Maryland’s Forest Lands and the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
(from “Mr. Besley’s Forest” 2015)
Fourth Grade Humanities Unit
4th Grade Maryland Present Humanities Unit Lesson – Riparian Forest Buffers
Lesson: (3-4 Days)
Essential Questions:
How do forest buffers benefit the Chesapeake Bay?
How does the Chesapeake Bay impact life in Maryland?
Desired Results
Students will explain how forests effect the health of the Chesapeake Bay.
Students will synthesize information to present ways to promote forest health in Maryland.
Social Studies Objectives:
  • Students will be able to explain the roles that forests play in the health of the Chesapeake Bay.
  • Students will investigate the current status of the Riparian Forest Buffer along the Chesapeake Bay.
  • Students will describe the characteristics of a healthy forest and how forests can be harmed.
Social Studies skills and processes:
  • Use a graphic organizer or another note-taking technique to record important ideas or information. (6.A.3)
    Gather and read appropriate print sources, such as textbooks, government documents, timelines, trade books and web sites.(6.D.1.a)
/ ELA Objective(s):
Reading Informational
  • Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences. (R14.1)
  • Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text. (RI4.2)
  • Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words or phrases in a text relevant to a grade 4 topic or subject area. (RI4.4)
  • Integrate information from two texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably. (RI.4.9)
Writing
  • Write informative pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information. (W4.1)

Background:
The Chesapeake Bay is an estuary, a body of water formed where freshwater from rivers and streams flows into the ocean, mixing with sea water. The 200-mile-long estuary runs from Havre de Grace, Maryland to Norfolk, Virginia and is part of 50 major rivers and streams that pour into the bay each day, and the creeks that feed those rivers and streams. Maryland owns more shoreline along the bay than any other state.
The Chesapeake Bay affects Maryland in many ways. Many plants and animals depend on the condition of the bay and much income is generated from resources found in and around it.
Forests are critical to the health of the Chesapeake Bay. Large stands of trees can protect clean water and air, provide habitat to wildlife and support the region’s economy. Riparian forest buffers are areas of forested land adjacent to streams, rivers, marshes or shoreline that form the transition between land and water environments. Although riparian areas comprise only about 5 to 10 percent of the land in the watershed, they play an important role in maintaining the health of the Bay.
Forests are the most effective type of riparian buffer available. Riparian forest buffers improve water quality while providing habitat for wildlife and fish. But human activities have altered the watershed’s forests, reducing tree cover and fragmenting forests that still exist. Conserving and expanding forest cover is a critical, cost-effective way to reduce pollution and restore the Bay.

FACTS ABOUT FORESTS IN THE BAY WATERSHED
  • The Bay watershed now loses forestland at the rate of 100 acres each day.
  • Forests also lack regionally coordinated forestland conservation, restoration, and stewardship plans, making them more vulnerable to fragmentation, haphazard development, and invasive species, as well as less likely to be well managed.
  • Forests protect and filter drinking water for 76% of the Bay watershed’s residents (more than 11 million people).
  • As they grown, forests and tree canopies absorb and store air pollutants that can induce asthma, cancer and other health problems.
  • Each year, Chesapeake forests contribute at least $24 billion to the Bay watershed in ecological services such as wildlife habitat, recreation, air and water filtration, and flood control.
  • The forest products industry annually contributes $22 billion to the Bay watershed economy and is an important source of jobs and income for many communities.
  • Forests are the most effective type of riparian buffer available. Riparian forest buffers improve water quality while providing habitat for wildlife and fish.

Vocabulary
Bay - an area of water bordered by land on three sides. Bays generally have calmer waters than the surrounding sea due to the surrounding land blocking some waves and often reducing wind.
Canopy - The top layer of a forest. The canopy shades and protects the plants and animals below it, while intercepting and slowing rainfall.
Chesapeake Bay – The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States.
Development – the act or process of growth.
Forest - a large area covered chiefly with trees and undergrowth.
Midstory – those trees beneath the canopy that are waiting to become the canopy.
Riparian Forest Buffer - Trees, shrubs and other vegetation located along the edge of rivers, streams and other waterways that filter pollution, prevent erosion and provide wildlife habitat.
Understory- The layer of forest located underneath the canopy. Here, smaller trees and shrubs grow, replacing older trees as they die.
LEARNING PLAN
Materials:
Day 1:
Pre-Assessment
Projector
Chesapeake Bay Map
Copies of the article “About the Bay: More than just the Bay”
Forest Layer word cards

Day 2:
Video “Mr. Besley’s Big Tree Champions”
Individual computers with internet access or computer with projector
Website:
Advantages/Disadvantages recording sheet
PROCEDURE:
Day 1
  1. The teacher will pre-assess student knowledge about the Chesapeake Bay and/or the effect of forests on the Bay. (Pre-Assessment)
  2. The teacher will show the Chesapeake Bay Map on the projector.
  3. Students read the article
  4. Ask students to think-pair-share about other things that can impact the health of the Chesapeake Bay.
  5. Post the words shrub, groundcover, canopy and mid-story on the board. Ask students to put the words in order. If students are confused let them discuss or pass cards out to the groups and let them put them in any order and explain their criteria.
  6. Ask students to define the word forest. Remind them to think of forests they have visited.
  7. Have students work in groups to create a list of the importance of forests. Be sure answers include recreation, economic benefits, animal habitats, etc. Ask how forests could be important to the health of the bay.
  1. Show movie about forest buffers.
Have students take notes on three things that are important about forest buffers. Discuss. (Student note sheet)
  1. Chart questions the students have about the relationship between forests and the Chesapeake Bay.
Day 2 & 3
  1. Teacher will show the video “Mr. Besley’s Big Tree Champions”.
  2. Tell students that the bay is a very important issue in Maryland because many people want to capitalize on what the bay has to offer. Ask students to share what those things are. Be sure to include waterfront properties, seafood, lumber, transportation, tourism.
  3. Bring up the website (or have individual computers with internet access)
  4. Break students into small groups and use the pictures to have them infer how the bay has been shaped by the people around it. Record the advantages and disadvantages of development around the bay using the student recording sheet.
  5. Tell students that these issues are still in discussion today. Ask them to think abou what they learned about forest buffers. Have students share about forests that are close to their homes or school.
  6. Ask what suggestions they would give to adults about things they could do using trees to improve the health of the bay.
  7. Give students the project list and rubrics. Students may work individually or in small groups to create a project to inform/convince adults how to utilize trees to in their communities to improve the health of the Chesapeake Bay, why it is important and where they could go for more information.

Technology






(Mr. Besley’s Big Tree Champions video)
(maps of state parks and forests)
Additional Resources
Teacher Materials
“Mr. Besley’s Forest” (24 minutes) available on CD or download.
*Created specifically for a documentary about Maryland’s first State Forest entitled “Mr. Besley’s Forest” by Cheryle Franceschi.
*Curriculum writer - Ivy Allgeier.