Course

Title

FireWorks for the Northern Rocky Mountains and Northern Cascades - E13-1: My Tree Autobiography: Seeing History through Trees' Annual Rings
Course Type: FireWorks activities
Availability: Public access
Author(s): FireWorks Educational Program
Contact(s):
  • Ilana L. Abrahamson
    US Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire, Fuel, and Smoke Science Program
    ilana.l.abrahamson@usda.gov
Date Created: October 13, 2017
Ongoing

Cataloging Information

Keyword(s):
  • fire scars
  • tree rings
Topic(s):
Region(s):
Partner Site(s):
Record Maintained By:
FRAMES Staff; https://www.frames.gov/contact
Record Last Modified: April 6, 2020
FRAMES Record Number: 25031

Description

Lesson Overview: In this activity, students examine a fire -scarred tree cross section (sometimes called a “tree cookie”) and a display that shows tree growth rings. Then they record their own personal histories us ing growth rings as a metaphor.

Lesson Goal: Students will understand how growth rings form and how they record a tree’s history.

Objective:

  • Students understand how tree growth rings are formed well enough to sketch their own histories using personal “growth rings” - one ring for each year of their lives.
Online Link(s):
E13-1: Autobiography - Using Annual Rings - Lesson Plan (485 KB; pdf)
Growth Rings Form (201 KB; pdf)
Growth Rings Form Powerpoint (344 KB; ppt)