Activities & Resources for Outdoor Education

Let’s learn about fire

Curriculum | Grades 5 & up

In this curriculum, you’ll find four unique environmental lessons filled with activities, stories and teachings.

This curriculum has been developed due to the rapid advancement of climate-change-induced fire events. We hope to remind those utilizing this resource that we can do so much to protect communities! This resource is intended to galvanize learners in their journey to protect the communities they cherish.

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What to expect

This fire resource contains 4 lessons about:

Fire Physics: What is fire? How does it work? How does it spread?
Exploring Through Culture and Tradition: Fire Around the Globe
Relationships with Fire: Animals, Humans and Plants’ Relationship with Fire
Water & Fire: How Elements Sustain Life

Explore related media resources

Lesson 1

Introduction to Fire Behavior: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SB4pk91yq24
How Does Topography Influence Fire: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2wEp–e1Ss
Different Types of Fuels for Fire: Forest Fuels blog by BC Wildfire Service
How Does Climate Change Relate to Fire: https://www.c2es.org/content/wildfires-and-climate-change/
How Have Fires Changed in the Past 20 Years (B.C. specific via CBC): https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-wildfires-climate-2023-1.6962307
Why Do We Have Fire Bans? All Info on Fire Bans: https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/bc/kootenay/visit/feu-alert-fire/interdit-ban

Lesson 2

Wendinigeng Ishkode: The Origin of Fire Among the Ojibwe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Gqqa-U7eR4
Maasai, Kenya: Enkima (Fire): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfCm_sc1Fsk
Luzon, Philippines: Kabayan “Fire” Mummies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ja31lBinT5k and https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/ancestral-ties-to-the-kabayan-fire-mummies-is-driving-research-to-save-them
Spain: Fallas Festival in Valencia: https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/valencia-fallas-festivity-00859
Guyana: Cultural Burning Practices: https://yourforestpodcast.com/good-fire-podcast/2022/7/18/tq9n1gmndxgt7ifcwy7g6yhr0z5zqp
China Fireworks: https://www.npr.org/2024/07/04/nx-s1-5027826/fireworks-history-ancient-china-revolutionary-america

Lesson 3

SCBC Worksheet: Fire Friends, Beings That Flourish After the Flame: https://sierraclub.bc.ca/fire-friends-resource/
Wildlife That Depend on Fire to Survive: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8mD-4rexo0
How Wildfires Are Impacting Canada Lynx: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-zBBIygzHU
Learn to Say Fire, Terms with First Voices: https://www.firstvoices.com/
Why Certain Naturally Occurring Wildfires are Necessary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNVZEVq3KzY
Fire and Douglas Fir: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJId5yb7fyQ

Lesson 4

SCBC Beaver Worksheet: https://sierraclub.bc.ca/beavers-resource/
SCBC Urban Heat Worksheet and Diorama Activity: https://sierraclub.bc.ca/diorama-activity-urban-heat-and-cooling-your-community/
Heat Domes Explained by Meteorologists: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR8wRIGtoBE
The Urban Heat Island Effect Explained: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWzfIy3wVAs
British Columbia Drought Map – Updated Each Summer: https://droughtportal.gov.bc.ca/pages/drought-map
Water Is Much More Than a Resource: It’s a Relative: https://indigenous.knowhistory.ca/stories/think-piece-world-water-day
Resilient Urban Systems & Habitat (RUSH) Initiative – Dynamic Mapping Tool: whatstherush.ca
What is a Rain Garden?: https://www.crd.ca/environment/stormwater-watersheds-harbours/stormwater/managing-your-rainwater

Acknowledgements

We wanted to express our sincere gratitude to all of the hands, minds, and hearts whose publicly shared knowledge, teachings and contributions were a part of this learning resource.
We always love to hear from you! Please send your creations to education@sierraclub.bc.ca
We invite you to start with one thing, just one action to help build a brighter future for the lands, waters and all who call them home.