This video focuses on the causes of wildfires, why wildfires can be so detrimental, how they can be prevented, and how local communities can restore forests and ecosystems once wildfires have occurred.
Students will learn that while not all wildfires are bad and some fires occur naturally, most wildfires are actually created by people.
Teaching Tips
Positives
This video is succinct and easy to follow.
This resource uses an organized format, being sure to headline the three specific topics highlighted in the video.
Additional Prerequisites
This video contains advertisements and a plug for Ecosia's search engine during the video.
Differentiation
Consider having students work in groups to research specific stories of wildfire impacts, including this story about the impact of wildfires in Nevada.
This video discusses that not all wildfires are bad, so have students create a pros and cons graphic organizer to analyze the ways that wildfires that can be helpful and detrimental.
Art classes could follow this video with an analysis of this Jill Pelto watercolor and colored pencil artwork and then come up with another idea for an artistic expression on this topic.
Scientist Notes
This video highlights three important facts about wildfires, how wildfires can be prevented, how local communities can restore their forest, and the effects on natural habitats and ecosystem services after wildfire events. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Standards
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
ESS2: Earth's Systems
HS-ESS2-2 Analyze geoscience data to make the claim that one change to Earth’s surface can create feedbacks that cause changes to other Earth systems.
ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
HS-ESS3-4 Evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems.
LS2: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
HS-LS2-6 Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning that the complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem.
Common Core English Language Arts Standards (CCSS.ELA)
Speaking & Listening (K-12)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.3 Evaluate a speaker's point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, assessing the stance, premises, links among ideas, word choice, points of emphasis, and tone used.
