How to use this resource...

Our Forest, Our Future helps teachers and pupils to explore the interdependence of people and forests and the vital role forests play in sustaining our environment – in the past, the present and hopefully the future.

The Scots Pine forests in Scotland and the Congo Basin rainforest in Africa provide case studies through which pupils will begin to understand why our forests are under threat and the implications for our planet. Further information about these forests is provided in the following documents.

In making connections between consumerism, people and the environment, pupils will be encouraged to see how they and their actions have an impact on the lives of others globally. It encourages reflection on the possible futures of the world's forests and ways of taking positive actions for a future where people and forests co-exist in a sustainable way.

The resource is structured around a global citizenship framework devised by Oxfam.

The reflection and evaluation sections in each activity support formative assessment and ongoing monitoring of pupils learning.

Additional assessment opportunities are indicated by...

Outdoor learning opportunities are indicated by...

Homework activities are indicated by...

Taking Action for Change

Education for Global Citizenship is committed to enabling pupils to bring about positive actions for change either locally or globally. This process should support pupils to make their own informed choices through a critical evaluation of the options open to them and the possible implications of those choices.

Throughout the resource there are ideas for possible actions, such as reflecting on our power as consumers, peer education and tree planting. Your pupils themselves should be encouraged to think creatively about the many actions they could take, critically evaluate the impact these actions might have and then evaluate what they have done.

The materials below support your pupils through this process.

> Exploring viewpoints and values

10. What is your opinion about the world's forests?

What you need:

Part A Copies of photos and post-its. (Ariel view of forest, play park, cityscape, seaside/ocean, commercial farmland, high mountains, playground, deserts)
Part B Sets of activity cards [pdf] prepared for each group. This includes 1 blank card per set for pupils to add their own ideas

Aims

To find out the pupil's views on the world's forests

To establish a baseline of pupil's views

What to do

Part A

Divide class into groups of 3-4 and give each a set of images and some post-its.

Ask them to choose the four images which are most important to them.

From these 4 images they must rank them in order of most to least importance, using the post-its to record their reasoning.

Pupils can then carousel the room to see each other's opinions.

Explain that they will discuss these further when they repeat the activity at the end of the topic.

Part B

Divide the class into different groups of 3-4 and give each a set of cards. They can add their own thoughts to the blank card.

Explain that they must read and discuss each statement. The group should then diamond rank the statements, putting the statement they agree most with at the top and the statement they agree least with at the bottom.

As in Part A, pupils can look at each other's ranking choice but discussion will take place at the end of the topic.

Finally ask the pupils to note down the statement they agree with the most and least and to write down the reasons for their choice. They need to keep a record of this for when they repeat the activity.

Reflection and evaluation

These activities should be used as baselines at the start of work relating to forests around the world. The pupils' initial ideas need to be recorded Once you have completed the unit of work the activities can be repeated and pupils can reflect on how their opinions have changed.