LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

From forest to farm to urban forest

http://www.foresthistory.org/Education/Curriculum/Activity/activ6/activ6.html

A lesson plan for grades 5–8 Science and Social Studies

Provider: Forest History Society


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In this lesson from the Forest History Society in Durham, North Carolina, students examine what happens when the post-war urban development boom crowds out the forest. Students will examine the land use history of Duke Forest from 1930 on, and the variety of stakeholder opinions on the future of the forest. Students will also reflect on how science and technology have changed people’s perception of the natural world.

The student will:

  • explain the impact of suburbanization on the lives of postwar Americans; and
  • show through specific example how science and technology have changed people’s perceptions of the social and natural world, such as in their relationship to the lands, animal life, family life, and economic needs, wants and security.

Visit the Forest History Society’s Education Table of Contents for other modules in this series.

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

Science (2005)

Grade 6

  • Goal 7: The learner will conduct investigations and use technologies and information systems to build an understanding of population dynamics.
    • Objective 7.04: Evaluate data related to human population growth, along with problems and solutions:
      • Waste disposal.
      • Food supplies.
      • Resource availability.
      • Transportation.
      • Socio-economic patterns.

Grade 8

  • Goal 5: The learner will conduct investigations and utilize appropriate technologies and information systems to build an understanding of evidence of evolution in organisms and landforms.
    • Objective 5.05: Use maps, ground truthing and remote sensing to make predictions regarding:
      • Changes over time.
      • Land use.
      • Urban sprawl.
      • Resource management.

Social Studies (2003)

Grade 5

  • Goal 1: The learner will apply key geographic concepts to the United States and other countries of North America.
    • Objective 1.06: Explain how people of the United States and other countries of North America adapt to, modify, and use their physical environment.

Grade 6

  • Goal 1: The learner will use the five themes of geography and geographic tools to answer geographic questions and analyze geographic concepts.
    • Objective 1.02: Generate, interpret, and manipulate information from tools such as maps, globes,charts, graphs, databases, and models to pose and answer questions about space and place, environment and society, and spatial dynamics and connections.

Grade 7

  • Goal 1: The learner will use the five themes of geography and geographic tools to answer geographic questions and analyze geographic concepts.
    • Objective 1.02: Generate, interpret, and manipulate information from tools such as maps, globes, charts, graphs, databases, and models to pose and answer questions about space and place, environment and society, and spatial dynamics and connections.

Grade 8

  • Goal 5: The learner will evaluate the impact of political, economic, social, and technological changes on life in North Carolina from 1870 to 1930.
    • Objective 5.01: Identify the role played by the agriculture, textile, tobacco, and furniture industries in North Carolina, and analyze their importance in the economic development of the state.
  • Goal 8: The learner will evaluate the impact of demographic, economic, technological, social, and political developments in North Carolina since the 1970's.
    • Objective 8.02: List economic and technological advances occurring in North Carolina since 1970, and assess their influence on North Carolina's role in the nation and the world.
  • Goal 9: The learner will explore examples of and opportunities for active citizenship, past and present, at the local and state levels.
    • Objective 9.01: Describe contemporary political, economic, and social issues at the state and local levels and evaluate their impact on the community.