Deforestation

=Deforestation - Overview=

Target Learners
The intended learners are Year 5-8 primary school students. They are expected to be literate and numerate and to have access to the printable materials developed within this wiki space, but are not expected to have access to high speed Internet in their classroom. They are expected to have a common understanding of what a forest is.

This unit is designed in such a manner that it will have applicability to all countries in which learners receive instruction in English.

Objectives
This unit has the following over-arching objective:


 * To provide the learners with a thorough understanding of deforestation in order that they may apply this knowledge to their own contexts.

Lower-level objectives are provided at the beginning of each Module. Teaching objectives for each learner activity are provided in the teacher notes.

Subject
Science

Related Subjects
This unit overlaps with a number of other subjects, including the following: The rationale behind this is to provide a more well-rounded educational experience for the learners. By encouraging this linkage, it is hoped that the learners will be discouraged from compartmentalising their knowledge.
 * English
 * Mathematics
 * Geography

Topic
Deforestation

Type of Resource
Study Guide

Course Structure
This unit is comprised of a number of variable length modules. Each module will need to be decomposed by the educator into lessons suitable for their context (including audience, period length, available resources and content delivery mechanism). There are accompanying Teacher Notes for every Module. Follow the link at the bottom of each Module page to further resources, guidance and information for teachers.

Pedagogical Framework
This unit has adopted a social constructivist approach with elements of problem-based learning. Effectively this means that students will be learning by constructing meaning in a student-centred social setting. They will be working with others to define and make sense of the topic of deforestation. This unit attempts to make the learning authentic by encouraging students to consider their own impact on the global and local communities. The inherent characteristics of problem-based learning in this unit further extends students through application of, and reflection on their new knowledge.

For further information on social constructivism and problem-based learning, follow the links below:
 * Social constructivism.
 * Problem based learning.

Sector
Primary

Level
School - Year 5-8

Complexity
Intermediate

Estimated Learner Time
20-25 learning hours

Authors and Disclaimer
This page was created by students of a Massey University Postgraduate Course in On-line and Distance Learning.

Safety Disclaimer Please keep in mind that the material on this website can be edited by ANYONE. Please bear in mind that the safety of the teaching ideas thus cannot be guaranteed as the creators have no control over the evolution of this unit.