The Green Jewel of Wisconsin
Lesson #: 13
Grade: 4th
Subject Area: Social Studies
Context
Materials
Introduction/Investment
If possible, pull up Google Earth on a computer and project the image on the wall or projector screen. Ask the students to point out anything that they notice about the state of Wisconsin and think about where on the map the Menominee would be located.
If the students don’t notice the area where the reservation is, begin to zoom in on the Menominee Reservation. Now ask them what they notice.
Content
The major content of this lesson is around the forest management that occurs on the Menominee reservation
Whole-Class Activity
For the class activity, it will be based heavily on the idea of proper use of resources.
Put up one Post-It for each student on the board. Tell the class that you expect them to take notes on what we will talk about from the content row but they must decide how to use the Post-Its most effectively. Tell them as a class that they have 3 minutes to decide how they will pick the Post-It and everything. This is a time for the teacher to stand back and listen.
Once the students have decided how to manage their Post-It notes, begin to teach the content. At some points, tell the students to get a new Post-It. See how well it works in terms of getting the students to properly use their resources.
Practice
What did you realize from doing the things with the Post-It notes and how the Menominee control their forestry?
Have the students think about this and report to their neighbor.
Assessment
The assessment will be homework based and also an exit slip. The homework will be based around connecting the controlling of their forest to how they use resources such as water. Have them write about the awareness, if any they have gotten.
Grade: 4th
Subject Area: Social Studies
Context
Materials
- Exit slips
- Projector for showing Google Map of the Menominee Reservation
Introduction/Investment
If possible, pull up Google Earth on a computer and project the image on the wall or projector screen. Ask the students to point out anything that they notice about the state of Wisconsin and think about where on the map the Menominee would be located.
If the students don’t notice the area where the reservation is, begin to zoom in on the Menominee Reservation. Now ask them what they notice.
Content
The major content of this lesson is around the forest management that occurs on the Menominee reservation
- The Menominee and the nature around them have always worked together in great ways
- Wood milling was a great way to earn money
- While the Menominee were fighting over their lands, the US put in a sawmill that forced the Menominee to clear-cut the lands
- Menominee Elders felt the traditional way of cutting only mature trees from East to West and restarting when the end of the reservation was met was the best way
- Sustained-yield forestry
- In 1905, 25 million board feet of wood cut
- 1 board foot = piece of wood 12” x 12” x 1” and is a lot of wood
- This disagreement about how to deal with the Menominee reservation forest, was seen as a battle between the old and new traditions
Whole-Class Activity
For the class activity, it will be based heavily on the idea of proper use of resources.
Put up one Post-It for each student on the board. Tell the class that you expect them to take notes on what we will talk about from the content row but they must decide how to use the Post-Its most effectively. Tell them as a class that they have 3 minutes to decide how they will pick the Post-It and everything. This is a time for the teacher to stand back and listen.
Once the students have decided how to manage their Post-It notes, begin to teach the content. At some points, tell the students to get a new Post-It. See how well it works in terms of getting the students to properly use their resources.
Practice
What did you realize from doing the things with the Post-It notes and how the Menominee control their forestry?
Have the students think about this and report to their neighbor.
Assessment
The assessment will be homework based and also an exit slip. The homework will be based around connecting the controlling of their forest to how they use resources such as water. Have them write about the awareness, if any they have gotten.
