Using Lego© Blocks to Demonstrate Concepts of SDI and Relative Density
Location
Peavy/Richardson Halls
Event Website
http://uenr.forestry.oregonstate.edu/
Start Date
3-15-2008 11:00 AM
End Date
3-15-2008 11:30 AM
Description
The concepts of versus stocking are critical to understanding silvicultural techniques. A variety of measures and approaches are used, including Reineke’s Stand Density Index (SDI) and Curtis’ Relative Density (RD). In order to teach these concepts and their applications, trees were modeled as Lego© block, where a 10” dbh tree with SDI of1 is represented as a two peg wide Lego© block. One peg blocks then represent ½ SDI (dbh = 6.5”), a four peg Lego© represents a tree with dbh = 15.5” and an ADI of 2 and so on. Small boards are then filled with various tree sizes to show why RD values of .15, .35 and .55 have been determined to represent critical stocking levels on stands. Students are then given a drawn configuration of Legos© and asked to reduce stocking to a desired RD level while distributing SDI evenly among the size classes. They then try to “thin” the stand via an interactive, web-based program. Finally, students model the Legos© stand via the Landscape Management System and see what the model predicts will be the results of their proposed thinning or harvests. This progression of lessons seems to work well in furthering students understanding of SDI, RD and their applications.
Using Lego© Blocks to Demonstrate Concepts of SDI and Relative Density
Peavy/Richardson Halls
The concepts of versus stocking are critical to understanding silvicultural techniques. A variety of measures and approaches are used, including Reineke’s Stand Density Index (SDI) and Curtis’ Relative Density (RD). In order to teach these concepts and their applications, trees were modeled as Lego© block, where a 10” dbh tree with SDI of1 is represented as a two peg wide Lego© block. One peg blocks then represent ½ SDI (dbh = 6.5”), a four peg Lego© represents a tree with dbh = 15.5” and an ADI of 2 and so on. Small boards are then filled with various tree sizes to show why RD values of .15, .35 and .55 have been determined to represent critical stocking levels on stands. Students are then given a drawn configuration of Legos© and asked to reduce stocking to a desired RD level while distributing SDI evenly among the size classes. They then try to “thin” the stand via an interactive, web-based program. Finally, students model the Legos© stand via the Landscape Management System and see what the model predicts will be the results of their proposed thinning or harvests. This progression of lessons seems to work well in furthering students understanding of SDI, RD and their applications.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cuenr/7thBiennial/Sessions/8
Comments
Session #5: Fostering Critical Thinking. Presentation for 7th Biennial Conference on University Education in Natural Resources, March 13-15, 2008, Corvallis, Oregon. Featured in the ScholarsArchive@OSU in Oregon State University. Suggested Citation: Spicker, Monica. 2008. Using Lego© blocks to model concepts of Reineke's Stand Density Index and Curtis's Relative Density. UENR 7th Biennial Conference, ScholarsArchive at Oregon State University. http://hdl.handle.net/1957/7996