About This Lesson
Wildfires occur naturally when lightning strikes a forest or grassland. Alternatively, controlled burns, also known as prescribed fires, are set by land managers and conservationists to mimic the effects of natural fires. In this lesson, students explore controlled burn scenarios and the positive impacts of fire on ecosystems. Students assume the role of a fire manager to develop a recommendation for a specific ecosystem, and compare and contrast how organisms in different ecosystems have adapted to fire.
Click here for the standards-aligned lesson plan that accompanies this video.
Keywords: fire, adaptation, controlled burn, keystone species, behavioral adaptation, structural adaptation
