Preface: Using This Integrated Resource Package

This Integrated Resource Package (IRP) provides some of the basic information that teachers require to implement the Forests 11 and 12 curriculum. The information contained in this IRP is also available through the Internet. Contact the Ministry of Education's home page: http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/

The Introduction

The Introduction provides general information about Forests 11 and 12, including special features and requirements. It also provides a rationale for the teaching of Forests 11 and 12 in BC schools.

The Forests 11 and 12 Curriculum

The main body of this document consists of the Forests 11 and 12 courses of the Forests 11 and 12 curriculum. When the other courses are completed, they will be added to this IRP. The provincially prescribed curriculum for each course is structured in terms of curriculum organizers. There are four columns of information for each organizer in the Forests 11 and 12 curriculum. These columns describe:

provincially prescribed learning outcome statements for each subject area
suggested instructional strategies for achieving the outcomes
suggested assessment strategies for determining how well students are achieving the outcomes
provincially recommended learning resources

Prescribed Learning Outcomes

Learning outcome statements are content standards for the provincial education system. Prescribed learning outcomes set out the knowledge, enduring ideas, issues, concepts, skills, and attitudes for each subject. They are statements of what students are expected to know and be able to do in each grade. Learning outcomes are clearly stated and expressed in observable terms. All learning outcomes complete this stem: "It is expected that students will. . . ." Outcome statements have been written to enable teachers to use their experience and professional judgment when planning and evaluating. The outcomes are benchmarks that will permit the use of criterion-referenced performance standards. It is expected that actual student performance will vary. Evaluation, reporting, and student placement with respect to these outcomes depend on the professional judgment of teachers, guided by provincial policy.

Suggested Instructional Strategies

Instruction involves the use of techniques, activities, and methods that can be employed to meet diverse student needs and to deliver the prescribed curriculum. Teachers are free to adapt the suggested instructional strategies or substitute others that will enable their students to achieve the prescribed outcomes. These strategies have been developed by specialist and generalist teachers to assist their colleagues; they are suggestions only.

Suggested Assessment Strategies

The assessment strategies suggest a variety of ways to gather information about student performance. Some assessment strategies relate to specific activities; others are general. These strategies have been developed by specialist and generalist teachers to assist their colleagues; they are suggestions only.

Provincially Recommended Learning Resources

Provincially recommended learning resources are materials that have been reviewed and evaluated by BC teachers in collaboration with the Ministry of Education according to a stringent set of criteria. They are typically materials suitable for student use, but they may also include information primarily intended for teachers. Teachers and school districts are encouraged to select those resources that they find most relevant and useful for their students, and to supplement these with locally approved materials and resources to meet specific local needs. The recommended resources listed in the main body of this IRP are those that have a comprehensive coverage of significant portions of the curriculum, or those that provide a unique support to a specific segment of the curriculum. Appendix B contains a complete listing of provincially recommended learning resources to support this curriculum.

The Appendices

A series of appendices provides additional information about the curriculum and further support for the teacher.

Appendix A lists the prescribed learning outcomes for the curriculum arranged by curriculum organizer and grade.
Appendix B contains a comprehensive, annotated list of the provincially recommended learning resources for this curriculum. This appendix will be updated as new resources are evaluated.
Appendix C outlines the cross-curricular reviews used to ensure that concerns such as equity, access, and the inclusion of specific topics are addressed by all components of this IRP.
Appendix D contains assistance for teachers related to provincial evaluation and reporting policy. Prescribed learning outcomes have been used as the source for samples of criterion-referenced evaluation.
Appendix E acknowledges the many people and organizations that have been involved in the development of this IRP.

Explanation of Section

Curriculum Sub-Organizer as seen on the World Wide Web

Grade and
Curriculum Organizer

Grade 11 - Forest Ecology

This sub-organizer contains the following sections:
Prescribed Learning Outcomes
Suggested Instructional Strategies
Suggested Assessment Strategies
Recommended Learning Resources

Internal links to each
section of the document

The Prescribed Learning Outcomes
column of theis IRP lists the specific learning outcomes for each curriculum organizer. These aid the teacher in day-to-day planning.

PRESCRIBED LEARNING OUTCOMES

It is expected that students will:

define ecology, environment, and ecosystem
describe processes in and components of ecosystems
demonstrate awareness of forests as complex ecosystems
describe the roles that fungi, microbes, and lichens play in a forest ecosystem
define structural diversity and biological diversity
assess the effects of natural and human forces on the forest
describe a variety of food chains and food webs

To view the prescribed learning outcomes for Forest Ecology in other grades click on an icon below.

