Introduction
Today’s rain forests are disappearing at an alarming rate. There
are many reasons for this. First, the lumber industry is cutting
the trees in some countries. In others, the indigenous people have
run out of arable land and are cutting down or burning vast stretches of
the forest to expand their crops and livestock.
There are no easy answers how to solve this problem. At the same
time the destruction is causing serious environmental problems, populations
are dealing with the immediate crisis of survival. Even with destruction
caused by logging or raising cattle for the fast food industries, there
is the decision of what people can reasonably sacrifice, including jobs
to save the rain forests.
The Task
Working in groups of 4-5, students will participate in online research
on the destruction of the rain forests and the issues surrounding this.
They will take on various roles for this research: ecologist, indigenous
person, pharmaceutical researcher, and lumber or fast food industry representatives.
After doing small group research, the groups will meet as one large
group to reach consensus and provide creative solutions from each group.
The Process
1. Within your group you will take on one of following roles:
1. ecologist
2. indigenous person
3. pharmaceutical researcher
4. lumber or fast food industry representatives
1. Within your role, you will research how your area of concern is affecting
the destruction of the rain forests. You will provide reasons for
what you have been doing and any suggestions for new approaches in the
future.
2. After researching, you will meet with your group and discuss
the information you have learned in your various roles. You will
approach the process in a problem-solving manner, providing ideas for how
your particular group can help provide a solution to the problem.
3. Lastly, the class will meet together as a whole and hold a discussion
forum with the purpose of reaching consensus about the problem. Each
group will provide ideas for changes for the future.
Resources
http://www.pbs.org/tal/costa_rica/product.html
http://forests.org/ric/background/people.htm
http://www.pbs.org/tal/costa_rica/native.html
http://students.itec.sfsu.edu/edt628/ouray/index.html
http://www.pbs.org/tal/costa_rica/rainfacts.html
http://ran.org/info_center/factsheets/
Evaluation
Students will be evaluated based upon:
1. The accuracy and appropriateness of information used in group discussion.
2. How well individual students can defend their position and ideas
for change, they may make use of any notes they’ve taken during their research
3. How well individual students interact with the other students, those
who try and dominate discussion may be penalized whereas those to make
an attempt to ensure everybody is allowed to speak may be rewarded.
4. Students will be expected to debate and not argue. Rules of
courtesy should be followed.
Conclusion
Now that you have had an opportunity to take a hard look at how the rain
forests affect you, you may now want to think about how the rain forests
will affect you in the future if you do not conserve it. This is an ongoing
problem that will be discussed and debated for years.
You may search for more information on this topic to find out how other
countries are coping with this problem.
