IT'S ELEMENTARY

In 1951 the Ontario Department of Education was encouraging the Elementary teachers  to use their Intermediate Division (Grade 7) Outline of courses for Experimental Use.

I looked up the Outline for Forest Conservation on page 185:

(The page was set up as a series of questions with supporting activities to use.)

CONSERVATION OF FORESTS

WHY ARE FORESTS IMPORTANT TO US?

• Make a chart of forest products.
• Discuss the importance of forests as sources of wages and taxes.
• Review the role of forest and swamps as natural reservoirs of water.
• Discuss the forest as a home for wild life and as a playground for tourists.

WHERE ARE THE FOREST AREAS OF ONTARIO AND CANADA?

• On a map mark the communities in this province mainly supported by forests.
• On  an outline map mark the provincial and national parks.
• Consult authoritative references to discover the areas which have been deforested.

HOW ARE OUR FORESTS ENDANGERED?

• Report on wasteful cutting methods in lumbering.
• Discuss the damage to trees left unprotected.
• Find the reasons for certain native trees becoming scarce.
• Consult references to find the annual loss in dollars caused by forest fires, diseases and insects.

HOW ARE FOREST FIRES PREVENTED?

• Consider ways in which people travelling through our forests can help prevent forest fires.
• Discuss measures taken by governments to prevent forest fires.

HOW ARE FOREST FIRES CONTROLLED?

• See "Timagami Ranger" and other available films.
• Make a report on methods and equipment being used to detect and fight forest fires.

HOW ARE FORESTS MAINTAINED?

• Discuss "clear cutting" versus "selective cutting". The former generally means removing every saleable tree; the latter means cutting about twenty-five percent of the saleable trees followed by a similar cutting every five or six years.
• Locate the reforestation stations of the Department of Lands and Forests, and secure information concerning the work done there.
• Survey your district and consult topographic maps to determine areas which should be reforested.
• Visit or take part in a school or community reforestation project.

                                                              end

Jump forward to the year 2007 Science and Technology Curriculum of the Ontario  Ministry of Education:

Its number one goal is to relate Science and Technology to Society and the Environment.

In my POST "Ontario Loves You.." I report about the BIODIVERSITY agenda that would call for a generational change in the way we behave toward our environment. At that time it was hard to envision what they were getting at, but let's look at the Elementary Curriculum for Science and Technology , 2007, with that legislation in mind.

WHAT THEY STUDY

• Grade 3 and 4 ...ENVIRONMENT
• Grade 5...CONSERVATION OF ENERGY AND RESOURCES
• Grade 6 ...BIODIVERSITY
• Grade 7 ...INTERACTIONS IN THE ENVIRONMENT
• Grade 9 ...SUSTAINABLE ECOSYSTEMS...SUSTAINABLE ECOSYSTEMS AND HUMAN ACTIVITY

They define sustainability: the concept of meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations of meeting their needs.

The Outcome of this Grade 6 curriculum is to " develop the related skills and conceptional knowledge that are necessary for making connections between scientific, technological and environmental issues ."

"All students of Grade Six should have the opportunity to explore the natural world."

"When assessing human impacts on species and ecosystems - especially at the local level - Students must be given the opportunities to look at a variety of points of view."

"They should consider : How and Why the perspectives of Developers, People Concerned With the Environment and Residents of the Local Community  might be similar or different."

NOTE:  So far I see no mention of FOREST INDUSTRY .

"Students are to:

• consider viewpoints and biases
• look for ways to agree
• look for ways to reduce impact of actions
• make more informed decisions about their own positions"

Outcomes expected by the end of Grade Six, according to the 2007 Science and Technology Curriculum guidelines of the Ontario Ministry of Education:

3." Demonstrate an understanding of Biodiversity, its contributions to stability of natural systems and its benefits to humans."

SAMPLE ISSUE :

" A local forest is slated to be cut down to make room  for a new shopping plaza."

SAMPLE QUESTIONS:

"What are the positive and negative aspects of the issue?"
"Who might have differing opinions on the issue?"
"Why?"
"What are some things you can do."

1." Assess human impacts on biodiversity and identify ways of preserving biodiversity."

1.2 " Assess the benefits that human society derive from Biodiversity - and - the problems that occur when biodiversity is diminished. "
         
        "example:  monoculture - farms"

THE GRADE SEVEN CURRICULUM LEAD IN IS ALMOST THE SAME AS GRADE SIX

But what they study is ECOSYSTEMS.

Systems and Interactions

Sustainability and Stewardship

"Ecosystems are made up of biotic and abiotic elements which depend on each other to survive."

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS FOR GRADE SEVEN

"Ecosystems are in a constant state of change"

• "The change can be caused by nature or human intervention"
• "Human activities have the potential to alter the environment"
• "Humans must be aware of these impacts and try to control them"

1." Assess impacts and evaluate controls"
2. "Investigate interactions and identify components"
3." Demonstrate understanding of interactions between and among the elements of the environment."


Unless Forestry as an Industry and the Ministry of Natural Resources as the governing body are mentioned  in the text books I see no guideline or expectation or representational example concerning their involvement in the Ecosystems or Biodiversity of Ontario. Farming, (agriculture) is the monoculture example.

(Monoculture by the way can be both natural and man-made.)

I do like the statement :"Ecosystems are in a constant state of change." Let us hope our children take that to heart.