SMART FIRES is committed to advancing scientific literacy and STEM engagement across Montana by equipping K–12 educators and students with tools to understand prescribed fire science and its environmental impacts. Through educator trainings, classroom-ready resources, and immersive experiences like the Sensing Fire field trips and mobile exhibits, SMART FIRES connects cutting-edge research with real-world learning. The initiative also supports pre-service teachers with curated STEM kits and collaborates with schools in rural and tribal communities to ensure equitable access to fire science education. This page offers downloadable materials, links to training opportunities, and citizen science tools designed to inspire the next generation of land stewards and science leaders.
Sensing for Science: K-2 Elementary STEM Curriculum
The Sensing for Science curriculum was created for Montana K-2 educators by the Montana State University Science Math Resource Center as part of the NSF EPSCoR SMART FIRES project (Sensors, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence for Real Time Fire Science).
These downloadable PDFs are digital versions of the instructional guide, student worksheets, and other printable materials that were included in the Sensing for Science kit, which was offered to educators in December of 2025. The curriculum introduces early elementary students to the concepts of sensors, the functions of various sensors and the use of sensors in real-world scientific contexts to monitor the environment or solve problems.
For questions about the curriculum, contact Suzi Taylor at taylor@montana.edu
The printables were created in color, but they'll still work if printed in black and white.
- Instructional guide: a 24-page guide for educators, containing curricular instructions.
- Snack Time Senses - student worksheet: single-sided
- Sensor Scavenger Hunt - student cards: double-sided, ideally printed on cardstock (or laminated) and cut along the dotted lines
- Sensor Scavenger Hunt - student worksheet: single-sided
- Memory Game (set 1) - student cards: double-sided, ideally printed on cardstock (or laminated) and cut along the dotted lines
- Memory Game (set 2) - student cards: double-sided, ideally printed on cardstock (or laminated) and cut along the dotted lines
- Sensing Light - student worksheet: double-sided
- Sensing Heat - student worksheet: single-sided
- Sensor Playground - student worksheet: double-sided
- Sensor Inquiry - student worksheet: double-sided
Other SMART FIRES Classroom Activities
Matchstick Forest Activity
Adapted from spectrUM and the USFS FireWorks Program, this hands-on model explores four fire treatment types.
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