Topic

Program of
Studies

Student Activity

Resources

Duration

Assessment

Expert Perspective

Social Studies 5
5.1.1valueCanadas
physicalgeographyand
naturalenvironment:

Activity 1:
-Students will listen to a
talk from a forest fire
fighter, a forest fire
investigator and a forest
fire ecologist
-They will describe their
jobs to the students as
well as the details
surrounding a forest fire
(e.g. how they get
started, how they
determine the point of
origin, the dangerous
things in a forest that
could spread a fire)

-PowerPoint system
-3 experts

2 hours

Formative assessment:
Students will hand in an
exit card at the end of
the lesson. On the exit
card they will list one
thing they learned from
the experts.

appreciatehowtheland
sustainscommunitiesandthe
diversewaysthatpeoplehave
oflivingwiththeland(GC,
LPP)demonstratecareand
concernfortheenvironment
throughtheirchoicesand
actions

5.1.2examine,
critically,thephysical
geographyofCanadaby
exploringandreflecting
uponthefollowing
questionsandissues:
Howhavenaturaldisasters
andsevereweatherbeenpart
ofCanadasphysical
geography?(LPP,TCC)

5.1.3analyzehow
peopleinCanada
interactwiththe
environmentby
exploringandreflecting
uponthefollowing
questionsandissues:
Inwhatwaysdonatural
resourcesandthephysical
geographyofaregion
determinetheestablishmentof
communities?(ER,LPP)
Whoseresponsibilityshould
itbetoensurethepreservation

ofCanadasnationalparks
and
protectedareas?(C,ER,LPP)

Science 6
68 Apply observation
and inference skills to
recognize and interpret
patterns and to
distinguish a specific
pattern from a group of
similar patterns.
69Applyknowledgeof
thepropertiesand
interactionsofmaterials
totheinvestigationand
identificationofa
materialsample.
8. Recognize evidence of
recent human activity, and
recognize evidence of animal
activity in a natural outdoor
setting.
9. Observe a set of footprints,
and infer the direction and
speed of travel.
10. Recognize that evidence
found at the scene of an
activity may have unique
characteristics that allow an
investigator to make
inferences about the
participants and the nature of
the activity, and give
examples of how specific
evidence may be used.
11. Investigate evidence and
link it to a possible source;
e.g., by: classifying footprints,
tire prints and soil samples

from a variety of locations

How did it burn?

Science 6
68 Apply observation
and inference skills to
recognize and interpret
patterns and to
distinguish a specific
pattern from a group of
similar patterns.
69Applyknowledgeof
thepropertiesand
interactionsofmaterials
totheinvestigationand
identificationofa
materialsample.
8. Recognize evidence of
recent human activity, and
recognize evidence of animal
activity in a natural outdoor
setting.
9. Observe a set of footprints,
and infer the direction and
speed of travel.
10. Recognize that evidence
found at the scene of an
activity may have unique
characteristics that allow an
investigator to make
inferences about the
participants and the nature of
the activity, and give
examples of how specific
evidence may be used.
11. Investigate evidence and
link it to a possible source;
e.g., by: classifying footprints,

Activity 2:
-Students will head out
to the school yard
-There will be a mock
set-up of a forest burned
by forest fire
-Using the information
learned so far in the
unit, students will work
in groups and
investigate and gather
evidence to determine:
the surface area of the
forest as well as the
burn area, the point of
origin of the fire, the
direction it burned, how
it started and how it
could have been
prevented.
-Once students have
come up with their
hypothetical scenario
they will need to present
it to the class and the
panel of experts (forest
fire fighter, forest fire
investigator and forest
fire ecologist)
-The panel of experts
will determine which
groups scenario was the
most plausible based on

-A large open area

-Cones to serve as trees
-Pictures of trees in
different stages of
burning to attach to the
cones
-A week-long weather
forecast (from the week
preceding the fire)
-A week-long record of
wind direction (from the
week preceding the fire)
-Measuring tapes
-Calculators
-Worksheets
-False footprints
-False cigarette buts,
fire pit, gasoline tank,
fireworks (and anything
else that could be use to
start a fire)

3 hours

Summative
Assessment: The
students will be graded
on their use of evidence
to come up with a
scenario. Whether they
got the correct answer
or not will not affect the
mark.

tire prints and soil samples

from a variety of locations

Science 6-10
-Describe characteristics
of trees and the
interaction of trees with
other living things in the
environment
Science 6-10
-Describe characteristics
of trees and the
interaction of trees with
other living things in the
environment
7.Interpretthegrowthpattern
ofayoungtree,distinguishing
thisyearsgrowthfromthatof
thepreviousyearandfromthe
yearbeforethat.Students
meetingthisexpectation
shouldrecognizedifferences
incolourationandtextureof
newgrowthandoldgrowth,
andlocatescarsthatseparate
oldandnewgrowth
9.Identifyhumanactionsthat
enhanceorthreatenthe
existenceofforests.

Math6
Shape and Space
(Measurement)
Use direct and indirect
measurement to solve
problems.
Develop and apply a
formula for determining the
area of rectangles

the evidence they

collected.