Unit 12: The Pacific Northwest's Logging Industry and Its Connection to the Pacific Rim

Grades 5-6

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Lessons: Making Timelines, Forest Regions, Native Plant Use, Stepping Back in Time, Washington Forts and Forests, Economics and Lumbers, Sharing the Land: Past and Present, Role Play Your Part, Graphs and Charts, Lumber in our Daily Lives, Looking At Weyerhaeuser, Simulation, International Etiquette, Culminating Projects

Student Projects

Resources

Introduction: Today the lumber industry in Washington supplies many jobs for the community. Its economic impact is far reaching. This unit looks at the lumber business past and present. Technology within the state has changed lumbering. Now the many wood products from Washington are traded around the world. The boys and girls will analyze, problem solve, make presentations, timelines, graphs and charts to help them learn about lumbering and Weyerhaeuser, the largest lumber company in the state.

Desired Academic Results

Essential Academic Learning Requirements in Social Studies

History

EALR #1 The student examines and understands major ideas, eras, themes, developments, turning points, chronology, and cause-effect relationships in Washington State History.
1.1 Understand and analyze historical time and chronology
1.2 Understands events, trends, individuals, and movements shaping United States, world, and Washington State History

EALR #2 The student understands the origin and impact of ideas and technological developments on history.
2.2 Understands how ideas and technological developments influence people, culture, and environment.

Economics

EALR #1 Students understand the impact of scarcity on their personal lives and on the households, businesses, governments, and societies in which they are participants.
1.2 Understand that the availability and use of resources influences the production of goods and services in the economy.

EALR #2 Students understand the essential characteristics of past and present economic systems.

2.1 Recognize that buyers and sellers participate in voluntary trade because both expect to gain.
2.2 Explain how different economic systems produce, distribute, and exchange goods and services.
2.3 Understand that prices in competitive markets create incentives that influence the choices of buyers and sellers.
2.4 Understand that investment in people, tools, and technology affects employment levels and standards of living.

Geography

EALR #1 The students uses maps, charts, and other geographic tools to understand the spatial arrangement of people, places, resources and environments on Earth’s surface.
1.1 Use and construct maps, charts, and other resources to gather and interpret geographic information.
EALR #2 The student understands the complex physical and human characteristics of places and regions.
2.1 Describe the natural characteristics of places and regions and explain the causes of their characteristics.
2.2 Identify the characteristics that define the Pacific Northwest and Pacific Rim regions.
EALR #3 The student observes and analyzes the interaction between people, the environment, and culture.
3.1 Identify and examine people¹s interaction with and impact on the environment.

Civics

EALR #3 The students understands the purposes and organization of international relationships and how United States foreign policy is made.
3.1 Understand how the world is organized politically and how nations interact.
3.2 Recognize factors and roles that affect the development of foreign policy by the United States, other nations, and multi-national organizations.

• Ideas and technological developments influence people, resources, and culture in the state of Washington.
• Washington state trade history has an impact on people and countries of the Pacific Rim.
• International trade is important to the state of Washington and the United States.

What the Students Will Understand

• Location of Pacific Rim countries on map; reasons why location of communities were formed (taking into account natural resources, transportation, trade, etc.)
• Technological developments (i.e. railroads, lumber mills, etc.) in Washington state history made trade with Pacific Rim countries possible.
• Pacific Rim countries’ trade has an effect on Washington state¹s economy.
• Role that supply and demand, prices, incentives, and profit play in determining what is produced and distributed.
• Local pattern of economic growth and change provide towns and cities with their individual identities. The economic resources available determined much of the early character of a community and by the way the first settlers set out to exploit them.

Overarching Understandings
• Ideas and technological developments influence people, resources, and culture in the state of Washington • Washington state trade history has an impact on people and countries of the Pacific Rim • International trade is important to the state of Washington and the United States
Overarching Questions
• What impact do technological developments have on trade? • What technological advances helped develop trade between the state of Washington and Pacific Rim countries? • What impact does Washington state trade have on countries located on the Pacific Rim? • Why is the relationship between Washington State and Pacific Rim countries important?