Navigational Links to similar sub-organizers

The Suggested Instructional Strategies
column of this IRP suggests a variety of instructional approaches that include group work, problem solving, and the use of technology. Teachers should consider these as examples that they might modify to suit the developmental levels of their students

SUGGESTED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

Students investigate the links in a forest ecosystem through various class and field activities.

As a class, brainstorm components of a forest and then analyse the components to determine a definition of ecosystem. Have students create a web chart showing the processes and relationships of the components in an ecosystem (e.g., weather, growth and decay, human activity, soil development).
Challenge students to each select an element of a forest ecosystem (e.g., trees, bears, soil, fungi) and research its effects on the ecosystem, focussing on:
- how it is maintained (e.g., nutrient cycling)
- its ecological role
- the effect of removing this element from the ecosystem
Invite students to brainstorm the term biodiversity, create categories for the ideas that emerge (e.g., structural and biological), and determine possible relationships between elements. Ask students to consider what effect these elements and relationships have on forest ecosystem health.
Have students predict the effects on an ecosystem of a forest event (e.g., insect infestation, fire). Ask students how they could test their predictions.
Invite students to list tree species and other forest organisms. Brainstorm possible relationships between the trees and these organisms (e.g., trees provide shelter for birds and animals that, in turn, aid in seeding). Then have each student represent (e.g., poster, model, computer program) one of the relationships. Presentations should address the question: What is the importance of this relationship to the forest ecosystem?
Have students investigate a portion of the forest floor that contains humus and woody debris and note the quantity and variety of forest organisms. Provide opportunities for students to examine a sample of the forest floor under magnification.

The Suggested Assessment Strategies
offer a wide range of different assessment approaches useful in evaluating the prescribed learning outcomes. teachers should consider these as examples they might modify to suit their own needs and the instructional goals

SUGGESTED ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES

Assessment of students' understanding of forest ecology should focus on their awareness of and abilities to articulate the relationships among all components in a forest ecosystem.

Throughout this area of learning, note the extent to which students use correct terminology as they write and talk about ecosystems and biodiversity in forests. Also note the extent to which they refer to both structural and biological diversity.
Provide prompts for small-group discussions such as:
- What would happen if all the wood-eating insects in a forest disappeared?
- Describe the relationships between a tree and other organisms in a forest.
Listen for evidence that students understand how organisms affect one another in an ecosystem.
Have students create storyboards with written commentaries to demonstrate their understanding of forest succession. Check their work for:
- accuracy of information
- details on the sequence of growth
- awareness of the time factor in forest succession
- accurate use of terminology related to forests
While visiting a forest, ask students to look for evidence of the effects of fungi and microbes in the forest ecosystem. In their field notes, invite students to record their observations and generate questions about the roles that fungi and microbes play in a forest ecosystem. (Note the extent to which their notes and questions demonstrate understanding of the role of these fungi and microbes in soil development.) As an extension, ask them what might happen if there were no fungi or microbes.
As a class, develop criteria for assessing student presentations. Have small groups work together to videotape rehearsals of the presentations. After viewing each tape, ask the class to give feedback and suggestions for improvement based on the criteria.

The Provincially Recommended Learning Resources
component of this IRP is a compilation of provincially recommended resources that support the prescribed learning outcomes. A complete list including a short description of the resource, its media type, and distributor is included in Appendix B of this IRP.

RECOMMENDED LEARNING RESOURCES

Print Materials

Ancient Rainforests at Risk
Balancing Act: Environmental Issues in Forestry
Forestopia: A Practical Guide to the New Forest Economy
Ground Truth Studies Teacher Handbook, British Columbia Edition
Pacific Spirit: The Forest Reborn
Plants of Coastal British Columbia
Plants of Northern British Columbia
Plants of Southern Interior British Columbia
Plants of the Western Boreal Forest & Aspen Parkland
Regenerating British Columbia's Forests
Seeing the Forest Among the Trees
Trees, Shrubs and Flowers to Know in British Columbia & Washington
Wildlife Trees of British Columbia
Wildwood: A Forest for the Future, Second Edition

Video

The Boreal Forest I
The Boreal Forest II
The Dynamic Forest
Forests for the Future
The Last Stand: America's Ancient Forest
Stepping Lightly
Thinking Like a Forest: A Case for Sustainable Selective Forestry
Vanishing Forests

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Revised: January 27, 1999

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Revised: January 27, 1999

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