Lesson Plan 2 for Timber and Rail

 Cabell County Forestry & Rail Class - Lesson Two

Title: Invasive Species Threatens West Virginia Forests

Grade level(s):  9

Subjects: Environmental Science, Reading and Language Arts, and Social Studies.

Learner Outcomes:   Students will:

·         Be able to research a topic using internet search engines and collect information for analysis.

·         Students will be able to explain how the Tree of Heaven uses several strategies to out-compete native species like oak, walnut, yellow poplar, and hickory trees.

·         Students will be able to explain why the tree of heaven threatens the West Virginia timber industry. 

 Duration of Lesson: 6 - 50 minute class periods.

Materials: Computer, Projector, Butcher Paper, Color Pencils, Camera

Technology Tools/Courseware: Internet, Power Point, Poster Template,   

Teacher Notes:

• There is no safety concern beyond normal.
• There are no special requirements.
• The setting is the classroom and school grounds.

Procedures:

            Day 1

·         Introduce unit and assess prior knowledge by a simple pretest.

·         Use guided internet research to find information to define the Key Terms.

Key Terms

Tree of Heaven           Alien Species              Native Species                        Stinking Sumac          

Invasive Species          Compound Leaf          Dioecious                    Allelopathic Chemical

            Day 2

·         Students research the annual economic value of West Virginia’s timber industry.

·         Students create a Word Wall of the key terms from the internet research.

Day 3

·         Students walk around the perimeter of the school building to identify and count the trees of heaven.

·         Students count the number of trees on the perimeter recording how many are TOH.

            Day 4

·         Students calculate the percentage the TOH represents of the total tree population after seventeen years since the land was disturbed in building HHS.

·         Students use the percentage to predict the economic damage to the timber industry in 20 years as the TOH replaces native trees on timbered or disturbed land.

·         Students begin Power Point presentation on how the tree of heaven is replacing native trees on land that has been disturbed.

            Day 5

·         Students finish the Power Point presentations.

            Day 6

·         Students present their Power Points.

·         Voice over narrations can be an option for students not wishing to present before the class.

Modifications:  IEP modifications and guided practice as called for.

Enrichment Activities:  Students may enliven their Power Point presentations with their own photographs and by adding videos taken with camera or cell phone.

Evaluation/Assessment: 

·         Formative assessment is by checklist noting progress on their projects.

·         Summative assessment is the final C Map and presentation graded by rubric.

·         Summative assessment is by a quiz.

West Virginia CSO’s:            

Environmental Science - SC.S.ENV.1.3, SC.O.ENV.1.5,  

Reading and Language Arts - RLA.S.11.3, RLA.O.11.3.1, RLA.O.11.3.2, RLA.O.11.3.3

Social Studies - SS.9.G.2

Reading - L.3.1f, L.3.3a, L.4.1g, L.5.1d, L.4.3a, L.7.3a

References: 

a)      IHMC C Map Tools

Author:  Carla Snell

                Huntington High School

                1 Highlander Way

                Huntington, WV 25701     

                ctracy@access.k12.wv.us

                hhs.cabe.k12.wv.us/