examines the interplay of these dimensions
  • Very Good:  a systems-thinking approach is encouraged to examine these three dimensions
Respects Complexity Very Good

Students explore forest management as a complex challenge involving biodiversity, climate change, wildlife habitat, human needs, and sustainable resource use. 

Respects Complexity:

The complexity of the problems/issues being discussed is respected.

Acting on Learning Satisfactory

Taking action is part of the resourc as students learn about responsible forest management, stewardship, and ways people can help protect forests. However, students are not required to implement projects that result in measurable change.

Acting on Learning:

Learning moves from understanding  issues  to working towards positive change — in personal lifestyle, in school, in the community,  or for the planet

  • Satisfactory: action opportunities are included as extensions 
  • Good: action opportunities are core components of the resource
  • Very Good: action opportunities for students are well supported and intended to result in observable, positive change
Values Education Good

Students have opportunities to share their ideas and opinions during discussions about forest health, conservation, and responsible forest management. 

Values Education:

Students are explicitly provided with opportunities to identify, clarify and express their own beliefs/values.

Empathy & Respect for Humans Poor/Not considered

This is not a focus of this resource.

Empathy & Respect for Humans: Empathy and respect are fostered for diverse groups of humans (including different genders, ethnic groups, sexual preferences, etc.).
Personal Affinity with Earth Very Good

The resource builds appreciation for forests through outdoor investigations, tree identification activities, stewardship discussions, and direct observation of local ecosystems. Students are encouraged to respectfully interact with and care for the natural world, not just learn about it.

Personal Affinity with Earth:

Encourages a personal affinity with -the natural world.  

  • Satisfactory: connection is made to the natural world
  • Good: fosters appreciation/concern for the natural world
  • Very Good: fosters stewardship though practical and respectful experiences out-of-doors 
Locally-Focused Learning Very Good

The resource connects learning to students’ local environment through tree identification, forest observations, and investigations of trees in their own community. Students are encouraged to learn outdoors and apply what they learn directly to the forests and green spaces around them.

Locally-Focused Learning:

Includes learning experiences that take advantage of issues/elements within the local community. 

  • Satisfactory: learning is made relevant to the lives of the learners
  • Good: learning is made relevant and has a local focus
  • Very Good: learning is made relevant, local and takes place ‘outside’ , in the community 
Past, Present & Future Good

The resource helps students understand current challenges facing forests and explores how human activities have affected forest ecosystems over time. It also promotes a positive vision for the future by highlighting reforestation, sustainable forestry practices, and the role people can play in protecting forests for future generations.

Past, Present & Future: Promotes an understanding of the past, a sense of the present, and a positive vision for the future.

Pedagogical Approaches

Principle Rating Explanation
Open-Ended Instruction Good

Students investigate open-ended questions about forest health, biodiversity, and sustainable forest management, where multiple solutions and perspectives are possible. The resource encourages inquiry, discussion, and problem-solving rather than leading students to a single "right" answer.

Open-Ended Instruction :

Lessons are structured so that multiple/complex answers are possible; students are not steered toward one 'right' answer.

Integrated Learning Good

The resource combines science, geography, environmental education, and citizenship as students explore forests, sustainability, and climate change. The learning connects concepts and skills from multiple subject areas.

Integrated Learning:

Learning brings together content and skills  from more than one  subject area

  • Satisfactory: content from a number of different  subject areas is readily identifiable
  • Good:  resource is appropriate for use in more than one subject area
  • Very Good:  the lines between subjects are blurred 
Inquiry Learning Satisfactory

Students investigate questions and challenges related to forest health and sustainability through guided activities and inquiry. The teacher provides the questions and structure, while students explore solutions and build understanding.

Inquiry Learning:

Learning is directed by questions, problems, or challenges that students work to address.   

  • Satisfactory: Students are provided with questions/problems to solve and some direction on how to arrive at solutions.
  • Good: students, assisted by the teacher clarify the question(s) to ask and the process to follow to arrive at solutions.  Sometimes referred to as Guided Inquiry
  • Very Good:  students generate the questions and assume much of the responsibility for how to solve them.  . Sometimes referred to as self-directed learning.

 

Differentiated Instruction Good

The resource includes a variety of instructional activities that support visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners, however specific strategies for students with diverse learning needs are not provided.

Differentiated Instruction:

Activities address a range of student learning styles, abilities and readiness.

  • Satisfactory:  includes a variety of instructional approaches
  • Good: addresses  the needs of visual, auditory &  kinesthetic learners
  • Very Good: also includes strategies for learners with difficulties
Experiential Learning Very Good

Students engage in authentic learning through outdoor tree identification, forest observations, and investigations of local ecosystems. The resource extends learning beyond the classroom and connects concepts directly to real forests and environmental issues in their community.

Experiential Learning:

Authentic learning experiences are provided

  • Satisfactory: learning takes place through ‘hands-on’ experience or simulation
  • Good: learning involves direct experience in a ‘real world context’
  • Very good: learning involves ‘real world experiences’ taking place’ beyond the school walls.
Cooperative Learning Satisfactory

Students will work in groups. 

Cooperative Learning:

Group and cooperative learning strategies are a priority.

  • Satisfactory:  students work in groups
  • Good: cooperative learning skills are explicitly taught and practiced
  • Very Good: cooperative learning skills are explicitly taught, practiced and assessed
Assessment & Evaluation Satisfactory

The resource includes discussion questions, guided viewing questions, worksheets, observations, and a Kahoot review that can be used to monitor student understanding. However, it does not provide formal assessment tools such as rubrics, checklists, self-assessments, or clear summative assessment criteria.

Assessment & Evaluation: Tools are provided that help students and teachers to capture formative and summative information about students' learning and performance. These tools may include reflection questions, checklists, rubrics, etc.
Peer Teaching Satisfactory

Students share their ideas and findings through discussions, group activities, and the final forest diorama project. 

Peer Teaching:

Provides opportunities for students to actively present their knowledge and skills to peers and/or act as teachers and mentors.

  • Satisfactory: incidental teaching that arises from cooperative learning, presentations, etc.
  • Good or Very Good: an opportunity is intentionally created to empower students to teach other students/community members. The audience is somehow reliant on the students' teaching (students are not simply ‘presenting')
Case Studies Good

The resource includes real-world examples from reforestation projects, sustainable cacao production in Brazil, and The Nature Conservancy's forestry work in North and South America. 

Case Studies:

Relevant case studies are included.  Case studies are thorough descriptions of real events from real situations that students use to explore  concepts in an authentic context.

Locus of Control Satisfactory

Students have some opportunities to make choices during investigations and project work, such as selecting trees to study or how to design their diorama. However, the resource provides limited choice in the content, learning process, or direction of inquiry.

Locus of Control: Meaningful opportunities are provided for students to choose elements of program content, the medium in which they wish to work, and/or to go deeper into a chosen issue.

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