Unit Questions
• What are Washington State’s natural resources? • What does Washington trade or export to other Pacific Rim countries? • Why is Washington a good area for lumber?
• Who discovered it?
• What was it used for?
• How does it affect us?
• How was land managed in the past?
• What is a treaty and how do they work?
• What is the history of the Weyerhaeuser Company? When, how, by whom, and why was Weyerhaeuser formed?
• What were the pivotal events and issues in its past?
• What has been its influence in the community?
• What does it produce?
• To whom do they sell their product? How do they decide to whom to sell?
• What affect does Washington State lumber have on Pacific Rim countries?
• What trade agreements or policies must Weyerhaeuser follow?
• How does Weyerhaeuser transport their lumber?

Assessment: The Evidence That Will Demonstrate Student Understanding

Create "History of the Forests" time line
Skit and role playing
Mapping activities
Short essays

Other Evidence

• Participation in classroom discussions
• Formulation of questions for guest speakers and tour guides
• Informal observations while students work in small groups

Observations

Videotape dramatizations
Research/display results
Case studies

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Learning Experiences and Instruction

• Mapping skills; know names and location of Pacific Rim countries and capitals
• Computer skills needed to do a PowerPoint presentation
• Steps for problem solving
• How to make a timeline
• How to make a pie graph or chart
• How to download files from the Internet and how to access clip art

What the Students Will Need to Be Able to Do

• Forest of Washington Activity Guide Activities
• Make a PowerPoint presentation from materials studied
• Analyze information and come to a conclusion
• Cooperative group activities
• Scan pictures and insert into a PowerPoint presentation
• Explore and use the Internet as a means of gaining information
• Demonstrate proper care of all equipment
• Basic word processing

Field Sites

Camp Waskowitz- 6th grade Outdoor Education Experience
Roberta Mc Farland, Director 425-277-7195 http://www.hsd401.org/hr/School_Information/camp_waskowitz.html

Weyerhaueser Company
P.O. Box 9777
Federal Way, WA 98063-9777
253-924-2345
1-800-525-5440
http://www.weyerhaeuser.com/aboutus/

Port of Seattle
Contact- Bruce Wynn, Port of Seattle, (206) 724-3410
Wynn.b@portseattle.org

Lessons

Lessons 1-10 from Forest of Washington Activity Guide

Lesson 1: Making Timelines

In order to understand the importance of forests as a natural resource in Washington State history, students will view “Forest of Washington History” video, and create a time line.

Learning extension: Divide students into teams of two or three students. Using time line, students choose time period and present a 2-3 minute skit demonstrating importance of forests during their chosen period.

Lesson 2: Forest Regions

In order to understand how physical characteristics of the region influenced historical development of Washington State, students will identify four forest regions in WA.

Lesson 3: Native Plant Use

In order to understand the historical significance of plants and trees in the lives of Native Americans, students will research common native plants and demonstrate how they were used in Washington’s past.

Lesson 4: Stepping Back in Time

To understand the important role that western Washington forests had in the seafaring trade, students will work in teams to solve a problem of getting a new mast for a ship in the year 1794.

Lesson 5: Washington Forts and Forests

In order to understand the important role Washington forests had in it¹s settlement, students will research forts in Washington. Students will construct a fort using various materials, and create a guide identifying the key elements.

Lesson 6: Economics and Lumbers

To understand the economic importance of trees to our society, both in the past and the present, student calculate how valuable a stand of trees is in dollars and cents.

Lesson 7: Sharing the Land: Past and Present

To understand how different groups in Washington¹s history shared national resources, and the progress made over time toward finding fairer ways of sharing and managing the land, students will discuss ways people solve differences. (Look at treaties between Native Americans and settlers, then look at modern day treaty in this state for land use.)

