United States Department of Agriculture FireWorks Curriculum Forest Service Featuring Ponderosa, Lodgepole, and Rocky Mountain Whitebark Pine Forests Research Station Fort Collins, CO General Technical Report RMRS- Jane Kapler Smith and GTR-65 Nancy E. McMurray September 2000 Revised Dec. 2002 Abstract Smith, Jane Kapler; McMurray, Nancy E. 2000. FireWorks curriculum featuring ponderosa, lodgepole, and whitebark pine forests. Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS-GTR-65. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 270 p. FireWorks is an educational program for students in grades 1-10. The program consists of the curriculum in this report and a trunk of laboratory materials, specimens, and reference materials. It provides interactive, hands-on activities for studying fire ecology, fire behavior, and the influences of people on three fire-dependent forest types—Pinus ponderosa (ponderosa pine), Pinus contorta var. latifolia (interior lodgepole pine), and Pinus albicaulis (whitebark pine). Wildland fire provides a rich context for education because it promotes understanding and integration of numerous concepts: properties of matter, ecosystem fluctuations and cycles, plant and animal habitat and survival, and human interactions with ecosystems. The curriculum links each activity to national and local educational standards; research has shown it increases student understanding of wildland fire. FireWorks is most appropriate for students in locations where the three featured tree species occur, and it may serve as a prototype for wildland fire education in other geographic areas. Keywords: fire ecology, fire behavior, education, habitat, lodgepole pine, management, ponderosa pine, succession, whitebark pine, wildlife This curriculum is on-line, complete with color graphics, at http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs/rmrs_gtr65.html For assistance in implementing FireWorks: The Internet site www.firelab.org lists FireWorks workshops and locations where trunks are available for loan. A CD-ROM containing the curriculum, posters, booklets, and handouts used in the FireWorks trunk is available from the authors (Jane Kapler Smith, [email protected]; Nancy E. McMurray, [email protected]). Fort Collins Service Center Telephone (970) 498-1392 FAX (970) 498-1396 E-mail rschneider/[email protected] Web site http://www.fs.fed.us/rm Mailing address Publications Distribution Rocky Mountain Research Station 240 W. Prospect Road Fort Collins, CO 80526-2098 Cover photo—Eighth graders investigate convection and the effect of slope on fire spread. Contents Page Levels1 Chapter 1. Introduction …………………………………………………………………………… 1 FireWorks: Why? ………………………………………………………………………….. 1 Goals …………………………………………………………………………….. 2 Fire Ecology Background ………………………………………………………………… 3 Fire in North America …………………………………………………………… 3 Fire in Forests Dominated by Ponderosa, Lodgepole, and Whitebark Pines ………………………………………………… 4 For Teachers ………………………………………………………………………………. 6 How to Select Lessons and Provide and Integrated Program …………….. 6 Links to Educational Standards ………………………………………………. 8 Organization …………………………………………………………………….. 10 Safety …………………………………………………………………………….. 10 Effectiveness ………………………………………………………………………………. 13 A Trunk of Your Own? .…………………………………………………………………… 13 Chapter 2. Getting Acquainted with Fire ……………………………………………………….. 15 Activity 2-1. For Middle and High School: Visiting Wildland Fire …………………….. 18 M,H Activity 2-2. For Elementary: Visiting Wildland Fire …………………………………… 20 E Activity 2-3. Revisiting Wildland Fire ……………………………………………………. 24 M Chapter 3. Burning Questions …………………………………………………………………… 26 Activity 3-1. For Primary and Elementary: Meeting the Fire Triangle ……………….. 27 P,E Activity 3-2. For Middle School: Meeting the Fire Triangle …………………………… 30 M Activity 3-3. Testing the Fire Triangle …………………………………………………… 36 P,E,M Activity 3-4. The Fire Triangle in Wildlands …………………………………………….. 43 M,H Activity 3-5. Bucket Brigade ………………………………………………………………. 49 E,M Activity 3-6. Will It Burn? ………………………………………………………………….. 53 H Activity 3-7. Tinker Tree Derby . …………………………………………………………. 62 M,H Chapter 4. All in One House ………………………………………………………………………. 69 Activity 4-1. What’s a Community? ………………………………………………………. 70 P,E Activity 4-2. Tree Portrait, Plant Portrait …………………………………………………. 74 M Activity 4-3. For Primary: Mystery Trees ………………………………………………… 79 P Activity 4-4. For Elementary and Middle School: Mystery Trees ……………………… 82 E,M Chapter 5. Fire History ……………………………………………………………………………… 90 Activity 5-1. For Elementary: Tree Stories ……………………………………………….. 91 E Activity 5-2. For Middle and High School: Tree Stories ………………………………… 98 M,H Activity 5-3. Repeating the Story? ……………………………………………………… 103 M,H Chapter 6. Tough Plants, Tough Animals ……………………………………………………… 108 Activity 6-1. Dead or Alive! ……………………………………………………………….. 