Forest Puzzles Exhibit Teachers Guide
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FOREST PUZZLES Teacher’s Guide This packet of information provides resources for your educational field trip to FOREST PUZZLES. The enclosed activities are designed to help you get the most from your visit. Included in this packet are: All About FOREST PUZZLES . page 2 Educational Objectives Brief descriptions of each exhibit. Your Visit to FOREST PUZZLES . page 6 Suggestions for enhancing your museum field trip and directions for using the student worksheets. Things to Explore - Student Activity Sheets . page 7 Age-appropriate activities and questions to answer at the museum for grades 3-5 and grades 6-8. Teacher Answer Keys . page 13 Suggested responses for each Things to Explore Activity Sheet. Classroom Activities . page 16 Your field trip to FOREST PUZZLES can be enhanced with related activities before or after your visit. Glossary . page 20 A list of terms and definitions used in the exhibit. Resources . .page 23 A list of other activity sources and web sites. Evaluation . page 26 Your feedback on the exhibit and this guide is very welcome. Produced by the OREGON MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY with the support of the OREGON FOREST RESOURCES INSTITUTE Written by Victoria Coats Illustrations by Lynn Corona and Alan Echison Graphics by Paula Baer © 1996 Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. All About FOREST PUZZLES Welcome to FOREST PUZZLES, a series of three, 500 square foot interactive exhibits on forestry in the Pacific Northwest. OMSI is pleased to partner with the Oregon Forest Resources Institute in providing this resource for forestry education. Each of the three exhibits focuses on a different aspect of forestry: Forest Cycles examines forest succession, ecology and the practice of silviculture. Forest Management examines some of the resources and values that must be measured and considered in the use of forests. Forest Products explores the technology and use of wood, paper and other products. These exhibits may be displayed together, in pairs or individually. Our forests and their management are a source of ongoing debate and controversy. In FOREST PUZZLES we hope to provide information to all sides of the debate and to engage visitors in thinking more critically about the choices that confront us in managing our forests. Many experts outside the museum assisted in the development and review of this exhibit. An advisory group representing diverse viewpoints met regularly during the development process to plan and evaluate FOREST PUZZLES. Exhibit Advisors Dr. George Brown, College of Forestry, Oregon State University Kate Ferschweiler, Environmental Education Consultant Kate Holleran, Forestry Consultant Pete Kent, World Forestry Center Leslie Lehmann, Oregon Forest Resources Institute Dr. Kim Mattson, Ecologist Russ McKinley, Boise Cascade Corporation Dick Roy, Northwest Earth Institute Examples used in Forest Puzzles are drawn from the Pacific Northwest—home of some of the world's most productive forests. While the examples are specific to Oregon and Washington, the ideas expressed and questions posed also apply to management of natural areas in general. 2 Forest Cycles Explore the Forest Cycles exhibit to learn more about the changes and cycles of life, birth, death and rebirth occurring in Northwest forests. Educational Objectives 1. The visitor will observe and compare examples of succession in Northwest forests. 2. The visitor will observe and compare examples of management for timber production in Northwest forests. 3. The visitor will consider the role of fire in forest succession and management. 4. The visitor will identify the diversity of forests found in the Northwest. 5. The visitor will identify ecological interrelationships found in forests. Exhibits Westside Time Machine Turn the wheel of time to witness one thousand years of change in a western hemlock forest on the west side of the Cascade Mountains. Eastside Time Machine Turn the wheel of time to see how 200 years of natural and human history shape a mixed conifer forest in north- eastern Oregon. Discover how decades of putting out wildfires has changed the natural succession of these forests. Westside Puzzle Fit together five puzzle pieces to see one cycle of even-aged forest management for intensive timber production. Discover one of the many ways of managing a Douglas-fir forest west of the Cascades. Eastside Puzzle Fit together five puzzle pieces to show one cycle of uneven-aged forest management to produce large old trees and fire-resistant conditions. Discover one of the many ways of managing a ponderosa pine forest east of the Cascades. Find the Forests Match clues and photographs to forest regions of Oregon and Washington. Find all nine major forest types for a complete picture of the Pacific Northwest. Fire, A Force of Nature View "before" and "after" photographs to discover how fire and fire-fighting has shaped our forests. Vole's Eye View Open doors to look behind the scenery and see a few of the vital interrelationships that run the forest. Find the connections between tree voles, truffles and Douglas-fir trees. 