Presentation for Kids

[slowp]

I will be putting on some kind of a learning thing about timber for kids. They are 3rd up to 6th graders and I get 15 minutes per group. I've got a lot of pictures, could do the old how to measure a tree demo and have them do it, could fill a paint cans with water and let them squirt a paint gun, any ideas? My evil side wants to set up next to the wildlife people and rev up Twinkle. I must quell that side of my personality.

 

[RPM]

Show them an increment borer and tell them how you can tell how old a tree is....a cookie from the biggest tree you can find...bark...kids like to touch stuff in my experience. And for the boys, pictures of anything logging especially if their dad or relative run that stuff.

 

[lt1nut]

Sticking with the chainsaw theme:

Bring a bunch of ear plugs or cotton swabs. Do a spiel on chainsaw safety. Bring out Twinkle, sans b&c of course, and have each rugrats that wants to handle it, revving it up and so forth. Feel free to also explain why logging is important to the environment and critters. Might be best to leave out the economic side of it, don't want to get beyond the teachers' capabilities.

It might be best to just focus on the environmental aspects of it all. It will tick off the tree huggers, critter lovers that don't hunt and give the kids something to think about. Enviro education is a big thing and our side get few chances to show the other side of it.

Before I get slammed here, this is somewhat tongue-in-cheek, somewhat not, I like my own kids and call them rugrats to the point that even their friends respond to it now and, a few teachers understand econ 101 and 102.

HAVE FUN AND THEY WILL!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[fsfcks]

How about taking in some different types of woods for them to see/touch? Wood is a really tactile material.

 

[hammerlogging]

on similar occasions, I found they really liked the clinometer, and the loggers/D-tape (minus the nail). I too discuss managing across the region for habitat, etc. vs. concern for individual trees. What about planting a tree, if possible.

3rd graders are a lot cooler than 6th, 6th graders are too cool to be interested. But with some ridicule, you can get them to ask some questions. My wife teaches middle school, now I know why she's worn out at the end of the day, in a different way than I am. Good luck.

 

[slowp]

I guess I should mention that we will be holding this thing in a campground where there are some humongus trees....got some 7 and 8 foot diameter ones logged out of there in the 80s. They were hazard trees. I'd like to measure heights but we'll probably have to go out 150 feet or farther to see the tops.

 

[Billy_Bob]

Here is a list of products made from trees including toothpaste...
http://www.csrnet.org/csrnet/Trees/forest_products.html

 

[slowp]

Last night at the tavern, we talked about teaching how to throw gas on a campfire to get it going good, then how to fashion fake eyebrows out of moss and stick them on with pitch. That ought to outdo the slug and snail exhibit!

 

[redprospector]

What ever you do try to overcome the "stuff" that has been put into their minds over their few years of schooling, and show them how logging and thinning (cutting trees in general) isn't a bad thing.
Some of my grandkids think I am the evil logger thanks to the infinant wisdom of our school system.

Andy

 

[Gologit]

What ever you do try to overcome the "stuff" that has been put into their minds over their few years of schooling, and show them how logging and thinning (cutting trees in general) isn't a bad thing.
Some of my grandkids think I am the evil logger thanks to the infinant wisdom of our school system.

Andy

Well said.

 

[Adkpk]

Run them through how to take them down safely, tell where it goes and what it is used for. But don't forget to tell them that it's important to plant more for the future.

I am not sure about the chainsaw they'll probably be artifacts by the time they get to use one. :hmm3grin2orange: