Teacher Notes

Summary

This unit has been compiled in order to convey information on the tropical rain forest in relation to the WJEC GCSE specification or for the teaching of KS 3 pupils.

Objectives of the unit

Consider

  • where are the rain forests of the world,
  • how soil erosion takes place within the rain forest,
  • why we need trees
  • the impact of us using trees on the environment and the people within the rain forest,
  • how does deforestation occur
  • how can the resources of the rain forest be used in a sustainable way

Suitable for

This unit may be used for:

Unit 1C GCSE: Towards the sustainable development of the environment:

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Key question 3:The demand for a natural resource in one area of the world had an effect on the environment in another area of the world

Previous Learning

The pupils need to know what is sustainable development before starting the unit in order to understand the implications of this in the rain forest.

Timing

The packet includes short activities to be used at the beginning or at the end of the lessons. Their purpose is to to enrich the lessons rather than offer all the information needed.

One task has been included namely the public hearing on the development of the rain forest.

Activity suggestions

Introduction

Location (Activstudio file): The purpose of this activity is for the class to locate continents, the main latitudes and the rain forests. This should be a whole class activity on the white board with the class attempts compared with the correct page which comes after each activity. An outline map can be printed, to be filled in by the pupils as the activity proceeds.

Characteristics (Activstudio file): There is a series of pictures which exemplify the features of the rain forest and an animation which challenges the class to distinguish the different layers in the forest. The map shows clearly the location of the South American forests and included are prediction activities re the climate there.

Deforestation

Deforestation (PowerPoint file): The file mentions the deforestation implications and considers the evidence and asks the question Why? The first screen can be connected to the Decline of Forests file (Activstudio) where an activity asks the pupils to locate different examples of deforestation across the world. At the end of the PowerPoint file there is a link to the Global Warmingfile (Activstudio) which kindles a discussion on the environmental effects of clearing trees and also the demand for trees.(The two Activstudio files can also be opened separately.)

Sustainable development

Sustainabel Development (PowerPoint file):The file offers information on how it is possible to develop the rain forest in a sustainable way and this should be discussed before the rest of the work is tackled.

Role Playing The task has been created for a public hearing on “Should we develop the rain forest?” An information sheet is available for each group and a work sheet for everyone on how to prepare the hearing. The group which decides how to develop the rain forest, namely the appointments panel, is presented with a different work sheet. At the end of the task, each pupil receives a self assessment sheet.

Examination Questions (PowerPoint file):A list of examination questions needs to be answered and there is sufficient space on the slides for answering as a class the questions on the white board. The idea is to discuss as a class, groups or pairs, what makes a good examination answer.