Lesson Overview: In this activity, students view and discuss a presentation that describes fire’s effects on soils and how these effects are measured. Then they either observe or conduct an experiment that illustrates how wildland fires affect the potential for soil erosion. They learn that soil burn severity varies greatly and that when fires remove the litter, duff, and plant cover on the ground, the risk of soil erosion increases.

Lesson Goal: Increase students’ understanding of the effects of wildland fire on soil properties, things that live in the soil, and the likelihood of erosion after fire.

Objectives:

• Students can use information from a PowerPoint presentation and a demonstration (on video or done in the classroom) to interpret a technical report on the effects of a real wildland fire.
• Students can communicate technical information about a fire’s effects on soils in a clear, engaging way.