Primary Age Group: 6-9 Years
Level 1 - Soil
In this level, the intention is for the children to be aware of the soil and how it supports the growth of the forest. Without good, healthy soil, the rest of the forest cannot be healthy. What do they find in the soil? Is it rocky soil or sandy soil? Question why that might be. Consider how the nutrients get into the soil to support the health of the forest. Can they find worm holes? Can they find ways that water might get into the soil or ways the soil might stay moist when it’s hot and dry? How does the soil help grow everything in the forest, including the animals? The children should be building and understanding connections between the health of the soil and the overall health of the forest.
This level is supported by Book 1 – Soil: A Healthy Forest BeginsLevel 1 Curriculum 6-9
Level 2 – The Forest Floor
In this level, the intention is for children to explore the forest floor and learn about what lives here. Have the children lie on their stomachs. Look for decaying and decomposing plant matter. What is it? Can they tell? What does it feel like? What does it smell like? What plants and animals help break down the material and how does it get into the soil to support forest growth? Can they find fungus and mushrooms? What is their role? What colours are the fungi? Students should understand the role of microorganisms in decomposition and what the forest would be like without them. Students should be making connections between what is in the soil and how what lives on top of it eventually makes its way back to the soil through the forest floor.
This level is supported by Book 2 – The Forest Floor: New Life and DecayLevel 2 Curriculum 6-9
Go Fish Playing Cards
Go Fish Playing Cards - Photos only
Go Fish Playing Cards - Tracks only
Level 3 – Knee High in the Forest
Have children crawl through the forest. They should understand what biodiversity is at this level and how it supports life all around it. They should start to identify some plants at this level and understand the safety of always asking before they eat a berry or other plant food. They should begin to understand why some plants and animals choose to live here rather than in other parts of the forest but also how they are connected with the other levels of the forest.
This level is supported by Book 3 – Knee High in the Forest: What Lives Here?Level 3 Curriculum 6-9
Level 4 – Eye High in the Forest
Have the children walk through the forest. What do they see in front of them? What else walks through the forest? Think about the biodiversity at this level and seek ways to create links between the soil and treetops. Children should see differences in trees by looking at the bark, needles, cones and leaves and have some ability to identify the different trees and plants based on their characteristics. Talk about what lives here and why they choose this part of the forest. Children should understand the basic connections with the other parts of the forest.
This level is supported by Book 4 – Eye High in the Forest: Walking Among GiantsLevel 4 Curriculum 6-9
Level 5 – Sky High in the Forest
Have children lie on their backs in the forest. Look at the treetops. Children should understand that how the dirt under them is important for helping the trees grow strong and big. Children should start to understand how the nutrients from the soil get into the trees and how the decay and decomposition on the forest floor supports that process. They should understand the role of the sun and air in growing the forest (using the sunlight and carbon dioxide to make glucose and oxygen through photosynthesis). Children understand that life high in the trees is different from what’s around them on the forest floor. They should be building connections between the levels of the forest and have a growing ability to identify the various plants and animals and their habitats.
This level is supported by Book 5 – Sky High: A Bird’s-Eye ViewLevel 5 Curriculum 6-9
