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Meet Smokey Bear’s Team

  • Article
  • PreK - 2nd
  • Less than 30 minutes
  • Fire
  • Ecosystem
  • Fuels
  • Prescribed Fire
  • Wildfire Detection
  • Wildfire Prevention
  • Wildfire Prevention Education
The first page of the "Meet Smokey Bear's Team" Reader featuring an illustrated Smokey Bear standing with his arms outstretched.
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Learn about Smokey Bear’s work in wildfire prevention and meet some of the people who help him on his mission. Written for children from kindergarten through 2nd grade, "Meet Smokey Bear's Team" includes colorful pictures and illustrations, critical thinking questions, and a glossary.

Meet Smokey Bear’s Team

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Part Of

Meet Smokey Bear's Team - Vol. 1 No. 12

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  • Choose one of Smokey Bear’s rules for fire prevention and illustrate it. You can send Smokey Bear your finished drawing at Smokey Bear, Washington DC 20252. He has his own...

    Try This! – Meet Smokey Bear’s Team

    • Activity
    • PreK - 2nd
    • Less than 30 minutes
    • Fire
    • Art Activity
    • Drawing
    • Smokey Bear
    • Wildfire Prevention
    Choose one of Smokey Bear’s rules for fire prevention and illustrate it. You can send Smokey Bear your finished drawing at Smokey Bear, Washington DC 20252. He has his own...
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    Explore Activity Download Activity (PDF)

    Part Of

    Meet Smokey Bear's Team - Vol. 1 No. 12

Glossary

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  • ecosystem

    (ē kō sis tǝm): A group of plants and animals that interact with each other and their environment.

  • fuel

    (fyül): Things that can burn, like branches, grasses, other plants, leaves, and trees (in a forest or grassland).

  • impact

    (im pakt): To have a strong effect on something.

  • prescribed fire

    (pri skrībd fī ǝr): A carefully planned fire that skilled workers set on purpose to remove fuels that may cause a large wildfire.

  • prevent

    (pri vent): To stop something from happening.

  • prevention

    (pri ven(t) shǝn): The act of stopping something from happening.

  • wildfire

    (wīld fī ǝr): An uncontrolled outdoor fire; an outdoor fire that is unwanted.

Jump To

  • Education Standards
  • Lesson Plans
  • Education Files

Standards addressed in this Article:

Next Generation Science Standards

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are a set of K-12 science education standards emphasizing inquiry-based learning, real-world applications, and integrating engineering practices, aiming to deepen understanding of science while promoting critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
  • ESS3.C-E1
    Human activities in agriculture, industry, and everyday life have had major effects on the land, vegetation, streams, ocean, air, and even outer space. But individuals and communities are doing things to help protect Earth’s resources and environments.
  • K-ESS3-3
    Communicate solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water, air, and/or other living things in the local environment.

Social Studies Standards

Social Studies Standards are educational guidelines outlining the essential knowledge, skills, and concepts students should learn in subjects such as history, geography, civics, and economics, aiming to provide a comprehensive understanding of societal structures, historical events, and global perspectives.
  • Civic Ideals and Practices
  • People, Places, and Environments
  • Science, Technology, and Society

Lessons

  • In this lesson, students play bingo while becoming acquainted with sight words from the Natural Inquirer Reader Series. Materials: Natural Inquirer Reader Series (choose one Reader for each day you...

    Lesson Plan – Reader BINGO

    • Lesson Plan
    • PreK - 2nd
    • 1 Classroom Period
    • 2-3 Classroom Periods
    • 5 Classroom Periods
    • Early Reader
    • Sight Words
    • Vocabulary
    In this lesson, students play bingo while becoming acquainted with sight words from the Natural Inquirer Reader Series. Materials: Natural Inquirer Reader Series (choose one Reader for each day you...
    Explore Lesson Plan Download Lesson Plan (PDF)
    Explore Lesson Plan Download Lesson Plan (PDF)
  • In this lesson plan, you will use the visual thinking strategy to elicit prior knowledge from students before reading a Natural Inquirer Reader. After reading the article, you will use...

