Forestry Expo Virtual Learning Lessons

Family Forestry Expo is one of the most rewarding and longest-running outdoor education programs around. Each May, hundreds of 5th grade students, volunteers, parents and community members come together to celebrate our local Forests and learn from them. The Family Forestry Expo site is an education forest along Trumbull Creek and has grand stands for larger demonstrations, a walking path, and exhibit sites. 5th grade students that participate in the school field trips are normally taught a variety of lessons about forest health and management, wildfires, wildlife, fisheries, recreation, and many more. Each year we run an exhibit station focused on riparian areas and how our forests help maintain our water quality.

Sadly, the Forestry Expo has been canceled for the first time in 30 years.

While virtual learning will never replace the lessons that can be taught by getting your hands muddy in a local stream, there are some tool available to teachers, parents, and students. Below is a list of links to teaching guides, videos, and activities by the Nature Conservancy that will help students learn the same principals normally taught at our riparian area exhibit station.

• Video: How Nature Makes Clean Water
• Video: Educator Support Video: Water Filtration
• Video: Demo: Water Filtration Activity (4:45 min)
• Video: Design and Build a Rain Garden for Your School or Community
• Teacher Guide, Lesson, and Resources 

We hope you enjoy these lessons, but even more, we hope you can find your way to the Forestry Expo site for a self-guided walk through the forest.