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.

> Making connections

3. Consumer power: the environmental and social consequences of what we buy

What you need:

Copies of the info sheets for the different groups: mobile phones [pdf], leather [pdf], packaging [pdf], palm oil [pdf], hamburgers [pdf].
Access to the internet to research their topic

Aims

To explore the connections that food, phones, packaging and leather has to the rainforest.

To understand that our consumption patterns have environmental and social consequences.

What to do

This activity follows on from Why are our forests being cleared? If you haven't done this activity you will need to show the class the PowerPoint Forest clearance causes as an introduction.

Pupils are going to work in groups preparing a presentation on one of the following areas (palm oil, leather, packaging, mobile phones or hamburgers). All of these items have significant impact for rainforest clearance and are all items we consume /use on a daily basis.

Give each group the relevant fact sheet on their theme which will give them some points to think about and some useful links to research. There are also some extra information sheets which they can be given if appropriate. Luxury leather, Palm oil fact sheet, over packaging, mobile phones issue, hamburgers.

Each group should prepare a presentation for the class which should:

Illustrate the links their product has to forest clearance and the issues it raises
Actions people can take around the issue

After each presentation there should be opportunity to discuss the issue further within the class and to explore viewpoints of others. See prompts below.

Teacher prompts

What were the different points of view on the issue?
Was there anything surprising you found out?
Is it important that as consumers we are aware of these issues? Why?
Do you feel that you can do anything about the things you have found out? Why / why not?
Do you think consumers have the power to change things? Why / why not?

Reflection and evaluation

There is potential within this for groups to then lead awareness raising activities within the school through assemblies, poster campaign, peer education etc.

As a class they might decide to focus on one issue and campaign around that.

See the active global citizens section for more ideas.

Section 1

Section 2

Section 3

Section 4