DENDROCHRONOLOGY FOR GIFTED AND TALENTED MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS: DETERMINING THE AGE AND PAST ENVIRONMENTS OF THE BLACK FOREST REGION, COLORADO, USA

At the El Paso County Fox Run Regional Park there has been an attempt to lessen the threat of wildfires. Nearly seventy percent of the younger trees have been cut down as well as about fifty percent of older trees. There are two species of trees present; Ponderosa Pine and Douglas Fir. The numerous stumps are available for dendrochronology investigations. Students from Colorado Springs, District 11 visit the site during a six-week field course. Students develop answers to the following questions by investigating a minimum of 25 tree stumps: 1) How old was the tree when it was cut down? 2) How many years of growth are there per inch of tree radius? 3) What evidence is available to determine the relative amount of precipitation? and 4) Was there any evidence of insect damage or wildfires? In addition, the students develop tables and illustrations which show the changing environments during the life of the trees. They also compare the topographic location versus the type of the tree and try to develop a short paper about what they believe is the reason for the relationships observed.

Several trees are cored with an increment borer and that data is compared to the data determined from the stump study. Using computer spreadsheets helps the students to better visualize the differences between the stumps and the cores. Old newspaper stories and data from government Internet sites help in developing an overall understanding of the past history of the forest. This information is used to relate the differing climatic events and the last 350 years of human history in the region.

Not only does the field investigation develop an understanding of time, but assists in writing capability, mathematics, and the need for careful development of scientific studies. By comparing the field data to human history the students gain a further understanding of the passage of time.