Focus: The forest floor is a habitat for millions of plants and animals.

Objectives: To introduce what is found on the forest floor through different senses. To notice different features of the forest floor. To explore different layers of the leaf litter.

Materials: Cloth bags, forest floor objects (wood, moss, leaves, bark, stick, fungus, cone, bone), task cards (see procedure), thermometers, loops of yam, paper, pencils, clipboards.

Procedure:

Begin the activity by playing the game, Mystery Bag to introduce the many items that can be found on the forest floor. Put several different objects commonly found on the forest floor into separate bags, and pass them, one at a time, halfway around a circle of students. Each student feels the object and gives an adjective describing it. The other half of the circle tries to guess the bags contents. The last student gets to reveal the object. Reverse the order. Have the older students arrange the objects in the order of decomposition rates. This might initiate considerable discussion, as there will probably be more than one possible order. The group should now be ready to "dig deeper into the forest floor matter". Depending on the age of the students, divide the class into small groups or pairs. Give each a loop of yarn. Have them place the yarn on the forest floor and very carefully begin taking off the layers within the loop. Have them write down and draw a record of everything they find, layer by layer, down to the soil. Where is decomposition furthest? Who lives in the leaf litter? Replace the leaf litter layers in the proper order. As a fun, concluding activity, have the students play "Forest Foray" (Hands-On Nature). Have each team, or pair of students look for the following items listed on cards (refer to subsequent sheet). Organize the items with separate cards for each category, having the students return for a new task card after each successful mission.

• Things that feel soft, hard, crinkly, smooth, rough.
• Holes that might be homes for animals.
• The spot in the forest that gets the most sunlight, the least sunlight.
• The driest place and the wettest place.
• The coldest and the hottest spots you can find. Use thermometers.
• The oldest, the youngest thing.
• The most decomposed thing.
• Three pieces of evidence that insects have been around.
• Look for something that doesn't belong in the forest.