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.

> Assessing learning

7. How do they feel?

What you need:

Aims

To find out the extent to which pupils are able to empathise with people whose lives may seem different from their own

To encourage pupils' to reflect on any changes to their viewpoints or thinking

What to do

This activity is a baseline activity for measuring the impact of the global learning. The pupils should take part in the activity at the beginning of this section or at the beginning of the input on global forests, and then repeat it at the end of the input.

Divide the class into small groups and display the photo on the white board. Ask pupils to identify what is going on in the picture. Then ask them to think about the person in the picture and the people on the cards and ask them to discuss 'What are they thinking and feeling?' The pupils can then record their thoughts on the worksheet. Alternatively the teacher can ask for comments about the person in the picture and record what they thought that person was thinking or feeling.

You can analyse the pupil's comments using the teacher recording sheet and information below.

When they repeat the activity, you can share with the pupils their original observations and ask them to reflect on what changes have taken place in their thinking.

How to record and analyse the data

Record the comments for each of the people on the teacher recording sheet.

Calculate the number of comments in each category.

What to look for:

Whether pupils are as aware of the similarities between people as they are of the differences
Whether responses indicate an understanding of shared human experience and an ability to empathise
Whether they show an understanding of the differences in human experiences for example arising from racism or poverty

When you repeat the activity you are looking for:

A better understanding of the impact of people's life chances
A better understanding of the similarities everywhere

Section 1

Section 2

Section 3

Section 4