Topic: Introduction to Temperate Deciduous Forests

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Guiding Questions:

The forests in Georgia are temperate deciduous forests. Discovery Woods is a temperate deciduous forest.

  1. Where are temperate deciduous forests located?
  2. Describe the climate in temperate deciduous forests.
  3. Briefly describe the plants and animals found in temperate deciduous forests.
  4. What threatens these forests?

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Topic: Native Species

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Guiding Questions:

  1. What is a “native” species?
  2. Name one native plant, tree and animal of Georgia.
  3. What is an “invasive” or “nonnative” species?
  4. Why are “invasive” or “nonnative” species a threat to forests?

Sources for Research:

  • Native Trees of Georgia and Invasive Plants on Georgia’s Forests (Georgia Forestry Commission)

Topic: Wildfires

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Guiding Questions:

  1. What is a wildfire or forest fire?
  2. What causes a wildfire?
  3. How do they impact a forest and its plants and animals?
  4. How do firefighters put out wildfires?

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Topic: Prescribed Fire

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Guiding Questions:

  1. What is a prescribed fire or a controlled burn?
  2. When is fire necessary?
  3. How can fire help a forest?
  4. Who starts a prescribed fire and how is it controlled?
  5. How many acres of U.S. forests were burned in 2013?

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Topic: Changing Color of Leaves

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Guiding Questions:

  1. Why do the leaves change color in fall?
  2. What color pigment do all leaves contain?
  3. How does temperature and weather affect the changing colors of the leaves?
  4. Why do the colored leaves fall off the trees?

Sources for Research:

  • Science Lab activity “Signs of Fall” – Ms. Rose will provide background information

Topic: Georgia’s Champion Tree Program

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Guiding Questions:

  1. What is the Georgia Champion Tree Program?
  2. How do you measure a tree? What is an inclinometer?
  3. Name and describe two native Champion Trees in our county of Georgia.
  4. How big is the largest Champion Tree in Georgia and where is it located?

Sources for Research:

  • *see last section called Measuring Instruments

Topic: Importance of the Forest

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Guiding Questions:

  1. Why are forests important?
  2. Why are Georgia forests economically valuable?
  3. How do forests protect against erosion?
  4. What is the recreational value of the forest?

Sources for Research:

  • Science Lab Activity – We All Need Trees

Topic: Protecting the Forest

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Guiding Questions:

  • What are two major threats to a forest?
  • How do insect pests affect the forest?
  • How are forest fires managed to minimize damage to a forest?

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Topic: Types of Forests: Hardwood vs. Softwood

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Guiding Questions:

  • What is a hardwood forest?
  • Where are hardwood forests located in the United States?
  • What types of trees grow in a hardwood forest?
  • What is a softwood forest?
  • Where are softwood forests located in the United States?
  • What types of trees grow in a softwood forest?

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Topic: Tree Cookies

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Guiding Questions:

  1. What is a tree cookie? Why do foresters and arborists use tree cookies?
  2. How does a tree grow? What is the difference between “early wood/Spring wood” and “late wood/Summer wood”?
  3. How long does it take for most trees to grow to their full size?
  4. How long do most trees live?
  5. How can you determine the age of a tree when it was cut AND while the tree is still standing?

Sources for Research:

  • Science Lab Activities – Tree Cookies and Core Samples (cheat sheet)

Topic: Tree Cookies: Growth Conditions

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Guiding Questions:

  1. Name three conditions that affect the growth of trees.
  2. What causes each environmental condition?
  3. How does each environmental condition affect tree growth?
  4. Describe the affects of the environmental condition on the tree cookie.

Sources for Research:

  • Science Lab Activity – Growing Condition of Trees

Topic: Colonial Uses of Plans

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Guiding Questions:

  1. Native Americans used many Georgia plants for a variety of things. Choose 3 plants, one that blooms in the fall, one in the spring or summer, and one in the winter.
  2. What are the general characteristics of the plant?
  3. Describe the leaves and flowers of the plant.
  4. Where is plant found?
  5. How did Native Americans use the plant?

