Grade Level: 3rd Grade

Time: 45-60 minutes

Essential Question: How can we be stewards of Wyoming’s lands to benefit current and future generations?

Objective: Students will be able to show how lands are used for wildlife and recreation in Wyoming.

Purpose: Students learn how lands are developed, cared for, and used.

Required Materials/Resources:

• • Stewardship Poster
  • Chart paper
  • Digging Deeper graphic organizer (one per student and one for the teacher to model)
  • Bitterroot Ranch – 2018 Landowner of the Year (Source 1)
  • Winter Wildlife in Wyoming text (Source 2)
  • Outdoor Adventure Haven text (Source 3)
  • Yellowstone in Winter text (Source 4)
  • Wyoming Agriculture in the Classroom website https://wyaitc.org/curriculum/student-resources/  (Source 5) – Students can access the four texts listed above at this link.

    Teacher Note:

    If you don’t want to type in the entire URL, go to www.wyaitc.org. Hover over “Curriculum”, then “Student Resources.”  The articles are all found under “Grade 3,” then “Outdoor Recreation & Tourism.”  These articles have been adapted from the original source documents for length and age-appropriateness.  Original documents can be found at the links provided in the Credits/Sources.

Suggested Teacher Preparation:

• • Decide whether you are doing version A or B of the lesson.
  • Become familiar with navigating the Wyoming Agriculture in the Classroom website.
  • Reserve computers or other devices.
  • If you do not have access to devices, assign texts to students and make the appropriate number of copies.
  • Display the Stewardship Poster.
  • Create anchor chart titled “Wildlife and Recreation in Wyoming.”

Standards:
Science: 3-LS4-3 (DCI) – (Practiced/ Encountered)

Social Studies: SS5.6.3 (Explicit if taught using electronic devices),

SSS5.1.1, SS5.5.4 (Practiced/Encountered)

ELA: 3.RI.1, 3.SL.3 (Explicit), 3.RI.7, 3.W.7, 3.W.8, 3.SL.1, 3.SL.4 (Practiced/Encountered)

CVE: CV5.2.2, CV5.4.1 (Practiced/Encountered)

Vocabulary:

• • Entrust – to give somebody the responsibility of doing something or of caring for someone or something
  • Generation – a group of individuals, most of whom are the same approximate age
  • Public land – land owned by a government; may or may not be accessible to the public
  • Private land – land owned by a person or group and kept for their exclusive use; permission and access for any purpose must be granted by the owner
  • State Trust Lands – lands that were granted to Wyoming and designated to generate revenue for public schools and other state institutions
  • Stewardship – As Wyoming citizens, we are stewards entrusted with the responsible development, care, and use of our resources to benefit current and future generations.

Instructional Procedure/Steps:

1. 1. Say: “In our previous lesson, we discussed Wyoming’s plants, wildlife, and recreation. Today, we are going to discuss the term stewardship. Practicing stewardship ensures that the things we enjoy today in Wyoming will be here in the future for others to enjoy.” Read the Stewardship Poster: “As Wyoming citizens, we are stewards entrusted with the responsible development, care, and use of our resources to benefit current and future generations.”  Discuss with students what it means to be a steward. Be sure to emphasize the word entrust(ed). Say the definition of entrust: “To give somebody the responsibility of doing something or of caring for someone or something.” Ask students if there are other words in the stewardship definition that they do not understand. Clarify any misunderstandings for students.

      Teacher Note:

      The lesson is broken into Version A and Version B.  Version A is for classrooms with one-to-one internet and device access. If you do not have device access, follow the instructions found in Version B.

Version A (With Electronic Devices):

1. 1. 2. Say: “We are responsible as stewards to develop, use, and care for Wyoming lands. What this means is that we make sure that the wildlife, plants, and areas designated for recreational activities are still here to enjoy years from now. In Lesson 1, we brainstormed some unique things found in Wyoming. Now let’s see exactly how we use and care for the land in Wyoming.”  Pass out the “Digging Deeper” graphic organizers.
      3. Say: “You are going to each read a text and complete the graphic organizer about it to show what you learned.” Model completing the graphic organizer by using the “Bitterroot Ranch” text.  Access the text online and display the graphic organizer to the class. Read through the text, and model how to complete the graphic organizer. 

