Key Concepts: Change is a part of nature;
people are often forces of change.Goals: To foster an awareness and appreciation of nature, with emphasis on geological, biological and human-caused change; to expose students to some of the plants and animals found in lowland Hawaiian forest environments; and to introduce factors which influence soil erosion and water runoff in the forest.
Objectives: Students will be able to explain how natural forces shape our islands, interpret one type of change that has occurred at Pu'u 'Ualaka'a, and predict how human activity may affect the forest floor and watershed. They will also be able to distinguish between changes that have short-term or local effects and those that have far-reaching ramifications, and suggest changes they could make to create a better future for Hawaii.
Activities:
- Ranger Hike - The program will begin in a grove of
pine trees near the 'Ualaka'a trail head. Two by two, the students will
proceed up the trail, stopping at Ranger stations along the way to
learn short stories about the changes that have taken place in the
area. Each pair of students will serve as Rangers, and be responsible
for imparting information to their classmates. Two by two, the students
will gather at the end of the trail for a review and comparison of the
different kinds of changes discovered along the way.
- View Plane - Students will gather at the lookout to
interpret primary features of the landscape from Manoa Valley to the
Wai'anae Mountains with the help of an instructor.
- Forest Studies - Students will work in subgroups to
assess and record water runoff and small animal diversity in different
areas. Afterwards, the groups will share their data, and consider how
issues like ground cover and land use influence forest and watershed
health.
• Oahu ForestEncounters Teacher Resource Guide (PDF)
• Maui Forest Encounters Teacher Resource Guide (Word)