Utah Forests Standard 5 Students will understand the physical characteristics of Utah's wetlands, forests, and deserts and identify common organisms for each environment. Objective 1 Describe the physical characteristics of Utah's wetlands, forests, and deserts. Compare the physical characteristics (e.g., precipitation, temperature, and surface terrain) of Utah's wetlands, forests, and deserts. Describe Utah's wetlands (e.g., river, lake, stream, and marsh areas where water is a major feature of the environment) forests (e.g., oak, pine, aspen, juniper areas where trees are a major feature of the environment), and deserts (e.g., areas where the lack of water provided an environment where plants needing little water are a major feature of the environment). Locate examples of areas that have characteristics of wetlands, forests, or deserts in Utah. Based upon information gathered, classify areas of Utah that are generally identified as wetlands, forests, or deserts.

Elevation: How many feet above or below sea level an area is. What do you think the red areas are? Mountains Where are most of UT’s forests located? Northeastern Utah, usually along mountain ranges What elevation are most forests? 5,000- 10,000 feet Elevation Map found at: http://topocreator.com/download_city_a.php#UT

JOURNAL TIME! Take a minute and update your journal! Forests in Utah are between 5,000 and 10,000 feet. Forests cover the HIGHEST elevations in Utah.

Temperature: higher lower A degree of how hot or how cold something is. The AVERAGE temperature for forests in Utah is 40°F or lower- often below freezing! How does this map look similar to the elevation map? Mountains Where is the coolest average temperatures in Utah? Northeastern, along mountain ranges Choose the best word: Where there is _________ elevation, there is __________ temperature Map found at: http://extension.usu.edu/utahrangelands/images/uploads/web-images/average_temperature.jpg higher lower

JOURNAL TIME! Take a minute and update your journal! Forests in Utah have an average annual temperature of 40°F or lower (often below freezing) because they have lots of snow in the winters!

Precipitation Rain, hail, sleet, or snow that falls to the ground. Utah has an average yearly precipitation rate of 35” to 55”. That’s the most of all the environments! What color gets the MOST precipitation? Dark Blue What areas get the MOST precipitation? Northeastern, along mountain ranges Why does the mountain ranges get the most precipitation? Rain fall AND snow fall in the mountains make up more precipitation than in other areas that don’t get snow Map found at: http://extension.usu.edu/utahrangelands/images/uploads/web-images/precipitation.jpg

JOURNAL TIME! Take a minute and update your journal! Forests in Utah have ALL forms of precipitation (rain, hail, sleet, and snow). Utah has an average yearly precipitation rate of 35” to 55”. That’s the most of all the environments!

DISCUSS WITH THE GROUP: What connections can we see in the three maps? The higher the elevation, the colder the temperature, and the more precipitation it gets.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: What you SEE in a forest environment. Mostly trees. DID YOU KNOW? Trees cover 1/3 of Utah! High elevation means more precipitation and cooler temperatures, both good for trees. That’s why you see forests near the mountain ranges of Utah. Some rivers, streams. Lots of plants and flowers. A variety of animals

DISCUSS WITH THE GROUP: Look at the map. Discuss which number on the map represents the number most likely representing FORESTS! Update the MAP in your journal to match the #1s on this picture.

FOREST ANIMAL ACTIVITY HINT: You are a Forest Animal Don’t look at the picture of a Forest animal being taped on your back. Once the teacher says “Go” walk around the room and find a friend. Show them your Forest animal on your back and then ask them questions to try to figure out who you are. Consider questions like: What Do I Eat? How many feet do I have? In what kind of home do I live? How do I survive from predators? Print the pictures provided on tape them on your students’ backs. Allow them to roam around the room trying to figure out who they are by only asking questions. Give them the only hint: You are a Forest Animal. Listen to the students’ responses to get an idea of misconceptions the class may have.

GUESS THE ANIMAL: RED FOX SKUNK Feeds on mice, eggs, carrion, insects, grubs, and berries. They live in dens, which may be in ground burrows, or beneath buildings, boulders, or rock piles. **HINT- Some people fear my “spray” The majority of their diet consists of invertebrates (insects, mollusks, earthworms and crayfish). They also eat plant material, especially blackberries, apples, and plums, and they eat rodents, birds, and amphibians. **HINT- They are known for being sly RED FOX SKUNK

GUESS THE ANIMAL: BARN OWL COUGAR Feeds on deer and bighorn sheep, but also hunts species as small as insects and rodents. It prefers habitats with dense underbrush and rocky areas for stalking. **HINT- Also called Pumas or Panthers. A bird of open country, such as farmland, and prefers to hunt along the edges of woods. It feeds primarily on small vertebrates, particularly rodents, but also small bats, birds and reptiles. It also sometimes eats insects. **HINT- This wise bird is also nocturnal. BARN OWL COUGAR

GUESS THE ANIMAL: HUMMINGBIRD BLACK BEAR Prefer to live in forested and shrubby areas. They are omnivores whose diet includes plants, other animals, and insects. To adapt, they hibernate in the winter. **HINT- These are known for being ferocious, protective mothers. Lives in forested areas, or meadows, where there are a lot of flowers to feed on the nectar using a long extendable tongue. **HINT- These are known for flapping their wings 80 times per second. HUMMINGBIRD BLACK BEAR

GUESS THE ANIMAL: GARTER SNAKE ELK Live in the forest and graze on grass and plants. The males have large antlers that grow velvet on them during some times of the year. They communicate through unique sounds and bugles. **HINT- This is Utah’s state animal! Live in colder temperatures so they need to hibernate in winter. They will find shelter in cracks in the ground where the frost doesn’t reach.  Main food sources include earthworms, frogs, fish, leeches, tadpoles and sometimes mice. Because they are quite small, they do have a lot to fear. They are hunted and eaten by bears, raccoons, skunks and especially birds. Crows, magpie, hawks and owls can find them very easily from up in the sky. GARTER SNAKE ELK

JOURNAL TIME! Take a minute and update your journal! What animals did we just discuss that can be found in Utah? What adaptations did we learn about?

TREES OF UTAH Read the article with your group, discussing the important facts. Create a poster with the important facts written, and pictures to illustrate. Be ready to present to the class! I broke the article up into six groups and divided my students’ desks. They were given 20-30 minutes to read the information and create a poster to present to the class. Article: Utah Forest Types- Youth Edition

JOURNAL TIME! Take a minute and update your journal! What are important facts you learned from your research about trees? Record three interesting facts! As the other groups present their posters, record ONE fact from each group in your journal.