About Forestry matters!
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An Introduction for Teachers
In recent years, the community has taken a keen interest in the management of Australia's forest resources. PIRSA Forestry has developed this Forestry matters! resource to help teachers initiate innovative and high quality programs about forestry in schools. This resource will assist teachers and students to explore forestry issues covering all Key Learning Areas in Years Reception to 10 by developing an understanding of the nature and management of forest reserves in South Australia.
The aim of this resource is to provide teachers with relevant, up-to-date and accurate information about forests. Although there are references to forests and forest animals from around the world there is a specific and deliberate focus on South Australia's forests. This resource includes lesson activity ideas, lesson plans, student worksheets, extension ideas and forestry fun pages, as well as a comprehensive list of resources that will provide useful additional information on the topic of forestry. Also in this resource are a glossary of terms, photos, and a Forestry Facts section.
The teaching section of the resource is divided into three age-specific sections - Reception to Year 2, Years 3 to 6 and Years 7 to 10. The resource is designed with enough flexibility for teachers to adapt activities and lesson ideas from other sections to complement their unit of work.
Lesson Activity ideas are found at the beginning of each section and can be used throughout the topic. Lesson plans and accompanying student activity sheets form the core of each teaching section. These are fully photocopiable and are very useful for hands-on learning. Extension Ideas offer extra resources for early finishers, gifted students, and teachers who wish to expand on the unit of work.
Forest activity ideas and possible questions and issues to be considered while visiting a forest can be found on page 2.
The Forestry Fun pages include a crossword, word search, puzzles, games and more. These are designed to be extremely adaptable in the classroom. Teachers have the opportunity to create a booklet for each child to work on individually. The pages can be used as a whole class activity or given to students with specific learning needs. The possibilities for using the Forestry Fun pages are limited only by the teacher's imagination.
A great deal of careful thought, planning and time has gone into this resource and we are confident that it will be a valuable asset for all students studying the important topic of forests.
How to use Forestry matters!
- Update your knowledge on South Australia's forests by reading the Forestry Fact Sheets. You will find the Forests in SA and the Forest Industries fact sheets particularly relevant.
- Prepare some lesson plans for a unit of work on South Australia's forests, using the lesson and activity ideas and student activity sheets provided in the resource.
- Consider visiting a forest with your students.
Hint: Don't forget that you can contact forest managers for more information. See 'Visiting a Forest with Your Students'.
- Page URL: http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/forestrymatters/about_the_forestry_matters!_resource
- Page Last Modified: November 15, 2011