Students will launch the ecosystem investigation in the school forest by gathering first-round evidence about forest benefits, organism roles, and possible ecosystem connections, then use those observations to generate questions and prepare for the next phase’s research planning.

Students will investigate a mystery disturbance in the school forest, turn observations into focused ecological questions and hypotheses, and build a peer-reviewed fieldwork plan with clear variables, evidence types, roles, and data-logging tools for the next phase.

Students will synthesize evidence from repeated school forest observations into annotated ecosystem models, test disturbance ripple effects against their data, revise explanations through peer critique, and prepare a clear public-facing simulation and gallery walk narrative grounded in field journals and observation boards.

Students will present their school forest investigation products to visitors, explain evidence-based ecosystem ripple effects during a live simulation and gallery walk, and use a final forest circle to name what they learned about ecology, feedback, and collaboration.