1. Unit Title: Wild Land Fire& The local Community
Duration: 1-2 weeks
Teacher: Maggie Burwick Number of Lessons: 7
General Objectives of Unit:
Students will gain a deep understanding of wildland fire and how it has affected the land
and local people overtime. Students will explore the responsibilities of the professionals
that work with wildfire.
Learning Outcomes: Students will:
● Analyze wild fire knowledge from primary and secondary sources to gain an
understanding of the dynamics of wildfire in a local community
● Construct a mock fire perimeter, using a combination of knowledge gained in
mathematics during the wildfire unit.
● complete research worksheets, writing projects and a visit to the Department of Natural
Resources
● Compile a junior wildland fighter portfolio. The portfolio will contain worksheets,
information and research about wild fire and the local community.
Rationale of Unit:
Students will begin the Wildfire unit by viewing a presentation that highlight s wildfires
effect on a community. The presentation will include dynamic photos, hands on gear and
a slide show. Students will discover the objectives of wildland firefighting in a local
community. Students will learn about the history of wildfires in the west and how they
have affected the people and natural resources. Students will analyze and discuss local
firefighters writing and complete their own reflections on wildfires. At the culmination of
the unit the students will take a field trip to The Department of Natural Resources. During
this field trip students will get to see first hand local fire fighters and their responsibilities
to the local community.
Instructional Sequence:
Day 1: Formative Assessment, write everything you know about wild land fire and
wildland firefighters.
● Students will demonstrate prior knowledge about wildfire and wild land fire fighters by
completing a quick writing activity about fire fighters. Students will view and discuss a
slide show highlighting important aspects of wildfire and wildland firefighters.
Day 2: The Science of Fire: Explore the Fire Triangle
●Students will view a video about the fire triangle. They will finish a research worksheet
in their Jr. Firefighting portfolio.

2. Day 3: Explore primary resource of firefighting accounts. Including poetry and
essays from local fire fighters
● Students will listen to, discuss and reflect upon pieces of writing from local wildland
fire fighters. Students will complete a sloppy copy and final draft of a fire poem
Day 3: Students will complete research worksheets on the 1910 Fires, while
exploring secondary resources. Students will view a blog, newspaper articles and
pictures.
● Students will be introduced to a famous wildland fire and its effects on the local
community through a 1910 fire blog. The students and teacher will work through a fire
research worksheet together while exploring the blog.
Day 4: Students will be introduced to perimeter by completing an activity in which
they build a perimeter around a fake fire.
● Students will complete an introductory activity to the concept of perimeter by using
masking tape to create and measure the perimeter of different shapes. Three groups will
apply what they learn to creating a big fire perimeter outside.
Day 5: Students will analyze fire photographs and respond by writing an original
poem.
●Students will analyze a collection of fire photographs and then write an original poem
by describing the photograph starting at the top and ending at the bottom. Students will
peer edit a piece of writing and then complete and share their creation.
Day 6: Students will explore the science of wildfire: lightning and wildfires.
●Students will analyze the effects of a lightning strike on a dry forest. Students will
understand the process of how heat, oxygen and fuel can cause combustion. Students will
create a diagram showing the process of lightning causing a wildfire.
Day 7: Field Trip to the DNRC
●Students will analyze and discuss wildland fire responsibilities after completing a tour
of the local Department of Natural Resources.
Evaluation Procedures:
The formative assessment will take place on the first day; I will give students a short
writing assignment that tests prior knowledge about wildland fires and the people who
work with them. With this assessment I will be able to see what students already know
about wildfires and the local community and what areas need the most help with. The
summative assessment will take place on the 9th day of the unit; the students will be
presented with the same writing activity as the formative assessment. I want to see the
progress of gained knowledge over the course of the unit. Throughout the unit students
will complete a Jr. Firefighting portfolio. The portfolio will contain worksheets, research
projects and a daily journal. The portfolio will be graded at the end of the unit.