      4. Synthesis

         In this task, students will be engaged in the higher order thinking skill of synthesis by working through answering lower level questions and synthesizing information in the text to answer the final question.
         When finished modeling, assign electronic devices, and have students access the Wyoming Agriculture in the Classroom website. https://wyaitc.org/curriculum/student-resources/  Say: “You will now choose a text to read. You will become the ‘expert’ on this text. As you read, take notes on the important facts and ideas that the text mentions. The questions on the graphic organizer will help guide you on what you should be looking for. Questions?” Clarify any questions about the activity that students have. 
      5. When students have finished reading, have students Give One, Get One. Students share the information from their text with a partner who read a different one. The first student has 30 seconds to share interesting information while the other student listens. When the first student is done sharing, the other student can ask questions about new or confusing ideas and give a positive comment about what he/she heard. Students then switch roles. When both partners have shared, students should find a new partner. Say: “Here is an example. If I read the Winter Wildlife in Wyoming text, I would tell my partner an interesting fact that I learned, such as the National Elk Refuge is a winter sanctuary for Jackson’s elk herd. Then they would tell me something they learned in their reading.” Teachers may opt to have students write down the facts that they collect during this activity. If you choose to do so, have students take notes on the back of their graphic organizers. 
      6. Once students have shared their knowledge with five other students, have them reconvene as a whole class to create an anchor chart titled “Wildlife and Recreation in Wyoming.”  The students should take the information they learned from their own texts and through their classmates’ knowledge to list the wildlife and recreational activities that take place on Wyoming’s public lands.

Assessment: For assessment purposes, listen while students complete the Give One, Get One activity. It should give a quick check of the understanding of activities and animals, which can be found in Wyoming. The anchor chart the class generates should also demonstrate their understanding. Collect the students’ graphic organizers to see individual evidence of understanding through the final question.

Version B (Without Electronic Devices):

1. 1. 1. Say: “We are responsible as stewards to develop, use, and care for Wyoming lands. This means that we make sure that the wildlife, plants, and areas designated for recreational activities are still here to enjoy years from now. In lesson one, we brainstormed some of unique things that are found in Wyoming. Now let’s see exactly how we use and care for the land in Wyoming.” Pass out the “Digging Deeper” graphic organizers.
      2. Say: “You are going to each read a text and complete the graphic organizer about it to show what you have learned.” Model completing the graphic organizer by using the “Bitterroot Ranch” text.  Access the text online and display the graphic organizer to the class. Read through the text and model how to complete the graphic organizer. 

      3. Synthesis

         In this task, students will be engaged in the higher order thinking skill of synthesis by working through answering lower level questions and synthesizing information in the text to answer the final question.
         When finished modeling, pass out the assigned copies of the texts. Say: “Read your assigned text. You will become the ‘expert’ on this text. As you read, take notes on the important facts and ideas that the text mentions. The questions on the graphic organizer will help guide you on what you should be looking for. Questions?” Clarify any questions about the activity that students have. 
      4. When students have finished reading, have students Give One, Get One. Students share the information from their text with a partner who read a different one. The first student has 30 seconds to share interesting information while the other student listens. When the first student is done sharing, the other student can ask questions about new or confusing ideas and give a positive comment about what he/she heard. Students then switch roles. When both partners have shared, students should find a new partner. Say: “Here is an example. If I read the Winter Wildlife in Wyoming text, I would tell my partner an interesting fact that I learned, such as the National Elk Refuge is a winter sanctuary for Jackson’s elk herd. Then they would tell me something they learned in their reading.” Teachers may opt to have students write down the facts that they collect during this activity. If you choose to do so, have students take notes on the back of their graphic organizers. 
      5. Once students have shared their knowledge with five other students, have them reconvene as a whole class to create an anchor chart titled: Wildlife and Recreation in Wyoming. The students should take the information they learned from their own texts and through their classmates’ knowledge to list the wildlife and recreational activities that take place on Wyoming’s lands.

Assessment: For assessment purposes, listen while students complete the Give One, Get One activity. It should give a quick check of the understanding of activities and animals, which can be found in Wyoming. The anchor chart the class generates should also demonstrate their understanding. Collect the students’ graphic organizers to see individual evidence of understanding through the final question.

Credits/Sources:

1. 1. Wyoming Game and Fish. (2018). Bitterroot Ranch – 2018 Landowner of the Year – Lander Region. Retrieved May 2, 2019, from https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Get-Involved/Landowner-of-the-Year/2018/Bitterroot-Ranch
   2. Wyoming Office of Tourism. (2017). Where to Spot Winter Wildlife in Wyoming. Retrieved November 28, 2017, from https://www.travelwyoming.com/article/winter-wildlife-wyoming
   3. Wyoming Office of Tourism. (2017, May). Lander: Wyoming’s Outdoor Adventure Haven.  Retrieved August 12, 2017, from https://www.travelwyoming.com/article/lander-wyomings-outdoor-adventure-haven
   4. Wyoming Office of Tourism. (2018). A Winter Guide to Yellowstone. Retrieved September 9, 2018, from https://www.travelwyoming.com/winter/wildlife
   5. Wyoming Agriculture in the Classroom. (2018) Student Resources: 3rd Grade Outdoor Recreation & Tourism. https://wyaitc.org/curriculum/student-resources/