Project Learning Tree Secondary Module
Southeastern Forests and Climate Change
PINEMAP has partnered with Project Learning Tree to develop, test, produce, and deliver a new
secondary environmental education module, Southeastern Forests and Climate Change. This module provides educators with the necessary information and resources to engage secondary students in lessons about climate change, forest ecosystems, the carbon cycle, pine tree genetics, modeling, and life cycle assessments. The module explores these concepts in 14 experiential activities that are based on PINEMAP’s interdisciplinary research. The activities incorporate technology, data analysis, critical thinking, and systems thinking skills to encourage students to understand the connections between human, biological, and physical systems.
The module website (http://sfrc.ufl.edu/extension/ee/climate) provides online access to the activities and includes supplemental materials and resources. Educators will find teacher tools including audio-visual tours of the activities that include tips for leading, quizzes that gauge content comprehension prior to teaching each lesson, and videos and interactive tools that provide background information for each activity. Activity webpages also include download options for slide presentations and student worksheets in modifiable format so that educators can adapt the materials to better meet their needs. Go to the website and register online today to access all of the activities and educational resources for free!
The activities are designed for students in grades 9 through 12, though can b
e easily adapted for middle school or college students. With its application of climate change to forest ecosystems and management, this module is best suited for use by life science, biology, agriculture, and environmental science teachers. To help educators address curriculum standards, each activity has been correlated to the Next Generation Science Standards and the Project Learning Tree Conceptual Framework.
This module is designed to help students
- Understand how climate change could impact forests in the southeastern U.S.;
- Understand how forests can be managed to address changing climate conditions and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions;
- Enhance decision-making skills to make informed choices as consumers to mitigate climate change;
- Develop systems thinking skills to see connections between climate change, forests, and people;
- Recognize that individual and community actions can help mitigate and adapt to climate change; and
- Become part of future community conversations about climate change and potential solutions.
The module will be evaluated with teachers in the Southeast in spring 2015. If you would like to use this resource in your classroom and participate in the evaluation, please visit our website and fill out the Contact Us form to receive more information http://sfrc.ufl.edu/extension/ee/climate/contact/.
