Forest Biome Survey

4th grade spring unit

revised December 22, 2009

Unit goals

To really learn about a forest, we must explore more than just the trees. All forests, including River Bend's Big Woods, are rich with unique plant and animal life. Students will deepen their understanding of a biome by identifing various species, conditions and seasonal changes found in the Big Woods forest at River Bend.

This unit is specifically designed to address appropriate AAAS Project 2061 benchmarks as well as fourth grade Minnesota Academic proposed Science Standards. E-mail here for more information.

-- Summary Box --

Before your visit, please review with your students ...

The scope of a forest, more than just trees.
The types of forests found in Minnesota.
The unique features of the "Big Woods" forest
Some of the plants and animals that the student might encounter in their study.
River Bend's definition of a biome
The current weather conditions and recent weather patterns.

At River Bend ... (a worksheet packet will be used - sample worksheet)

During the introduction we will review the above material
The historical expanse of the original Big Woods forest in Minnesota
Investigate what a "biome" really is
2-3 pairs of students will share a study plot
Progress through various surveys to identify various species and their current spring status on the Big Woods.
- Leafing out of trees
- Wildflowers in bloom
- Birds, mammals, and insects that might be active
- Temperature, precipitation, soil and sky conditions
Watch a Big Woods skit
Chart their results
In the closing we will ...
- inquire about students' results and put into seasonal perspective
- use the students' result to build a definition of a forest biome.
- review the importance of forest preservation
- remind the students of their next visit
- talk of upcoming events at River Bend
- invite the students to return on their own with family and friends

Back in the classroom ...

Graph/chart results gathered at River Bend
Monitor results from other classes to create spreadsheets and graphs. Click for an Word graph template to use and a graph sample to see how it might turn out.
Explore how the forest biome was important to early peoples
Research forest wildlife not found on River Bend's Big Woods

(trouble downloading? click here)

What is a forest?

There are many types of forests around the world often classified by the types of trees that dominate that area. But each type of forest also has other certain species of flowers, herb, shrubs, fungi, and wildlife that live there.

What are the different types of forests found in Minnesota?

Minnesota is a rare state in that it historically had three different biomes: the prairie, deciduous forest, and coniferous forest. We studied the prairie last fall, the coniferous forest (mostly with evergreen trees) can be found in the northeastern "arrowhead" region, and some areas in our part of the state has a deciduous forest (trees that loose their leaves each winter). The Faribault area historically had both prairie and forest, which is why we take the time to study each.

Learn more about Minnesota's biomes here

What makes River Bend's Big Woods forest unique?

The Big Woods is known for its tall trees, primarily maple, basswood, hickory, cherry, and elm, with a fairly open understory. Along with a few smaller tree species, such as hop hornbeam, the Big Woods is also special in its array of spring wildflowers, including the endangered dwarf trout lily in River Bend. We are fortunate to have a portion of Big Woods forest preserved at River Bend.

What are some of the plants we might find
in River Bend's Big Woods this spring?

We will be exploring the Big Woods during the spring season when the flowers are blooming along the forest floor and other plants are just waking up for the year. Here are some that you will see:

Large Trees:
sugar maple
black maple
American basswood
black cherry
elm
bitternut hickory
various ashes
butternut
hackberry
box elder
red/white oak

Small Trees, Shrubs, and Vines:
hop hornbeam
elderberry
various grape vines
Virginia creeper vine
moonseed vine

Flowers:
trout lily and dwarf trout lily
sharp-lobed hepatica
bloodroot
Dutchman's breeches
spring beauty
dame's rocket
false rue anemone
rue anemone
Virginia waterleaf
wild ginger
jack-in-the-pulpit
violet

Other:
ferns
shelf fungi
carbon fungi

Visit River Bend's spring wildflowers web page!!!

What are some of the animals we might find in River Bend's Big Woods?

We may not always see them, but the Big Woods plays an important role in the life of many birds, mammals, and other animals. We'll be watching for them and their signs. Here are a few examples:

Big Woods Mammals: White-tailed deer gray squirrel red squirrel deer/white-footed mice gray fox raccoon opossum cottontail rabbit weasels and mink striped skunk	Big Woods Birds: American robin American crow black-capped chickadee various woodpeckers house wren cedar waxwing white-breasted nuthatch Northern cardinal great horned and barred owls warlbers, sparrows, and more!
Learn more about these animals at enature.com

How does River Bend define "Biome?"

Regions of the Earth that have a unique interdependent community of plants, animals, soils, and weather patterns.

What do we need to remember when we visit River Bend?

The quieter we are, the better.
Listen to your leader.
Raise your hand if you have something to say.
Do not pick anything unless given permission.
Stay where you leader asks you to be.
Be respectful of nature - and of each other!