3 Forest Management Human decisions, laws and values determine the future of our forests. Explore the Forest Management exhibit to learn about the questions we ask, the data we collect and the factors we consider in managing our forests. Educational Objectives 1. The visitor will consider six major forest management goals: tree growth, soils, water, habitat, recreation and cultural resources. 2. The visitor will measure his or her personal use of wood products. 3. The visitor will observe tools used to collect data from forests. 4. The visitor will consider the major questions presented in forest management. Exhibits Promote Tree Growth See "before" and "after" scenes that show how weeding out competing plants promotes the growth of preferred trees. Compare a westside Douglas-fir forest with an eastside ponderosa pine forest. Sheltering Soil Study a forest scene to find connections between the soil and the forest. Open three doors for more ideas about forest soils. Water Ways Trace the cycle of a raindrop from the sky, to the soil, through a tree, and back to the sky. Find out how the canopy, the forest floor, the soil, the roots and the leaves all affect this cycle. Home is Where the Habitat Is Choose the food, shelter and water required for an animal's habitat. See if your choices fit the answer "key" for a beaver, black bear, mule deer, woodpecker or banana slug. Forest Fun Turn the wheels to see many kinds of recreation in the forest. Discover people of all ages and abilities enjoying our forests. Time Treasures Picture some of the cultural and historical treasures found in our forests. See artifacts left by American Indians, early settlers and other forest dwellers. Supply and Demand Use a scale to weigh the number of trees it takes to make a house, build a deck or supply one person with paper for a year. Also, compare the average amount of wood each person in the world uses each day to the average amount one American uses! Tree Tools See an assortment of the tools used to collect and analyze field data. Find out what a GIS map is, how a biltmore stick is used, and what an increment borer does. Forest Manager Ask a few of the questions a forest manager might and discover who offers expert advice. How might a hydrologist, ecologist, timber practices lawyer or road engineer help you? 4 Forest Products Investigate the Forest Products exhibit to find out about our use of wood, paper and other products. Discover more about the value and the cost of using wood in the manufacture of many things. Educational Objectives 1. The visitor will compare properties of Northwest hardwoods and softwoods. 2. The visitor will observe technologies that improve efficiency of wood use and production. a. engineered wood products b. recycled wood products c. laser and computer sawmill technology d. recycled paper products 3. The visitor will compare wood to steel as a building material. 4. The visitor will consider the prevalence of wood products in our present society. 5. The visitor will identify special (other than timber) forest products, such as edible mushrooms, greenery, firewood, etc. Exhibits Wood Works Press down on levers to test the flexibility of lumber placed on face, on end and on edge. Use a magnifier to examine stain on hardwoods and softwoods. Square "Pegs" from Round "Wholes" Fit square lumber blocks into a round log to determine the most cost-effective way to cut a log into lumber. High-Tech Sawmill See how laser and computer technology facilitate the high-speed and accuracy of cutting logs into lumber. Less is More Observe, touch and compare samples of engineered, recycled and solid wood products. Find out how small trees may be used to make large wood products. Focus on Fibers Look at paper samples under a microscope to observe and compare paper fibers. Find out why sorting paper pays off in recycling. How Green is Wood? Use a scale to compare the amount of energy needed to build a wall with wood studs or with steel studs. Where’s the Wood? Match familiar and unusual wood products to their source in a tree's bark, pulp or solid wood. Fabrics, medicines, plastics and even baby food may be derived from trees. Special Forest Products Take a tour via computer of the many valued products other than timber that are found in our forests. Mushrooms, huckleberries, beargrass and firewood are among these special forest products. 5 Your Visit To FOREST PUZZLES Educational research has identified the following recommendations for making the most of your field trip. • Student knowledge of field trip setting and agenda is important. Studies suggest that children in a novel environment initially focus their attention on learning about the setting rather than the instructional material.