109 E Activity 6-2. For Primary: Buried Treasure ……………………………………………… 113 P Activity 6-3. For Elementary and Middle School: Buried Treasure …………………… 116 E,M Activity 6-4. Tree Skin …………………………………………………………………….. 120 M,H Activity 6-5. Recipe for a Lodgepole Pine Forest ……………………………………… 127 E,M Activity 6-6. Designer Trees ………………………………………………………………. 136 E Activity 6-7. Great Escape ………………………………………………………………… 140 E Chapter 7. Communities in Action ……………………………………………………………….. 143 Activity 7-1. In the Web ……………………………………………………………………. 144 E Activity 7-2. Always Changing ……………………………………………………………. 150 M,H Activity 7-3. Story Time ……………………………………………………………………. 157 P,E Activity 7-4. Puzzling It Out ……………………………………………………………….. 162 M 1 P=Primary, grades 1-2; E=Elementary, grades 3-5; M=Middle, grades 6-8; H=High, grades 9-12. Chapter 8. People in Fire’s Homeland ………………………………………………………….. 166 Activity 8-1. A Matter of Choice …………………………………………………………. 167 M,H Activity 8-2. Houses in the Woods ……………………………………………………… 170 E,M,H Activity 8-3. Living with Fire ……………………………………………………………… 176 M,H Activity 8-4. Smoke: In or Out? ………………………………………………………….. 181 M,H Activity 8-5. You Decide! …………………………………………………………………. 190 M,H Activity 8-6. Value Choices ………………………………………………………………. 195 H Chapter 9. In the Woods …………………………………………………………………………… 199 Activity 9-1. Burned Area Scavenger Hunt ……………………………………………. 200 E Activity 9-2. Woods Hunt ………………………………………………………………… 204 M Literature Cited …………………………………………………………………………………….. 210 Appendices …………………………………………………………………………………………. 211 Appendix 1. Common and Scientific Names of Plants and Fungi …………………………….. 211 Appendix 2. Common and Scientific Names of Animals ………………………………………… 212 Appendix 3. Other Curricula on Wildland Fire ……………………………………………………. 213 Appendix 4. Links to Montana State Educational Standards …………………………………… 214 Appendix 5. Glossary ..………………………………………………………………………………. 239 Appendix 6. List of FireWorks Handouts…….……………………………………………………. 246 Appendix 7. FireWorks Contents and Trunk Checklists ………………………………………… 247 Appendix 8. Assembling a FireWorks Trunk …………………………………………………….. 258 Appendix 9. Blank Form for FireWorks Cookie Book …………………………………………… 270 Acknowledgments We are grateful for the funding and support that have made FireWorks possible. The project has been supported by grants from the National Wildfire Coordinating Group and the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station and Northern and Intermountain Regions. Support from the Bitterroot Ecosystem Management Research Project enabled us to assess the effectiveness of the program. Visualization software was developed by Bob McGaughey, U.S.D.A. Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. Teacher workshops were sponsored by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and Stone Container Corporation. The staff at the Fire Sciences Laboratory, Rocky Mountain Research Station, provided constant help with logistics, computer challenges, supplies, and administration—as well as moral support. We thank Finlay Lumber and Craig Thomas for donated materials. We thank the U.S.D.I. National Park Service (Nez Perce National Historic Site) for use of historic photos. We have been astounded by the generosity and creativity of the many people who have helped us. Thank you! to Mike Ablutz, Ann Acheson, Steve Allison-Bunnell, Mike Anderson, Steve Arno, Susan Arthur, Dave Ashworth, Jeff Barney, Bobbi Bartlette, Jan Bixler, Larry Bradshaw, Jim Brown, Merlin Brown, Jeane Bruton, Dave Bunnell, Milo Burcham, Clint Carlson, Elaine Caton, Mike Chandler, Patti Chism, Michael Christensen, Dave Claman, Jann Clouse, Wayne Cook, Suzette Dailey, Mary Ann Davies, Jack deGolia, Mary Lou deRoulhac, Lara DeShazer, Terry Diamond, Carolyn Durgin, Maureen Edwards, Carl Fiedler, Rick Franke, Greg Fritz, Chelle Fry, D. C. Haas, Susan Hagle, Colin and Conor Hardy, Mick Harrington, Paul Harte, Roberta Hilbruner, Janet Howard, Keith Ivers, Ceci Johnson, Cam Johnston, Greg Jones, Bob Keane, Chuck Keegan, Robin Kent, Bob Kirkendal, Ed Kleiman, Rick Kline, Micha Krebs, Meg Langley, Richard Lasko, Gary Lynam, Anita Maxwell, B. Riley McClelland, Bob McGaughey, Tom McIsaac, Jane Micklus, Lisa Mills, Scott Mincemoyer, Bob Mutch, Jenni Newland, Tricia O’Connor, Charlie Palmer, Dean Pearson, Bill and Mavis Peterson, Jonell Prather, Linda Ries, Elizabeth Reinhardt, Vic Ronck, Frank Rutzke, Kevin Ryan, Joe Scott, Bob Schuette, Gordy Sanders, Tom Schilke, Kathy Scofield, Rob Seli, Elizabeth Sharkey, Dennis Simmerman, Amy and Garon and Kinnerly Smith, Helen Smith, John and Mariah and Natalie Smith, Linda Smith, Wanda Smith, Jane Solem, Paul Sopko, Dave Stalling, Cyndi Stemple, Cathy Stewart, Peter Stickney, MaryAlice Stoner, Matt