In this article, students will read about ecological succession, primary forests, and why it's important to protect them.
The article includes a diagram of ecological succession and an interactive map that allow students to explore where the remaining tropical primary forests exist on Earth.
Teaching Tips
Positives
Terms and statistics used throughout the article are hyperlinked to scientific papers or websites to provide definitions, additional information, or context.
The interactive map showing the locations of remaining tropical primary forests is a great visual tool.
Additional Prerequisites
Students should be familiar with the terms ecology, ecosystem, and species.
Differentiation
Students can further explore the map by clicking the link to "Explore on GFW" which takes you to a more detailed version with many layers, including different types of land cover, fire alerts, land use, and biodiversity options.
The diagram and map could be used in lower grades when discussing geography and ecological succession.
Higher grades could use the article to discuss the importance of old-growth forests for biodiversity.
Cross-curricular connections can be made with math classes by challenging students to calculate the percentage of old growth/primary forests that have been lost.
Scientist Notes
Students will understand the concept of ecological succession to help in developing strategies for improved forest regeneration. The resource including mapped data points is accurate and recommended for teaching.
Standards
Science and Engineering
ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
MS-ESS3-5 Ask questions to clarify evidence of the factors that have caused the rise in global temperatures over the past century.
English Language Arts
Reading (K-12)
R.6-8.12 Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.
Social Studies
Geography
Geography 1 (F1): Students understand the geography of the community, Maine, the United States, and various regions of the world, and geographic influences on life in the past, present, and future by using the geographic grid and a variety of types of maps, including digital sources, to locate and access relevant geographic information that reflects multiple perspectives.
