What’s inside this handbook?
1) An introduction to
forest health.
2) An introduction to
systems thinking.
3) Six activities that teach
forest health using
systems thinking as a
guide.
1. Forest health:
What does this handbook cover?
Forest health touches on issues ranging from:
• The beneficial roles of insect pests and tree disease
pathogens in a forest.
• Management-related forest health issues.
• The impacts of exotic, invasive species.
• Forest fragmentation and urban encroachment.
1. Forest health:
What will your students learn?
We hope that students will
learn to:
• Consider forest health from
various viewpoints.
• Understand interrelationships
and feedback mechanisms.
• Visualize spatial and temporal
mechanisms of forest system
functions.
• Appreciate the variety of
threats to forest health.
• Consider their role as future
forest stewards.
1. Forest health:
What will your students learn?
We hope that students will
learn to:
• Consider forest health from
various viewpoints.
• Understand interrelationships
and feedback mechanisms.
• Visualize spatial and temporal
mechanisms of forest system
functions.
• Appreciate the variety of
threats to forest health.
• Consider their role as future
forest stewards.
1. Forest health:
What will your students learn?
We hope that students will
learn to:
• Consider forest health from
various viewpoints.
• Understand interrelationships
and feedback mechanisms.
• Visualize spatial and temporal
mechanisms of forest system
functions.
• Appreciate the variety of
threats to forest health.
• Consider their role as future
forest stewards.
1. Forest health:
What will your students learn?
We hope that students will
learn to:
• Consider forest health from
various viewpoints.
• Understand interrelationships
and feedback mechanisms.
• Visualize spatial and temporal
mechanisms of forest system
functions.
• Appreciate the variety of
threats to forest health.
• Consider their role as future
forest stewards.
1. Forest health:
What will your students learn?
We hope that students will
learn to:
• Consider forest health from
various viewpoints.
• Understand interrelationships
and feedback mechanisms.
• Visualize spatial and temporal
mechanisms of forest system
functions.
• Appreciate the variety of
threats to forest health.
• Consider their role as future
forest stewards.
2. Systems thinking:
Why does this handbook use it?
Forests are dynamic
ecosystems. Systems
thinking helps teach
about dynamics.
Systems thinking is a
higher order thinking
skill. It helps students
think critically by
looking for and
understanding the
systems underlying
various phenomena.
?
2. Systems thinking:
What is a system?
A set of components that interact with each
other in various ways resulting in changes to
the collective whole. The whole system
displays emergent properties and behaviors
as a result of the relationships among its
parts.
2. Systems thinking: An example
What do I
need to
know to
keep my
trees
alive?
2. Systems thinking:
Elements of systems
There are many
elements of systems,
including:
1. Interdependence
2. Feedback loops
3. Inputs and outputs
4. Micro- to macrosystems
2. Systems thinking:
Elements of systems
There are many
elements of systems,
including:
1. Interdependence
2. Feedback loops
3. Inputs and outputs
4. Micro- to macrosystems
Japanese mimosa
–
+
Southern magnolia
2. Systems thinking:
Elements of systems
There are many
elements of systems,
including:
1. Interdependence
2. Feedback loops
3. Inputs and outputs
4. Micro- to macrosystems
Input
Number and
location of
bark beetles
+
Number and
types of trees
+
Environmental
conditions
=
Output
Epidemic
outbreak of
beetles?
2. Systems thinking:
Elements of systems
There are many
elements of systems,
including:
1. Interdependence
2. Feedback loops
3. Inputs and outputs
4. Micro- to macrosystems
3. Six forest health activities featuring
systems thinking elements
3. Six forest health activities featuring
systems thinking elements
Each activity includes:
•
•
•
•
•
A lesson summary
List of Next Generation
Sunshine State Standards
List of materials
Time considerations
Behavioral objectives
Each activity includes:
•
Background
information
•
A “Thinking in
systems section”
Each activity includes:
•
Instructions on how to prepare for, conduct,
and assess each activity
Each activity includes:
Suggestions on:
• How to optimize the
learning experience
• Points for discussion
and reflection
• Student pages and
answer keys where
applicable
Each activity includes:
•
•
Extension ideas
Additional
resources,
including the
University of
Florida’s SFRC
Extension
website for
complementary
resources.
Thanks!
Your suggestions and enthusiasm have driven
the making of these materials. We’d love to
hear your feedback on how these activities
perform with students.
Good luck and enjoy teaching!