Virtual Classroom
Here at Port Blakley we've always loved teaching, hands-on, in the field. Given these unprecedented times, that's not always possible. So we are excited to be working with teachers and students again, this time virtually.
While we wish we were able to be in the forest with you and your students, for now going virtual is the best way to share our love of the forest. We strive to make our lessons as fun and interactive as possible in a virtual setting.
Below, you'll find five virtual lessons for your classrooms, along with lesson plans.
Tree Identification
Overview: Students will be able to recognize five native coniferous and deciduous trees of the Pacific Northwest, their structures, and how they are different by watching the Washington Forest Protection Association (WFPA) video.
Age of a Tree
Overview: Students will learn the life cycle of trees, how trees build mass, and how to determine the age of a tree by watching the Washington Forest Protection Association (WFPA) video. Students will also learn the layers inside a tree by doing the Build a Tree activity. Then students will draw their own tree cookies including important events from their lives. The follow-up activities include writing assignments and labeling the layers inside a tree.
Layers of a Forest
Overview: Students will learn about four layers of a Pacific Temperate Rainforest through the following activities: drawing a forest labeling the different layers, watching the Washington Forest Protection Association (WFPA) Layers of the Forest video, and determining what wildlife species live in each layer. Students will be introduced to a simple food chain and will be shown an activity to create their own food chain with a storyline and art project. Follow-up activities also include writing narrative, descriptive or expository writing paragraphs as well as retelling the legend.
Wildlife Detective
Overview: By watching the Washington Forest Protection Association (WFPA) Wildlife Detective video, students will learn about Pacific Northwest wildlife species, their adaptations, and how to find evidence of them. Students will learn about how wildlife adapt and engage in a wildlife adaptation chart. Follow-up activities include narrative, descriptive or expository writing extensions.
Forest Products
Overview: Students will learn how wood is “made” and understand that trees capture and store carbon. Students will learn that forest products are derived from a renewable resource and will be able to identify forest products in their home and school.