Wisconsin K-12 Forestry Lesson Guide

The LEAF Wisconsin K-12 Forestry Education Lesson Guide includes complete interdisciplinary units for teaching Students about forests and forestry in Wisconsin. 

Subject areas addressed in the lessons include Arts, English Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies. The Wisconsin Model Academic Standards and H. Gardner's Multiple Intelligences Theory were referenced during the development of the guide. The LEAF Lesson Guide is based on principles outlined in the LEAF Conceptual Guide To K-12 Forestry Education in Wisconsin.

Unit-Based Lessons The unit-based lessons are divided by grade levels: K-1, 2-3, 4, 5-6, 7-8, and 9-12. Lessons build upon one another to provide connectivity in the students' educational experience. When taught as a unit, these lessons provide students a well-rounded understanding of forestry in Wisconsin. You may find that they are also effective when taught individually and integrated with other classroom material. Each lesson includes an introduction, step-by-step procedure for activities, and a conclusion. Formative assessment is woven throughout each lesson. Questions with answers are provided to help teachers follow the level of understanding of students. Summative assessment ideas are listed at the end of each lesson. Suggested activities have students apply what they have learned in a new way.

Careers Exploration There are hundreds of interesting and exciting forestry-related careers. In each lesson you will find a career profile of a forestry professional working in Wisconsin. Use these profiles to help students explore careers by reading them aloud, copying and handing them out, or creating a bulletin board. At the end of each unit is a careers activity that utilizes the career profiles from the unit.

Field Enhancements Take your students outside for some hands-on learning and fun with forestry field enhancements. Each unit contains at least three field enhancements that can be done in your schoolyard or school forest. These activities are designed to enhance the classroom lessons by adding tactile elements and exploration. 

The Urban Forest Lesson Guide helps Wisconsin teachers educate students about the value of and need for our urban forests. Additionally, the Urban Forest Lesson Guide can help teachers in urban areas teach the importance of forests in general by using familiar urban forest surroundings to engage students and ultimately make the Wisconsin K-12 Forestry Lesson Guide units more relevant.

Wisconsin K-12 Wildland Fire Lesson Guide

This guide supplements the Wisconsin K-12 Forestry Education Lesson Guide. Ninety percent of all forest-related fires in Wisconsin are started by humans. Education is a key prevention tool to develop an informed and caring citizenry that will take action to prevent useless fires and who support the use of prescribed burning as a management tool.

This lesson guide focuses on the economic, social, and ecological implications of wildland fire in Wisconsin. This guide includes one age-appropriate lesson for each LEAF Unit (K-1, 2-3, 4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-12). The lessons teach processes and skills and include online resources.