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Forest Discovery Guide Online / Introduction
A Letter to Teachers
Welcome to a forest resource kit that brings messages about the forest industry, the forest as a dynamic ecosystem, environmental practices and career opportunities.
These resources were developed for teachers by teachers!
We hope that you and your students will enjoy and learn from viewing the videos, using some of the activities provided in the Forest Discovery Guide, and generally, "digging in" to the Forest Discovery Box.
Designed for students in grades five to eight, this kit features an interdisciplinary approach. Built around the six videos in the series, activities are presented in a variety of subject areas. Videos cover the following topics:
Everything you need to get started is included: the videos; a teacher's resource guide (Forest Discovery Guide) which features blackline masters, overhead transparencies and teaching suggestions; as well as materials in the Forest Discovery Box that bring the forest right into the classroom. Activities and suggestions have been included to help you adapt to the appropriate needs of your students.
Teaching and Learning
- Learning requires the active participation of the learner and is both an individual and a social process. It has been our aim to provide activities and resources with this in mind.
- People learn in a variety of ways and at different rates.
- Learning about a subject such as forestry means finding out all you can on the subject and then coming to your own conclusions about such things as forest management, forest use and environmental considerations.
It is our sincere desire that you will find the resources which have been developed to be helpful and fun. Good luck! And share your successes and ideas with others!
Deborah Fisher, District 2
Kathy Watt, District 18
Claudette Vautour, District 1
History of Project
J.D. Irving, Limited has been in the forestry business for over one hundred years. During these years much has changed not only in the way trees are harvested and processed, but also in the way people think about and treat the forest.
The idea for this educational initiative began in the spring of 1994. James D. Irving, General Manager of J.D. Irving, Limited, with the help of New Brunswick's Partnerships for Education's coordinator, Dave Roberts, invited a group of teachers and students to tour the Company's forestry operations. The week-long tour included visits to harvesting and planting operations, tours of sawmills, pulp and paper mills and a tissue converting plant, and discussions about forestry with J.D. Irving, Limited employees involved in every aspect of the forest industry.
When the tour was complete the participants were asked for their impressions. Students and educators were of one voice: "We had no idea the industry was this sophisticated. You have to tell others about it."
From that simple beginning, the J.D. Irving, Limited educational initiative has evolved. With the support of Partnerships for Education and the New Brunswick Department of Education, three New Brunswick educators were seconded from various school districts to develop resource materials for the Middle School level, both in English and in French. These materials focus on three primary components of the forest industry: the environment, the economy, and career opportunities.
These materials present an in-depth look at the state of our region's most important industry and resource. It is our sincere wish that you use these materials, as well as other information available to you, to help your students develop an appreciation for the complex nature of our industry.
We also hope your students will realize that there are many career opportunities in the forest industry. Quality careers with good wages and benefits will always be available for young students. Perhaps the next wildlife biologist, forestry engineer or mill superintendent is sitting right in front of you.
We extend our sincere thanks to the educators, administrators, students and others who have helped develop these materials. We welcome your comments and suggestions.
Statement of Purpose
J.D. Irving, Limited will promote an understanding of, and an appreciation for, the importance of the forest industry.
By sharing our story and vision for the future, we are committed to providing leadership in both the sustainability of the forest and in the educational endeavours which contribute to the development of our young people.
We recognize the need to prepare our youth for employment, training and lifelong learning. J.D. Irving, Limited is dedicated to developing educational opportunities and learning materials which reflect our total commitment to quality, excellence, and environmental leadership.