Slash-and-burn

High school (ages 12+)
Food & Cooking

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/slash-and-burn

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific classification?Swidden agriculture, a form of shifting cultivation
2. What is the primary ecological role?Nutrient cycling through ash deposition, temporary soil fertility enhancement
3. What is slash-and-burn farming?Slash-and-burn, also called swidden agriculture, is a way of farming that cuts and burns trees to clear land for crops.
4. Why do people use fire in slash-and-burn?The fire turns the cut trees into ash, which gives the soil extra minerals like potassium and phosphorus that help plants grow.

Biomass: The total mass of organisms in a given area or volume, especially plant matter.
Leaching: The process by which soluble substances are dissolved and carried away by water or other liquids.
Fallow Period: A period during which agricultural land is left uncultivated to recover its fertility.
Agroforestry: A land-use system that integrates trees and shrubs with crops and/or livestock.