Forest
Ecology
- Pre-site Activities/Teacher Led
Grade
Level: 3
Content Area: Science
Time
to Complete: 1 hour
Title of Lesson: Layers of the Forest
South Carolina State Standards Addressed:
|
I.A.1.a |
Use
the senses and simple tools to gather information about
objects or events such as size, shape, color, texture,
sound, position and change (qualitative observations). |
|
I.A.4.a |
Use
drawings, tables, graphs, written and oral language to
describe objects and
explain ideas and actions. |
|
(T) II. A.1.a |
Organisms can survive only in habitats in which their
needs can be met. Compare and contrast the basic needs
of plants and animals. |
|
(T) II. A.1.b |
Organisms can survive only in habitats in which their
needs can be met. Select and describe an appropriate
habitat for a plant or animal. |
Lesson Description:
Students
will label the layers of the forest and list organisms in
the layer they are usually found in. Inferences as to why
organisms are found in different layers will also be written.
Focus Questions For Students:
| 1. |
Do all
plants and animals live in the same layer of the forest? |
| 2. |
How many layers are there in most forests? |
| 3. |
What are some of the plants and animals found in each layer? |
| 4. |
How do adaptations help a plant or animal to live in a certain
layer of the forest? |
Culminating Assessment:
|
1. |
Students
will label the layers of the forest. |
|
2. |
Students will list all the plants/animals they observe placing
them in the correct layer. |
Materials/Equipment/Resources:
Forest
Layer Worksheet
Video (Naturescene,
SC videotape: “Jones Gap”)
Vocabulary
List
Teacher Preparation:
|
1. |
Read
background information and be prepared to introduce
layers of the forest and discuss possible reasons for
why plants and animals are located in certain areas. |
|
2. |
Obtain a copy of video. |
|
3. |
Make
copies of Forest Layers worksheet. |
Background
Information:
A cove
forest is an ecosystem which has a high degree of plant and
animal diversity. These are particularly evident in the Blue
Ridge region of South Carolina, but also occur with a lesser
degree of diversity in the Piedmont region. The organisms
making up the community of a cove forest are divided into
different layers. Each layer of the forest contains forms
of life that are adapted for that particular layer. Plants
and animals may be classified according to the forest layer
in which they live. Those that live in the highest layer of
the forest are the canopy species and include
the tallest trees in the forest. The primary canopy species
are the American Beech and Tulip Poplar. Plants and animals
that live in the area just below the canopy are known as understory
species, such as Flowering Dogwoods and Redbuds. Shrub
Layer species consist of plant with woody stems and
the animals which live in them. Mountain Laurel, Rhododendron,
and Sweet Shrub are examples of shrub layer plants. Soft,
non-woody stemmed plants and the animals found close to the
ground are Herb Layer species. Examples are
ferns, Mayapple and Trillium species. The lowest layer in
the forest is the forest floor.
Procedures:
|
1. |
Students will label layers on the Forest Layers worksheet.
|
|
2. |
Students will watch the video, looking and listening for
plants found in a mountain cove forest, and record them
in the appropriate forest layer. |
|
3. |
Students will write possible explanations why plants and
animals are found in certain layers (habitats) in the
forest. Examples are birds in understory and canopy layer as they
are adapted for flight. |
Teacher's
Key |
