Clean Air

Air might be free…but nature works hard to make it! Find out why they call forests “the lungs of the world” — and why you would find it hard to breathe without them.

Reforestation: Impact on Climate

Themes: Clean Air
Grades: 6th - 8th
2

Students will learn about the importance of large-scale forest landscapes and the impacts of deforestation and reforestation with a focus on global climate change.  By taking a tour through the Sichuan Province in China, students will see the affects deforestation causes and learn how this area is striving to regain its’ forests by launching an extensive reforestation project.  Focus will be given to the carbon cycle and the ways in which forests decrease carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, thereby minimizing climate change, and improve air quality.  This lesson will also cover the ways in which deforestation and forest restoration affect wildlife.

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Urban Trees

Themes: Water, Clean Air
Grades: 6th - 8th
3

Students will learn how trees are an essential part of our lives with a focus on the role they play in urban areas, including energy considerations.  They will be introduced to the threats posed to trees, including non-native insects, domestic animal waste, and erosion.  Students then evaluate the potential impact of local tree conservation efforts and design a plan for their community.

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Seeing the Wood for the Trees: Introduction to Sustainable Forestry

Themes: Stuff, Clean Air
Grades: 6th - 8th
Snow-frosted pine forest in winter
8

Students use an interactive with Google Earth to identify forests that have been logged selectively with those that have not. For an outdoor activity, students create a comprehensive list of all the tree species in their study area.

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