    Lesson Plan – Visual Thinking Strategy and Picture Description Strategy

    • Lesson Plan
    • PreK - 2nd
    • 2-3 Classroom Periods
    • Climate
    • Fire
    • Social Science
    • Water
    • Wilderness
    • Wildlife
    • Group Discussion
    • Interpreting Text
    • Making Meaning
    • Reading for Information
    • Reading strategy
    • Visual Thinking Strategy
    In this lesson plan, you will use the visual thinking strategy to elicit prior knowledge from students before reading a Natural Inquirer Reader. After reading the article, you will use...
    Explore Lesson Plan Download Lesson Plan (PDF)
    Explore Lesson Plan Download Lesson Plan (PDF)
  • Use the “Take Two” strategy to encourage students to share their personal experiences and outside knowledge regarding topics presented in the text. This lesson plan can be used with any...

    Lesson Plan – Take Two

    • Lesson Plan
    • PreK - 2nd
    • 1 Classroom Period
    • Climate
    • Fire
    • Social Science
    • Water
    • Wilderness
    • Wildlife
    • Group Activity
    • Personal Connections
    • Reading for Information
    • Reflection
    Use the “Take Two” strategy to encourage students to share their personal experiences and outside knowledge regarding topics presented in the text. This lesson plan can be used with any...
    Explore Lesson Plan Download Lesson Plan (PDF)
    Explore Lesson Plan Download Lesson Plan (PDF)
  • Get students moving and listening closely by using “pop ups.” Assign students words from a text, and as you read, students “pop up” (jump out of their seat, then sit...

    Lesson Plan – Pop ups

    • Lesson Plan
    • PreK - 2nd
    • 1 Classroom Period
    • Climate
    • Fire
    • Social Science
    • Water
    • Wilderness
    • Wildlife
    • Active Reading
    • Activity
    • Guided reading
    • Reading for Information
    • Reading strategy
    Get students moving and listening closely by using “pop ups.” Assign students words from a text, and as you read, students “pop up” (jump out of their seat, then sit...
    Explore Lesson Plan Download Lesson Plan (PDF)
    Explore Lesson Plan Download Lesson Plan (PDF)
  • Use the Observations-Wonderings-Learnings (OWL) graphic organizer to connect students to a topic and draw out prior knowledge and questions for future exploration. This lesson plan can be used with any...

    Lesson Plan – OWL

    • Lesson Plan
    • PreK - 2nd
    • 2-3 Classroom Periods
    • Climate
    • Fire
    • Social Science
    • Water
    • Wilderness
    • Wildlife
    • Graphic Organizer
    • Guided reading
    • Observation
    • Reading for Information
    • Reflection
    Use the Observations-Wonderings-Learnings (OWL) graphic organizer to connect students to a topic and draw out prior knowledge and questions for future exploration. This lesson plan can be used with any...
    Explore Lesson Plan Download Lesson Plan (PDF)
    Explore Lesson Plan Download Lesson Plan (PDF)
  • Gauge students’ prior knowledge and knowledge gain by doing true/false questions before and after a Reader. Materials: A Natural Inquirer Reader The anticipation guide that corresponds to your chosen Reader...

    Lesson Plan – Anticipation Guide

    • Lesson Plan
    • PreK - 2nd
    • 2-3 Classroom Periods
    • Agriculture
    • Climate
    • Fire
    • Water
    • Wildlife
    • Assessment
    • Guided reading
    Gauge students’ prior knowledge and knowledge gain by doing true/false questions before and after a Reader. Materials: A Natural Inquirer Reader The anticipation guide that corresponds to your chosen Reader...
    Explore Lesson Plan Download Lesson Plan (PDF)
    Explore Lesson Plan Download Lesson Plan (PDF)

Education Files

Jump To

  • Additional Resources

Additional Resources

  • Smokey Bear: The Front Line

    From prevention to containment, learn about the many types of wildland firefighters protecting our nation from the ravages of unwanted wildfires.

    Visit Website
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The Natural Inquirer program produces a variety of science education materials for PreK through grade 12. Natural Inquirer products are produced by the USDA Forest Service, FIND Outdoors, and other cooperators and partners.

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