Before the meeting:
- Contact the Department of Natural Resources or local Forest Service to schedule a visit. Let them know that you have a group of 5th graders learning about wildfires and forest management. Explain that you would like the speaker to discuss naturally occurring wildfires, as well as prescribed burns. Ask them to bring any supplies they will need.
- Send a reminder to the guest the day before.
- Set up meeting space for speaker and Cub Scouts.
During the meeting:.
- Encourage Cub Scouts to ask questions. Remind them to be respectful during the presentation.
- Ask the guest presenter to discuss the following:
- Trees in fire-prone areas develop thicker bark for protection.
- How topography, environment, and weather factor in a fire.
- What is a prescribed burn? What is a burn ban?
- How a low-intensify fire can be helpful to a forest.
- The impact a high-severity fire can have on an ecosystem.
- What is a mosaic fire?
- When they’re finished, have Cub Scouts ask questions such as:
- How did you learn about wildfire safety?
- Have you ever helped control a wildfire?
- Was it scary?
- How would the tree they are learning about deal with fire?
After the meeting:
Send a thank you note to the speaker.
