|
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 us for more information.
|
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 in 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 students' 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 a 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 in River Bend's Big Woods
|
|
|
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.
Minnesota is a rare state in that it historically had four different biomes: the prairie, deciduous forest, coniferous forest and aspen parkland. 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 have 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. The aspen parkland is in a small section of northwestern Minnesota and is a transition from dry prairie in the west to coniferous forest to the east.
Learn more about Minnesota's biomes here.
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.
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
boxelder
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
|
| Also, visit River Bend's spring wildflowers web page. |
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
warblers, sparrows, and more
|
| Learn more about these animals at enature.com. |
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.
Regions of the Earth that have a unique interdependent community of plants, animals, soils, and weather patterns.
- 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!
See past years' data reports: 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007. Download graphing example and template.
| Date |
April 9 |
April 10 |
April 27 |
May 7 |
May 8 |
|
| School |
Lincoln |
Lincoln |
Jefferson |
Jefferson |
DMCS |
|
|
Roosevelt |
|
Roosevelt |
|
|
| Weather |
windy
sunny |
windy
sunny |
sunny
windy |
sunny
windy
few cloud |
|
|
|
sunny some wind |
|
light rain and partly cloudy |
|
|
| Time |
AM |
PM |
AM |
PM |
AM |
PM |
AM |
PM |
AM |
PM |
AM |
PM |
| Air Temp (F) |
42 |
46 |
33 |
40 |
40 |
|
|
62 |
|
55 |
|
|
| Plant Temp (F) |
42 |
58 |
35 |
50 |
43 |
|
|
61 |
|
53 |
|
|
| Soil Temp (F) |
41 |
43 |
40 |
50 |
42 |
|
|
65 |
|
59 |
|
|
| Ground Temp (F) |
39 |
57 |
33 |
55 |
46 |
|
|
64 |
|
54 |
|
|
| Log/sticks wet/dry |
wet under |
moist |
wet under |
wet under |
wet |
|
|
wet |
|
wet |
|
|
| Leaf litter wet/dry |
in middle |
dry |
mostly dry |
dry |
wet |
|
|
wet |
|
wet |
|
|
| Soil wet/dry |
dry |
dry |
slightly moist |
slightly moist |
wet |
|
|
wet |
|
wet |
|
|
| Plants percentage in Spring bloom (average) |
| false rue anemone |
75% |
| white trout lily |
0% |
| gooseberry |
75% |
| elderberry |
75% |
| basswood |
0% |
| black cherry |
100% |
| American elm |
0% |
| maple |
75% |
| Dame's rocket |
0% |
| sharp-lobed hepatica |
50% |
| spring beauty |
75% |
| common blue violet |
50% |
| wild leek |
0% |
| sedge |
25% |
| Virginia waterleaf |
0% |
| bedstraw |
0% |
| nettles |
50% |
|
| false rue anemone |
100% |
| white trout lily |
0% |
| gooseberry |
75% |
| elderberry |
75% |
| basswood |
0% |
| black cherry |
100% |
| American elm |
0% |
| maple |
75% |
| Dame's rocket |
0% |
| sharp-lobed hepatica |
25% |
| spring beauty |
75% |
| common blue violet |
50% |
| wild leek |
0% |
| sedge |
0% |
| Virginia waterleaf |
0% |
| bedstraw |
0% |
| hackberry |
0% |
| wild geranium |
100% |
| solomon seal |
0% |
| bitternut hickory |
0% |
| hackberry |
100% |
|
| false rue anemone |
75% |
| white trout lily |
0% |
| gooseberry |
0% |
| elderberry |
0% |
| basswood |
50% |
| black cherry |
100% |
| maple |
100% |
| Dame's rocket |
0% |
| sharp-lobed hepatica |
0% |
| spring beauty |
50% |
| downy yellow violet |
50% |
| common blue violet |
50% |
| wild leek |
0% |
| sedge |
50% |
| Virginia waterleaf |
0% |
| bedstraw |
0% |
| hackberry |
0% |
| wild geranium |
0% |
| wild ginger |
0% |
| dandelion |
0% |
| grapevine |
0% |
|
| false rue anemone |
25% |
| gooseberry |
25% |
| hog peanut |
0% |
| buckthorn |
100% |
| nodding trillium |
25% |
| maple |
100% |
| Dame's rocket |
25% |
| sharp-lobed hepatica |
0% |
| spring beauty |
25% |
| downy yellow violet |
25% |
| common blue violet |
0% |
| wild leek |
0% |
| sedge |
0% |
| Virginia waterleaf |
0% |
| wild geranium |
50% |
| wild ginger |
25% |
|
| false rue anemone |
25% |
| gooseberry |
0% |
| elderberrry |
0% |
| buckthorn |
100% |
| moss |
0% |
| mushroom |
0% |
| maple |
100% |
| Dame's rocket |
25% |
| sharp-lobed hepatica |
0% |
| spring beauty |
25% |
| common blue violet |
25% |
| wild leek |
0% |
| sedge |
25% |
| Virginia water leaf |
0% |
| bedstraw |
25% |
| hackberry |
100% |
| wild geranium |
25% |
| wild gineger |
25% |
| white baneberry |
25% |
| fern |
25% |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
| Mammals & other animals noted |
leopard frog, woodpecker, worms, millipede, centipede, beetles, caterpillar, slug, ants, snail, geese, spider, pill bugs, cricket, small hawk, fly, stink bug, butterfly, robin, mosquito |
slug, worm, centipede, ant, bird, mosquito, pill bug, millipede, spider, beetle, fly, woodpecker, snail, chickadee, cricket, squirrel, springtail, geese, mite, hawk, box elder bug, moth |
worms, centipedes, millipedes, slugs, beetles, butterflies, woodpeckers, spiders, chickadees, pill bugs, frogs, ants, deer, crickets, geese, flies, snails |
worms, snail, siders, red mite, fly, slug, ants, butterfly, moth, rolypoly, frog, centipede, millipede, beetles, daddy long legs, sow bug, cricket, woodpecker, toad, wolf spider, snail, birds, ladybug, brown snake |
worms, spider, butterfly, slug, centipede, millipede, squirrel, ant, bluejay, tick, red mite, orange worm, cricket, moth, beetle, geese, robin, woodpecker, toad, deer, sow bug, rolypoly, black bug, bird |
|
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.
The following links contain some interesting information on forests: Send us your ideas by email!
Our own spring wildflower page
Spring wildflower site
MN deciduous forest site
US deciduous forest site
Forest conservation |
