The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest Unit Study Guide

October is here, the air is crisp, and the trees are turning. Fall beckons us to enjoy it to the fullest, and one way we are doing that this season is with a read-aloud that couldn’t be more perfect for autumn.

For the next four weeks, we’ll dive into The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest, exploring deciduous forests, the symbiotic relationships found in them, and forest conservation, all while working on a month-long project designing our own interpretive panels that spotlight a symbiotic relationship. It’s a magical fit for cooler weather, changing leaves, and the beauty of nature.

Will you be joining us?

Here is a rundown of what you can expect in my new guide. Under each week I have written what your child is actually doing, in the words a teacher or evaluator would use. I do this because so many of us worry that the days our children love most are the days that don’t count, and that is simply not true. A morning at a nature center reading interpretive panels is rigorous work. It just does not feel like it while you are doing it.

Learn what separates deciduous forests from other types of forests, discover the secret layer hiding in the forest canopy, and find out why planting more trees isn’t necessarily the best solution for reducing carbon in the atmosphere.

For your month-long project, head to a local nature center to study interpretive panels like you never have before! Compare and contrast design decisions, and gather ideas for your own interpretive panel.

Skills your child will grow in:

• Comparing and classifying ecosystems by their defining characteristics
• Evaluating a proposed environmental solution using scientific evidence
• Analyzing how informational texts and visual displays communicate with an audience
• Developing evaluation criteria from real-world exemplars

Learn about the different symbiotic relationships you can find in the forest, including some very surprising ones! After being inspired by these unique relationships, you will choose one to feature on your interpretive panel and dig deeper to uncover its hidden details. You will also start drafting your design, learning how font, color, and layout choices affect the viewer’s experience.

Skills your child will grow in:

• Describing interdependent relationships within an ecosystem, including mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism
• Conducting a focused research project using multiple print and digital sources
• Taking notes and synthesizing information into key ideas
• Applying principles of visual design, including typography, color, and layout

Explore new technology helping fight deforestation and get inspired by the people actively working to conserve forests. This week, write the copy for your panel and finalize your design. Learn how designers evaluate and improve their work before publishing.

Skills your child will grow in:

• Evaluating how human activity and technology affect ecosystems
• Writing concise informative text for a specific audience and purpose
• Revising and editing writing and design against established criteria
• Integrating text and images using digital design tools

You’ve worked so hard creating your interpretive panel, and now it’s time to practice presenting it. After you have practiced, you will present your panel to family and friends at your Book Club Party. Celebrate a job well done and a career you may never have known existed.

Skills your child will grow in:

• Presenting research clearly and confidently to an audience
• Using digital media and visual displays to support a presentation
• Responding to audience questions with relevant, accurate information
• Exploring careers in exhibit design, environmental education, and science communication

Do you love the idea of a month-long project? Does your child love learning like an apprentice from an expert while exploring a career path? Then join us on this wonderful journey with my unit study for The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest.