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.

> Asking questions

2. Forests of the Future: imagining the future of our forests

What you need:

Probable and Possible Futures template
Quotations [pdf] cut up and stuck up around the room

Aims

To explore the probable and preferable future of forests locally and globally

To consider what needs to happen to make the preferable future happen

To reflect on ways we can shape the future of our forests

What to do

You may want to do the introductory activity first, which is a local and personal imagining of the future.

Explain that there are a number of quotations around the room which are about forests. Ask the pupils to walk around and read the quotes, then select the one they like the best and stand next to it. They should form groups around their chosen quote and discuss what is its significance and meaning. Each group then shares their quote and sums up what the group liked about it.

Introduce the idea of a timeline that is setting out actual and / or likely events along a specific timescale. Explain to the class that they will be exploring the future of the world's forests using this timeline. Some will think about the Scots pine forest and some will think about the Congo Basin rainforests. In groups, pupils should add to the timeline what major events have happened to the forest so far. They can find out this information from A History of two Forests activity sheets.

Next they need to think about what they hope will happen to the forest in the future and add this to the 'preferable' line. Finally pupils should reflect together on what they think will probably happen to the forest and put this on the 'probable' line. Their thinking should be informed by all the previous work on forests they have done.

Hold a discussion with the class comparing their probable and possible imagined futures for the forests. Use the reflection and evaluation points below.

Teacher Prompts

Are they generally optimistic or pessimistic about the future? Why?
What changes may technology make to the future?
What will happen to the forests in the future?
Will climate change have an impact?
What would the future look like if pupils' hopes for the future were realised?

Reflection and evaluation

Who will benefit most from this future? Will anyone lose out?
What would need to happen for their probable timeline to be more like their preferable one?
Can the pupils see any connection between their lives and communities and the forests of the future?
Are there any actions they can take which will help the preferable future of the forests become the probable future?

Section 1

Section 2

Section 3

Section 4