Overview
Why have wildfires become so devastating? Is climate change to blame, or are government policies at fault? This video uncovers how poor forest management and fire suppression have worsened the fires and emphasizes the need for better practices to prevent future disasters.

Enter your email address below to access these resources

To help ensure our emails reach your inbox, you may provide a personal email address to bypass school spam filters.

Lesson Insights

Grade level and subjects
• Recommended for grades 6-12
• Subjects: Government and Science / Technology
• Works in Classroom, Hybrid, and Homeschool settings

What students will learn
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
• identify the key arguments presented in the video about the causes of California wildfires;
• analyze the impact of government policies on the frequency and severity of wildfires;
• evaluate the effectiveness of various forest management practices in preventing wildfires; and
• create a plan for implementing improved forest management strategies to reduce the risk of future wildfires.

Key concepts and terms covered
Apocalypse, Catastrophizing, Prescribed (Controlled) burning, and Selective cutting.

Sample discussion questions
• What are the main causes of California wildfires mentioned in the video?
• Did you know that forests needed to be managed? What does forest management even mean?
• What evidence is there that proper forest management can reduce wildfire damage?
• How does the video suggest balancing environmental protection with wildfire prevention?
• How can you apply the information from the video to propose a wildfire prevention plan for your local area?

What’s in the free teacher’s guide
This printable 14-page Teacher's Guide includes a lesson description, learning objectives, key vocabulary, a fill-in viewing guide with answer key, discussion and analysis questions, and classroom activities.

Standards alignment
Aligned to state standards — use the SITC Standards Tool to match this video to the standards in your state.