The I-ROAM youth education project is a cooperative endeavor of the Idaho Rangeland Resources Commission, University of Idaho, Idaho Bureau of Land Management, Laura Moore Cunningham Foundation, U.S. Forest Service, and the Idaho Soil and Water Conservation Commission. The Idaho 4-H Rangeland Skill-a-thon is part of this project and directly links to this curriculum. Other youth programs include experiential field trips, an educational trailer, and classroom presentations.
Life on the Range is an educational project with more than 50 videos and written stories about rangeland management, ranching, and recreation on Idaho rangelands. A few examples are shared in the tabs below for your convenience. The categories include cattle, sheep, education, conservation, noxious weeds, land management, and fire and rehabilitation. This website is updated often with new materials and resources.
The I-ROAM curriculum was initially designed to help the 4-H Rangeland Skill-a-thon participants prepare for the event. This curriculum is easily adapted for classroom use. Download the guides here:
I-ROAM Coaches Guide 2019-draft I-ROAM Youth Guide_2019-draft
Each section below is in addition to the I-ROAM guide books and provides activities, PowerPoint lessons, note guides, quizzes, and readings. The curriculum can be modified and adjusted to meet each teacher’s specific needs.
Any reproduction or distribution must be approved by the Idaho Rangeland Resource Commission.
- What are Rangelands?
What are Rangelands and How Much is There?
What is Range? (103 KB)
What is Range: Answers (1810 KB)
What are Rangelands? (2405 KB)
Noteguide: What are Rangelands? (102 KB)
Multiple-Use and Values of Rangelands
Values of Rangelands (2232 KB)
Can You Have It All? (299 KB)
Handout: Can You Have It All? (53 KB)
Graphing Can You Have It All? (319 KB)
Can You Have It All? (13 KB)
Rangeland Management
What is Rangeland Management? (1324 KB)
Noteguide: What is Rangeland Management? (32 KB)
History of Rangeland Management (830 KB)
Noteguide: History of Rangeland Management (32 KB)
Biomes and Ecoregions of the World
Rangelands of the World (2277 KB)
Noteguide: Rangelands of the World (17 KB)
Climate Patterns and Biomes (2974 KB)
Noteguide: Climate Patterns and Biomes (159 KB)
U.S. Rangelands (8545 KB)
Noteguide: U.S. Rangelands (128 KB)
- Rangeland Soils
Soil Types and Textures (3254 KB)
NoteGuide: Soil Types and Textures (259 KB)
Rangeland Soils (7542 KB)
Noteguide: Rangeland Soils (86 KB)
Ecological Sites (7093 KB)
Noteguide: Ecological Sites (3567 KB)
Activity: Texture This (121 KB)
Handout: Soil Triangle (66 KB)
- Rangeland Plants
Rangeland Plants Overview
Invasive and Toxic Plants
What is an Invasive Plant? (331 KB)
Ingestion of Toxic Plants by Herbivores (62 KB)
Background Information: Rangeland Plants (348 KB)
Characteristics of Plants
Plant Morphology (3411 KB)
Categories of Plants
Types and Categories of Plants (2248 KB)
Noteguide: Types and Categories of Plants (32 KB)
Handout: Life Cycle of Range Plants (262 KB)
Handout: Range Plant Types (403 KB)
Handout: Important Range Plant Group Characteristics (261 KB)
Noxious Weed Identification (2654 KB)
Common Rangeland Plants
List of 25 Common Rangeland Plants (12 KB)
10 Common Grasses and Grass-Like Plants (11739 KB)
15 Common Forbs and Woody Plants (15200 KB)
Noxious Weed Identification (2654 KB)
Constructing a Dichotomous Key (335 KB)
Handout: Constructing a Dichotomous Key (48 KB)
Dichotomous Key for Grasses (325 KB)
Glossary: Dichotomous Key for Grasses (161 KB)
Handout: Dichotomous Key for Grasses (48 KB)
Collecting and Mounting Rangeland Plants (97 KB)
Range Plant Pictionary (115 KB)
Plant Identification Study Help
Flashcards of Grasses (3601 KB)
Flashcards of Grass-Likes and Forbs (3042 KB)
Flashcards of Woody Plants (6688 KB)
Flashcards of All 25 Plants (7231 KB)
- Rangeland Water
- Rangeland Animals
Rangeland Animals Overview
Background Information: Rangeland Animals (290 KB)
Stocking Rate
Stocking Rate Guidelines (113 KB)
Rangeland Animals and Elements of Habitat
Overview of Rangeland Animals and Habitat (3732 KB)
Noteguide: Overview of Rangeland Animals and Habitat (63 KB)
Identify the Grazer (365 KB)
Handout: Identify the Grazer (28 KB)
Rangeland Herbivores (294 KB)
Handout: Rangeland Herbivores (31 KB)
Please Pass the Wheatgrass (192 KB)
How to Calculate a Stocking Rate (2696 KB)
Animal Demand and Forage Supply
Foraging Strategies (3685 KB)
Noteguide: Foraging Strategies (378 KB)
Grazing Animal Behavior (5331 KB)
Noteguide: Grazing Animal Behavior (371 KB)
Animal Nutrition (719 KB)
Noteguide: Animal Nutrition (54 KB)
Plant Nutritive Value (3552 KB)
Noteguide: Plant Nutritive Value (310 KB)
Setting Stocking Rate (1784 KB)
Noteguide: Setting Stocking Rate (91 KB)
Practice Problem (Mollie Texan) (640 KB)
Handout: Practice Problem (Mollie Texan) (16 KB)
Daydreamer’s Ranch (371 KB)
Noteguide: Daydreamer’s Ranch (84 KB)
Stocking Rate Scenarios (304 KB)
Noteguide: Stocking Rate Scenarios (188 KB)
Livestock and Wildlife
Wildlife and Livestock Interactions (1376 KB)
Noteguide: Wildlife and Livestock Interactions (1376 KB)
How Wildlife and Livestock Interact (341 KB)
Handout: How Wildlife and Livestock Interact (38 KB)
Go to the Western National Range CDE or Idaho State Rangeland Assessment CDE websites to get more stocking rate practice problems.
- Fire on the Range
Changes Over Time
Ecosytem Production (783 KB)
Noteguide: Ecosytem Production (217 KB)
Rangeland Succession (1166 KB)
Noteguide: Rangeland Succession (175 KB)
States and Transitions (1650 KB)
Noteguide: States and Transitions (45 KB)
Forces of Change (3598 KB)
Noteguide: Forces of Change (5704 KB)
Responses to Change
Plant Growth and Response to Disturbance (4663 KB)
Noteguide: Plant Growth and Response to Disturbance (2832 KB)
- Rangeland Stewardship
Management for Fire and Invasive Plants
Wildland Fire Effects and Management (1988 KB)
Noteguide: Wildland Fire Effects and Management (23 KB)
Invasive Plants and Weeds (963 KB)
Noteguide: Invasive Plants and Weeds (16 KB)
Management for Grazing
Grazing Management Principles (2053 KB)
Noteguide: Grazing Management Principles (79 KB)
Grazing Systems (756 KB)
Noteguide: Grazing Systems (28 KB)
Grazing Systems in Action (1664 KB)
Noteguide: Grazing Systems in Action (188 KB)
Human Activities and Land Management
Recreation Impacts and Opportunities (448 KB)
Noteguide: Recreation Impacts and Opportunities (262 KB)
Fragmentation, Subdivision, and Open Space (5489 KB)
Noteguide: Fragmentation, Subdivision, and Open Space (84 KB)
Tools for Land Planning: Zoning and Easements (1754 KB)
Noteguide: Tools for Land Planning: Zoning and Easements (169 KB)
Skills to Accomplish Land Management
Big Meadow Creek Land Use (320 KB)
Handout: Big Meadow Creek Land Use (58 KB)
Map: Big Meadow Creek Land Use (262 KB)
Demand on the Land (203 KB)
Exploring Appropriate and Ethical Land Management Options
Rangeland Responsibilities… Rat, Retreat, or Respond? (213 KB)
Need access to the keys for all the materials? Contact either Gretchen Hyde at ghyde@idrange.org or April Hulet at aprilh@uidaho.edu.