Everyone knows a tree makes a sound when it falls, but what do we know about dying trees? Class members learn background information about Laurel wilt disease from a teacher-led presentation. Team members work with partners to read and analyze news articles and complete a worksheet with short answer questions. The activity culminates with a whole group discussion.

Concepts

forests, forest ecosystems, diverse perspectives, critical thinking, critical reading, fungus, beetles, trees

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Instructional Ideas

• Display or project the Laurel wilt disease life cycle during the presentation
• Provide team members with a jigsaw graphic organizer for note-taking 

Classroom Considerations

• Sixth and final installment in the Beyond the Trees series

Pros

• Interdisciplinary lesson incorporates a valuable literacy component
• Reading content helps scholars understand how to assess multiple perspectives on a subject

Cons

• None