Teacher Training Institute Workshops

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Maple Syruping

Class Details

1 Hour

4th Grade to Adult

moderate

What is the maple syruping tradition all about?

Maple syruping is a seasonal activity that supplements Ojibwe Heritage Class as we go from snowshoeing to basket making. Wolf Ridge taps approximately 40 sugar maple trees and conducts a small-scale demonstration sugar operation. Students will have the opportunity to participate in/visit Wolf Ridge’s sugar operation. Depending on the time of the season and weather students will discuss connections between syruping and Ojibwe people, tap a tree, collect sap, conduct a taste test, and discuss the boiling of the sap.

Lesson Plan

Concepts

  1. “Knowing the land” increases your survivability.
  2. Maple trees play an important role in several different ecosystems – food, forest, and money.
  3. The basic principles of maple syruping have remained the same since its discovery; gather and concentrate.

Outcomes

  • Explain the connection between Native Americans and modern day tapping.
  • List at least three attributes of sugar maple trees.
  • Explain the process to get sap from a maple tree to the end product of maple syrup.
  • Participate in some of the aspects of maple syruping.