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Topic: Products from the Forest

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Guiding Questions:

  1. What types of products come from trees?
  2. What are lumber and timbers used for?
  3. What are the fiber products used for?
  4. What do we use the chemicals from trees for?

Sources for Research:

  • Science Lab Activity – We All Need Trees

Topic: Deforestation

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Guiding Questions:

  1. What is deforestation?
  2. What are the reasons for deforestation?
  3. How much land is deforested every year?
  4. How are forests cut down?
  5. What problems are caused by deforestation?

Sources for Research:

  • Science and Tech Lab Activity – Deforestation with Google Earth

Topic:River Habitat

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Guiding Questions:

  1. There is a freshwater habitat in Discovery Woods – a river. What is a habitat?
  2. What is a freshwater habitat and how is it different from a saltwater habitat?
  3. What is a river? Freshwater or saltwater?
  4. How does a river flow?
  5. What types of animals live in/around a river?
  6. Why are rivers important to humans? How do humans impact rivers?

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Topic: Life in the Forest

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Guiding Questions:

  1. What determines the plant and animal life in the forest?
  2. What influences the plant and animal life in the forest?
  3. What animals use the forest for shelter? How do they use the forest?
  4. What insects live in the forest? How do they use the forest?
  5. How can insects harm the forest?

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Topic: Soil

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Guiding Questions:

  1. How is soil formed?
  2. What is soiled made up of?
  3. Why are soils in different areas different colors? How is the soil in Atlanta different from the soil in other parts of the state (think about the region we live in)?
  4. Why is soil important to plants, animals, and humans?

Sources for Research:

Topic: Effects of Acid Rain

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Guiding Questions:

  1. What is acid rain?
  2. What causes acid rain?
  3. How do you measure the acidity of precipitation?
  4. How does acid rain affect the forests?
  5. How does acid rain affect human health?

Sources for Research:

  • Science Lab Activity – Tree Troubles, Tree-Tectives

Topic: Erosion

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Guiding Questions:

  1. What is erosion?
  2. What are the different types of erosion?
  3. How is erosion a threat to the forest?
  4. Is there evidence of erosion in Discovery Woods? What type of erosion?

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Topic: The Role of Trees in the Water Cycle

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Guiding Questions:

  1. What is the water cycle? Describe each stage. (*Think back to our study of weather)
  2. How do trees contribute to the water cycle?
  3. Why are trees considered to be nature’s “natural sponges”?
  4. What is transpiration?
  5. Explain how to conduct the simple transpiration experiment.

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Topic: Forest Food Chains

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Guiding Questions:

  1. What is a food chain?
  2. What type of organism is usually at the start of most food chains?
  3. What is a consumer?
  4. What is a decomposer? What is their role in the food chain? What is their role in the forest? (*Think about soil nutrients)
  5. What is a food web?
  6. Provide an example of a food chain in the forest, specifically one present in Discovery Woods.

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Topic: Forest Animal and Plant Adaptations

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Guiding Questions:

  1. What is an adaptation?
  2. Why is it important for an organism to adapt to its environment?
  3. How do plants and animals adapt to living in the forest?
  4. Describe how one plant is adapted to the forest.
  5. Describe how one animal is adapted to the forest.

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Topic: Sustainable Forestry

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Guiding Questions:

  1. What is a sustainable forest?
  2. What is logging? How is logging managed so that it is sustainable?
  3. What is the Sustainable Forestry Initiative in Georgia? What do they do and why are they important?
  4. What threatens sustainable forestry?

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Topic: Deciduous Forest vs. Rainforest

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Guiding Questions:

  1. What is a tropical rainforest?
  2. What is a temperate rainforest?
  3. Where are rainforests located?
  4. How is a rainforest different from a temperate deciduous forest? Make sure to reference the difference in climate.

Sources for Research:

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