Students in the intermediate years are interested in the natural world, in how things are put together, and in how things work. This is a time when their intellectual capabilities expand greatly as they move from a focus on the here-and-now toward abstract thinking.
Students this age work well in groups and enjoy doing collaborative projects. They enjoy problem-solving, sharing ideas and voicing opinions. They also want to be responsible members of the local community. Forest literacy activities at the intermediate level may focus on:
• What do forest organisms need to survive?
• How are forests and their inhabitants adapted to the Oregon climate and landscape?
• In what ways are forests important to Oregon’s environment, economy and people?
Using trees and forests as the focus, students can practice posing questions for investigations, reasoning about the conclusions and implications, and managing multiple variables. Engaging students in a variety of activities will deepen their understanding of the forest ecosystem on which we all depend.