Lesson 8: Role Play Your Part

In order to understand how western railroad expansion influenced the ways land was used, student will decide the location of rail lines for this state. Different members of your group will represent railroad company owners, timberland owners, and officials of port cities.

Lesson 9: Making Graphs and Charts

Students create graph or pie chart showing who owns Washington forests today.

Lesson 10: Lumber in our Daily Lives

In order to understand the important role Washington’s forests play in providing products we depend on in our daily lives, students will create a chart identifying household items that we made by the forests.

Lesson 11: Looking at Weyerhaeuser

As a class, we will research and make a profile of a local lumber company, Weyerhaeuser. Web site: http://www.weyerhaeuser.com

In order to learn and practice research techniques, students will work in teams to research the following questions:
What is the history of Weyerhaeuser?
When , how, by whom, and why was Weyerhaeuser formed?
What were the pivotal events and issues in its past?
What has been its influence in the community?
What does it produce?
To whom do they sell their product?
How do they decide to whom they sell their product?
What affect does Washington State lumber have on Pacific Rim countries?
What trade agreements or policies must Weyerhaeuser follow?
How does Weyerhaeuser transport their products?

Lesson 12: Verdict (Interact Simulation)

Verdict is a simulation of the need for environmental protection and the judicial process. In this role-playing simulation, students will become members of a typical American courtroom. During a two-week period a courtroom battle will take place in your classroom to determine whether two people accused of starting a very destructive wilderness forest fire are guilty or innocent.

Lesson 13: International Etiquette

In order to work in International Business, an American must be careful not to offend any business people from other countries. A salesperson should know his/her International Business Etiquette. Check this Web site and write a reminder list of some of the behaviors mentioned if you are traveling to China or the Philippines. Business Etiquette: www.executiveplanet.com Discuss the findings with your group at your table.

Lesson 14: Culminating Project

Students will work in groups to research one of Washington’s chief exports. They will look for answers to the following questions:
-What companies are involved with the product?
-To whom do you sell product?
-How do they decide to whom to sell their product?
-What effect does the export have on Washington? on Pacific Rim countries?
-What trade agreements or policies must be followed?

Students will compile information gathered from research into a PowerPoint presentation.

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Resources

Books

Nelson, Sharlene and Ted W. Nelson, Bull Whackers to Whistle Punks: Logging in the Old West, First Books Western, U.S. History Series, December 1996.
Available through http://www.amazon.com Cost $22.50
Reading Level: Age 9 - 12
Ships in 24 hours.

Adams, Peter and Bobbie Kalman, Early Loggers and the Sawmill, Early Settler Life, December 1981.
Available through http://www.amazon.com
Hardcover $16.80 (10/99) Paperback $7.16 (12/81)

Wright-Friedson, Virginia., A North American Rainforest Scrapbook, July 1999.
Available through http://www.amazon.com
Hardcover $11.17 (07/99)

Craighead-George, Jean., My Side of the Mountain
Available through http://www.amazon.com
Paperback $4.79 (09/91)

Forests of Washington Activity Guide grades 6-9., A project of the Washington Forest Protection Association, (360) 352-1500. 724 Columbia St. N.W., Suite 250, Olympia, WA 98501.

Teaching Notes-John Korvell
Prepared by the Magnuson Partnership for International Trade & Transportation, a project of the Port of Seattle and Metropolitan King County.

Internet: A Learning Experience. 1914 Palomar Oaks Way Suite 150, Carlsbad, CA 92008. www.interact-simulations.com

Websites

Weyerhaeuser Company
www.weyerhaeuser.com
This site explains who they are, history of the company, traveling exhibits, the environment, career opportunities, shareholder services, financials, fact sheets, businesses, timberlands, wood products, and Weyerhaeuser Canada.

www.apl.com/boomerangbox/

www.seattlep-i.com/newsforkids

PowerPoint
http://www.microsoft.com/office/powerpoint/default.htm
The PowerPoint site evaluates the software, tells you how to use it, and lists software updates, supports and resources.

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