Lesson Plans
GRADES K - 12
GRADES K - 2
GRADES K - 5
GRADES 4 - 8
GRADES 6 - 8
GRADES 6 - 12
Fire Ecology Curriculum
From the USDA Forest Service, Southwestern Region
https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5107845.pdf
This 11-page curriculum guide is organized by grade includes a lesson covering topics from Good Fire/Bad Fire for kindergarten to the Role of Chemistry in Fire Management and People in Fire’s Homeland for the upper grades.
Wildland Fire Lesson Plans
From the National Park Service
https://www.nps.gov/fire/wildland-fire/learning-center/educator-resources/lesson-plans.cfm
Check this web page for lessons about backyard fires, fire adaptations, and more.
Smokey Bear
From the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry
http://forestry.ohiodnr.gov/smokeybear
Find fun wildfire prevention activities correlated to Ohio Education Standards for grades K-2. This link also includes a new Smokey Bear song.
Smokey Bear and Friends Complete K-2 Educator’s Guide
From the USDA Forest Service, Ad Council, and National Association of State Foresters
https://www.smokeybear.com/en/for-educators/elementary-resources
https://www.smokeybear.com/education/smokey-tg.pdf
Check out these outstanding resources for: Complete K-2 Educator’s Guide, Smokey Bear Activity Book, and links to videos.
Disney “Planes: Fire and Rescue” Educational Activity Book
From the National Park Foundation, Ad Council, National Association of State Foresters, and USDA Forest Service
CLICK HERE for a pdf file
This 8-page booklet has great information and activities about campfire safety, a true/false quiz, and wildfire facts.
Smokey Bear Historical Park Fun Pages
From Smokey Bear Historical Park
http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/SFD/SmokeyBear/FunPages.html
This page has coloring pages, a comic book, and activity sheets.
Take Part in the Smokey Patrol (Grade 5)
From Young Minds Inspired
https://www.smokeybear.com/education/teacher-guide.pdf
Tied to national standards of the elementary science curriculum, these classroom activities feature features specific ways students can take a personal role in wildfire prevention and the maintenance and conservation of our nation’s natural areas.
Wildfire Lesson Plans
From the Penn State Department of Ecosystem Science and Management
https://ecosystems.psu.edu/youth/sftrc/wildfire-lesson-plans
Using educational flyers, videos, and smartboard technology, these lesson plans help students explore wildfire prevention and investigate how controlled burns are used for habitat restoration. Through the lesson plans students will understand ways to reduce wildfire risk around their home and community. They will also learn how trained professionals use controlled burns to maintain habitat for endangered species.
Wildfire Search
From Scholastic
http://teacher.scholastic.com/lessonrepro/lessonplans/theme/wildfires01.htm
Students use information gained on a "Wildfire Search" to learn the locations of wildfires and the current status of these fires. They use their new knowledge to develop a bulletin board wildfire chart that will guide their further investigations.
Tree Rings and Forest Fire Ecology Lessons and Activities
From University of Arizona College of Education
https://www.coe.arizona.edu/trlessons
Students will be able to: demonstrate their understanding of a healthy vs. unhealthy Ponderosa Pine ecosystems; identify biotic and abiotic factors in a Ponderosa Pine ecosystem through a video and slideshow; identify and describe a Ponderosa Pine and its ecosystem through a reading; create a web of biotic and abiotic factors within a Ponderosa Pine ecosystem; and discuss their opinion of a healthy vs. unhealthy Ponderosa Pine ecosystem, and explain why.
Smokey’s Wildfire Prevention Detectives
From the USDA Forest Service, Ad Council, and National Association of State Foresters
https://www.smokeybear.com/en/for-educators/middle-school-resources
Students take on the role of forensic investigators in this program designed for the science/Earth science classroom. The program will reinforce critical thinking, speaking & writing, scientific inquiry, collaborative learning, and research skills in language arts, social studies, science & technical subjects, and health/safety.
Where There’s Smoke, There’s Fire (Natural Inquirer)
From the USDA Forest Service
http://www.naturalinquirer.org/modules.php?name=NaturalInquirer&op=download&issue_id=76&type=pdf_eng
Scientists explore if and how climate and weather are connected to very large wildland fires to help predict and prepare for future events.
Wildland Fire (Natural Inquirer)
From the USDA Forest Service
http://www.naturalinquirer.org/modules.php?name=NaturalInquirer&op=download&issue_id=1&type=pdf_eng
This edition of the Natural Inquirer is all about wildland fire. You will learn about the benefits of wildland fire, as well as some of its dangers. You will learn what fire scientists are learning about wildland fire. They are learning, for example:
- that wildland fire should not be completely eliminated from natural environments, but it should be managed
- how to predict weather conditions which favor a wildfire being started
- the relationship between wildland fires and climate change
- how to best protect homes and other buildings from wildfires
- how wildland fires can benefit the natural environment
Wildland Fire 2 (Natural Inquirer)
From the USDA Forest Service
http://www.naturalinquirer.org/modules.php?name=NaturalInquirer&op=download&issue_id=27&type=pdf_eng
This edition of the Natural Inquirer focuses on wildland fire. Wildland fire has been defined as any fire occurring in vegetation areas regardless of how it was started. In this edition, you will learn about different types of wildland fires, including uncontrolled wildfires and fires purposely set and controlled by foresters to provide benefits to a natural area.
Wildfire: Friend of foe?
From Canadian Geographic
http://www.cangeoeducation.ca/resources/learning_centre/classroom_activities/wildfire.asp
Students will be able to understand positive and negative effects of wildfire and analyze positions on fire management.
