General information
Title: The Forest of Northwestern New Brunswick
Theme: Forest Industry
Teaching level: Secondary
Discipline: Geography
General learning results:. To discover the organization of a territory
. To interpret territorial characteristics
. To develop a global awareness
Transdisciplinary learning results:. Communication
. Use of ITC
. Creative and critical thinking
. Personal and social growth
. Culture and heritage
. Work methods
Specific learning results:. recognize the basic characteristics and organization of a territory
. establish relations between the characteristic elements of a territory
. recognize the impact of human activities on the territory
. use different geographical scales in the analysis of the territory organization.
Teaching preparation
Proposed task:Preparation to teaching
Suggested task:
. Students will discover that northwestern New Brunswick is a land of forests. Students will research on one aspect of the logging industry and share results of their findings with the class, using a presentation software such as Powerpoint,Inspiration, Moviemaker, or others.
Interdisciplinarity:Interdisciplinarity:
. English
. math
. computer skills
. personal growth
. history and geography
Materials:Material:
. computers
. presentation software
. suggested sites:
- www.cidif.org/toucherdubois/ (photos and texts on Forests)
- www.nbforestry.com (N.B. Forest Products Association)
- www.gnb.ca/ (N.B. Dept of Natural Resources)
- www.ifdn.com/ (Irving Forest Discovery Network)
- www.acadiantimber.com/ (Acadian Timber)
- www.canadian-forests.com/ (Canadian Forests)
- www.umce.ca/foresterie/ (U. de Moncton, School of Forestry)
. Keywords: Green River, Edmundston, industry, watershed basin, New Brunswick forest, Fraser Papers, Irving, Acadian Timber, New Brunswick Northwest
. New Brunswick Road Map
. Class textbook
Resource person(s):Resource persons:
. Mill worker in the forest sector
. Forest ranger
. Lumberman or operator of forest equipment or machines
. Professor from a Forestry Department or a student in forestry sciences
. Biologist, forest engineer or forester from a lugging company
. A parent who practices hunting, fishing or other forest related activities
Learning preparation
Proposed approach:Suggested Procedure:
- Preparation (duration: 30 minutes)
. Shade the Green River forest area (watershed) on an outline map of New Brunswick.
. Use braistorming of prior knowledge on uses of the forest.
. Ask questions to students on their knowledge of the area where they live
. Write the answers on the board. Try to get essential elements of the territory, for example: The Green River, the greenhouse, Acadian Timber, the characteristics of the forest, work activities in the forest (woodcutting), forest roads, camps...
. Confirm that the Green River area is a forest territory; ask students what evidence support that statement.
. Explain the task to be done: a presentation on one aspect of the Green River area related to the fact that " the Green River area is a forest territory".
Objectivation:Inquiry: Basic Questions
. Where is that region?
. How do we get there?
. What is the nature of the Green River territory?
is it a forest? a river? a village? a parish? a region?
. How do you justify your opinion that the Green River area is a forest territory?
Learning realisation
Proposed approach:Implementation of Learning: (90 minutes)
Suggested Procedure
- Team work: brainstorming (30 minutes)
. Divide the class into groups of four students
. Ask each group to list words that justify that the Green River area is a forest territory. List those words on the board in two categories: human and natural elements.
. Give ten minutes to the groups to come out with their lists.
. Share results with the class and regroup the words into these categories:
- logging industry and jobs generated by the forest
- Villages and dwellings
- The river itself and other streams and lakes
- The forest, the animals (fauna) and plants (flore)
- Outdoor activities
- Resource management
Objectivation:Inquiry: Basic Questions
. What is found on the Green River territory?
. Are there other regions or territories that depend on the Green River ressources?
. What was there before the arrival of humans in the area?
. Would it be there without the human presence and activities?
. What activities can be carried out in that region?
Learning integration
Proposed approach:Integration of Learning
Procedure:
A. Team work: a class presentation (60 minutes)
. Each team research on a different category using the Internet (websites and keywords should be provided to student before hand) or they can use other means of research ( eye witness, books, objects..)
. Each team prepares a presentation with their prefered presentation software (duration of presentation could be 2 to 3 minutes) and they present also the result of their research by other means is they think it proper.
. Their presentation should take into account the references to at least 2 documents ( photos, documents, videos) available on the websites
. Students should endeavour to make the presentation original and creative.
B. Presentation of the findings of the research (40 minutes)
. The groups come one by one to present their findings of justifying that "The Green River is a forest territory).
. Students in class take note of the contents of the presentations. They can use the board, notes, drawings...
. The teacher asks students to establish links in the different elements mentioned in the presentation.
. To conclude, the teacher ask if there are other forest areas with the same characteristics or different characteristics. Students then can mention other regions of the world.
. Then the teacher can encourage students to study another part of the globe for the purpose of comparing activities and resources.
Objectivation:Inquiry: Basic Questions
. Does you presentation contain photos of the territory?
. Is the photo or illustration related to the topic of your presentation?
. What links can be made between the various presentations on the same territory?
. How does what is found on the Green River territory compare with other forests? Why are there differences?