tEACHING WITH FORESTLEARNING RESOURCES
FWPA (Forest & Wood Products Australia): the not-for-profit RDC for Australia’s forest and wood industry investing in research, development and extension (RD&E), education, creating standards, data and marketing programs to grow sustainable, competitive wood markets nationwide.
ForestLearning is an initiative of Forest and Wood Products Australia (FWPA), providing free, curriculum-aligned F–12 resources across all subject areas. Through hands-on activities, digital tools, and complete lessons and units, ForestLearning helps students explore forests, sustainable forestry, materials, renewable resources, and biodiversity—building real-world understanding of sustainability and Australia’s forest and wood products industry.
Explore primary and secondary teaching and learning resources, including:
Comprehensive, curriculum-aligned teacher guides and full F–12 units
Hands-on student activities and sustainable timber design projects
Production guides and technical drawings for Design & Technologies
Digital tools including ForestVR tours, videos, and PPT lesson presentations
Australian forest fact sheets, posters, worksheets, and infographics
Real-world forestry technologies, including drones in forest management and classroom drone applications
Carbon Storage Tape Measure: a hands-on tool for measuring trees and calculating carbon storage
ForestLearning Industry Education Champions delivering incursions, excursions, and live webinars connecting schools with forestry professionals
Clear equipment lists, instructions, suggested answers, and differentiation options
FORESTLEARNING WEBSITE
Foundation to Year 12
Explore the ForestLearning website where you’ll find Australian Curriculum aligned free teaching and learning resources, written by teachers – for teachers! Save precious planning time and plant the seeds of sustainability and our natural world in your K-12 classroom, by downloading ForestLearning teacher guides and photocopiable student workbooks. Discover the vital roles that renewable forests, wood and wood fibre products can play in creating a better, more sustainable world!
PRIMARY RESOURCES
Measuring Nature: Exploring Tree Parts Up Close | Years F–2
Get your students hands-on with nature while building their early measurement and observation skills! This engaging resource invites young learners to explore the parts of trees and plants found in their local environment—from leaves and sticks to seed pods and bark.
Through simple, structured activities, students measure and record natural items using informal units (such as blocks or unifix cubes), then compare and order them by length. The lesson supports mathematical thinking, scientific observation, and curiosity about the natural world, while also connecting students to their local environment.
Forest Science Explorers | Years 5–6
As Australians and global citizens, understanding our natural environment is crucial for a sustainable future. The “Forest Science Explorers” resource for Years 5 and 6 immerses students in the unique habitats of Australia’s native forests, examining how different tree species have adapted to their unique environments. Students will explore biological sciences, learning about tree life cycles, environmental adaptations, and the impact of physical conditions like rainfall and fire on tree growth and survival. They will discover how special forest scientists called foresters use this knowledge to manage and maintain healthy forests, ensuring they remain vibrant for today and future generations. This unit fosters a deeper connection to nature and sustainability.
Sustainable Schools: Going Green in your Canteen | Years 5–6
This resource integrates the Level 5 and 6 curriculums, focusing on HASS (Geography) and Design and Technologies, to teach students about the origin and sustainability of materials used in products. Through a series of nine 60-minute lessons, students will explore sustainable design by creating a reusable cutlery pouch, comparing renewable materials like rayon with non-renewable ones.
They will engage in the design thinking process to investigate single-use plastics in their school and generate ideas for promoting sustainability within the community. Developed by ForestLearning in collaboration with DATTA Vic and GTAV, the resource supports sustainable school initiatives and utilizes ForestLearning’s ForestVR virtual reality tool.
sECONDARY RESOURCES
Sustainable Timber Design: The Phone Stand Project | Years 7–8
Design with purpose. Build with timber.
This hands-on project helps Year 7–8 students explore the product design process while building a functional phone stand using engineered wood like plywood. Students investigate sustainability, develop creative solutions, and safely bring their ideas to life in the workshop.
Developed in partnership with the Design and Technology Teachers’ Association of Victoria (DATTA Vic), this unit aligns with the Australian Curriculum v9.0 and builds skills in design thinking, sustainability, and manufacturing.
Designing for Biodiversity: The Nesting Box Project | Years 9-10
Design for biodiversity. Build for impact.
This engaging project invites students to apply the product design process to a real-world ecological challenge — supporting wildlife through the design of functional and sustainable nesting boxes. Inspired by habitat restoration practices in sustainably managed forests, students explore how design is used to support biodiversity outcomes in both natural and production landscapes.
Students will research local wildlife species in their own area, investigate how foresters and land managers use design to protect biodiversity, and prototype their own solutions using sustainable materials.
Forest Landscapes of Australia and the World | Year 8
Forests are important to all species on Earth. Forests provide shelter, food and other resources, they clean our water and protect our soils, they are the guardians of the climate.
This resource discusses how forest characteristics and distribution relate to the climate as climate change becomes a larger consideration for forest health and management. It also explores where wood products come from and the sustainable management of forest cycles for wood production.
POSTER, INFOGRAPHIC AND VIDEO RESOURCES
Drones in forestry classroom poster
Drones and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are already a part of sustainable forestry management. They inform real-time decision making and planning and also ensure the safety of forestry employees. Access the downloadable poster and accompanying resources.
Trees at Work on the Farm – Infographic | Years 3–10
This free-to-download infographic from Forest and Wood Products Australia (ForestLearning) introduces students to the many roles trees can play on farms.
From paddock windbreaks and streamside buffers to plantation rotations and wildlife corridors, this printable PDF resource provides a student-friendly entry point to understanding the role of trees on farms and integrated land management. It is ideal for use in Years 5–10 Design and Technologies (Food & Fibre), Agriculture, Geography, Science, HASS, or cross-curricular sustainability projects.
Pine Forestry Story: Seed to Shelter (2-Minutes) | Years 3–12
Step inside a working pine forest to see how timber moves from seed to shelter! This 360° ForestVR™ immersive experience shows the full renewable forestry cycle and can be viewed using an iPad, laptop, smart phone or via a VR headset.
Follow along as growing seedlings and planting, through careful management and harvesting, to building the homes, schools, and workplaces we use every day.
Spotted Gum Plantation Story: Forest to Fine Flooring (2-Minutes) | Years 3–12
Follow the journey of Spotted Gum, one of Australia’s most iconic hardwood timbers!
This 360° ForestVR™ video takes you from nursery to regrowth forest, showing how sustainably managed plantations grow, harvest, and regrow timber for beautiful, durable products like flooring, decking, and cladding. Perfect for students learning about renewable cycles, biodiversity, and sustainable land use. Fantastic for a quick overview in the classroom or at community events.
FORESTVR
Explore the ForestLearning website where you’ll find Australian Curriculum aligned free teaching and learning resources, written by teachers – for teachers! Save precious planning time and plant the seeds of sustainability and our natural world in your K-12 classroom, by downloading ForestLearning teacher guides and photocopiable student workbooks. Discover the vital roles that renewable forests, wood and wood fibre products can play in creating a better, more sustainable world!
PRIMEZONE ACADEMY COURSES
Explore free, interactive courses exploring forestry and wood products at Primezone Academy.
These curriculum-aligned courses cover Students can enrol individually or learn together in class. New food and fibre topics are added regularly.
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PIEFA offers a range of free professional development opportunities to support teachers delivering food and fibre education. Access materials designed to build teacher confidence and deepen understanding of key food, fibre, and sustainability topics.