River Bend's Big Woods through the seasons

River Bend's Big Woods changes significantly from season to season. Most surprising to visitors is that best flowers come into full bloom in the spring and and we'll be watching how they progress through their stages of bloom. See what other differences you can discover (click to enlarge):

early fall

winter from the air

early spring

late spring

2009 data reports

Date	April 27	April 28	May 1		May 4		May 6 and 14
School	Roosevelt	Roosevelt	Nerstrand	DMCS and FLS	Lincoln	Lincoln	Jefferson	Jefferson
Weather	very cloudy and windy	sunny	partly cloudy	sunny	sunny	sunny	sunny
	p.m.	a.m.	a.m.	p.m.	a.m.	p.m.	a.m.	a.m.
Air Temp	44.7	45	46	54	58	75	58	45
Plant Temp	43.8	44.8	49.7	59.1	59.3	75.9	64.2	46.3
Soil Temp	47.7	41	46.3	50	45.2	47.3	54.1	48.5
Ground Temp	44.3	45.8	49.9	61.2	55.3	79.8	62.6	48.3
logs/sticks wet or dry	wet	wet	dry	dry	wet	dry	wet	wet
leaf litter wet or dry	wet	dry	dry	dry	dry	dry	dry	wet
soil wet or dry	wet	wet	wet	wet	wet	wet	wet	wet

Plants	Percent in spring bloom (averages 4/27): -White Trout Lily 50% - False Rue Anemone 50% - Virginia Waterleaf 0% - Dane's Rocket 0% - Gooseberry 0% - Sedge 50% - Elderberry 0% - Spring Beauty 25% - Wild geranium 0% - Wild leek 0% - Hepatica 75% - Wild ginger 25% - Fern 75% - Violet 25% - Motherwart 0%	Percent in spring bloom (averages 4/28): white trout lily 25% false rue anemone 50% virginia water leaf 0% dame's rocket 0% gooseberry 25% sedge 50% elderberry 50% spring beauty 50% blood root 50% wild leek 0% hepatica 100% ginger 50% vi0let 50% motherwort 0% ash tree 25% basswood 25% maple 25% black cherry 25% hickory 25% oak 25%	Percent in spring bloom (averages 5/1): white trout lily 10% false rue anemone 75% virginia waterleaf 0% dame's rocker 0% gooseberry 30% sedge 25% elderberry 25% spring beauty 60% bedstraw 0% dutchman's breeches 50% wild leek 0% hepatica 25% ginger 25% violet 37% mayapple 0% ash tree 0% basswood 25% maple 25% black cherry 25% hackberry 25% American elm 25%		Percent in spring bloom (averages 5/4): white trout lily 25%, false rue anemone 75%, virginia waterleaf, 0%, dames rocket 0%, gooseberry 35%, sedge 65%, elderberrry 30%, spring beauty 35%, wild leek 0%, hepatica 12%, wild ginger 30%, violet 30%, ashtree 0%, basswood 25%, maple, 25%, black cherry 30%, bollodroot 50%, jack-in-the-pulpit 50%, wild geranium 0% blackraspberry 0% Percent in spring bloom (averages 5/6): white trout lily 15%, false rue anemone 75%, virginia waterleaf 0%, dames rocket 0%, gooseberry 35%, sedge 50%, elderberry 30%, spring beauty 35%, mayapple 0%, blue cohosh 25%, bluebells 25%, black raspberry 0%, bedstraw 0%, wild leek 0%, hepatica 43%, vilet 37%, maple tree 35%, black cherry 37%, bloodroot 56%, jack-in-the-pulpit 62%, wild geranium 25% Percent in spring bloom (averages 5/14): white trout lily 8%, flase rue anemone 58%, virginia waterleaf 32%, dame's rocket 0%, gooseberry 53%, sedge 100%, elderberry 41%, bedstraw 0%, wild leek 0%, dandelion 25%, trillium 25%, phlox 60%, buttercup 43%, hepatica 25%, wild ginger 25%, violet 50%, maple tree 40%, hackberry 30%, oak 100%, elm 25%, jack-in-the-pulpit 25%, geranium 50%

Mammals and other animals noted	centipedes, worms, spiders, snails, beetles, millipedes, hawk, ants, mouse, bird, bee, pillbugs, ant eggs, leaf hoppers, tick, night crawler, slugs	hawk, worm, bee, pill bug, spider, stink bug, larva, ants, millipede, squirrel, slug, yellow bug, lady bug, downy woodpecker, beetle, snail, mite, centipede, fly, wasp, blackbird, cardinal	slug, hawk, red bug, centipede, beetle, spider, worm, ant, geese, toad, snail, deer, bee, pill bug, stink bug, squirrel, grub, millipede, hornet, moth, fly, larva, daddy long legs, frog, woodpecker, rabbit		5/4 woodpecker, squirrel, bee, snake, bird, worm, pillbug, ant, slug, spider, frog, butterfly, millipede, toad, geese, snail, centipede, grasshopper, gray tree frog, red bug, queen ant, mite, fly, beetle, hawk, moth, daddy long legs, robin, stink bug, deer, tick 5/6 squirrel, ant, fly daddy long legs, gnat, millipede, spider, slug, red bug, worm, frog, pill bug, red squirrel, robin, centipede, beetle, woodpecker, night crawler, mite, snake, toad, snail, rabbit, stink bug, geese 5/14 beetle, snail, worm, spider, millipede, mite, ant, pill bug, slug, robin, wren, red spider, queen bee, centipede, fly, blue jay, woodpecker, cricket, stink bug, ladybut, dragonfly, larvae, hawk
Forest Floor click to enlarge

Some suggested pre- or post-visit activities

Send us your ideas here!

Graph/chart the results of research at River Bend.
Monitor the results from other classes posted on this site to include in graphing so as to track changes on the Big Woods throughout the season.
Research other types of forests, in North America and around the globe.