Boreal forests are only found in the northern hemisphere of Earth, mainly between latitudes 50° and 60° N. With short, cool summers and long, cold winters, these forests form an almost contiguous belt around the Earth, sandwiched between temperate deciduous forests to the south and tundra to the north.

Due to the short growing season in these regions, deciduous trees don’t have enough time to regrow their leaves, and very few of them are able to survive.

Instead, coniferous dominate because they don’t have to regrow their leaves and are better adapted for a colder climate.

As part of our forest theme, we learned about all kinds of forests: temperate, tropical and boreal! We talked not only about the trees and the weather, but the animals that inhabitate them!

With this activity, we created boreal forests out of branches, sticks, play dough and animals such as the arctic hare and arctic fox!

Students enjoyed construction their own forests and then collaborating with their friends!