Wildfires
I understand what wildfires are and the effects they have on the environment.
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General
In this lesson, students will learn all about wildfires. They will be introduced to what wildfires are, how they start, and the difference between naturally occurring and human-caused wildfires. Students will be provided with scientific knowledge explaining how wildfires work and both their positive and negative impacts on the environment. Students will be able to connect what they learn in the lesson to current events by watching a video about Colorado wildfires and analyzing an interactive map of global fire activity. Students will apply their knowledge and create a web diagram in which they list 6 factors they think are contributing to why wildfires are getting worse. The lesson will end with a spin the wheel activity in which students will spin the wheel and answer the question the wheel lands on.
Standards
NGSS: MS-ESS3-2
Learning objective
Students will be able to fully comprehend what wildfires are and the effects they have on the environment and how to potentially mitigate them.
Introduction
Introduce students to what wildfires are and watch a video about wildfires and their impact on the state of Colorado. Students will write 3 questions about wildfires they would like to be answered.
Instruction
Understand what wildfires are and how they are caused. Learn about the science behind wildfires and the three elements required for a wildfire to burn. Teach specific details about wildfires such as where and when they happen, their benefits, and their negative effects. Guide students through a web activity in which they analyze an interactive map of global fire activity in the past 24 hours, and have them discuss their answers to questions that follow. Have students watch an instructional news video about wildfires and why they seem to be getting worse with time. What new information did they learn from this video? After this students will create a web diagram citing 6 reasons they think wildfires are getting worse. Teach students that many wildfires are preventable and have them complete a web activity in which they explore how to prevent wildfires. Then, have students write down 3 actions that they will each personally take to help stop them from starting and spreading.
Quiz
Students respond to ten multiple-choice and true/false questions.
Closing
Students will complete an interactive activity in which they spin the wheel and answer whichever question the wheel lands on. They will then compare their answers to sample answers provided at the end of the lesson.
Instruction materials
Students will need the following for activities in the lesson:
- notebook
- pencils
- computer or electronic device for web activities
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About Gynzy
Gynzy is an online teaching platform for interactive whiteboards and displays in schools.
With a focus on elementary education, Gynzy’s Whiteboard, digital tools, and activities make it easy for teachers to save time building lessons, increase student engagement, and make classroom management more efficient.