The rainforest role-playing game: Protect or use?
Text
Teaching ideas:
Instructions for a role-playing game that makes it possible for the students to experience the dangers for tropical rainforests.
Type of media:
Text
Last update:
2019-04-26
License:
This medium is made available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 international license.
What does this mean?
How to reference this medium
This medium is made available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 international license.
What does this mean?
How to reference this medium
Media package:
Description:
The students should grapple with the reasons for rainforest destruction. The teacher first introduces the topic of rainforests in general and the consequences of their destruction. Then the students should discuss the causes of destruction. They can do so by putting on a fictitious talk show on the topic of “Rainforest – protect or use?" or by role-playing a “UN mini-summit." The students appear as representatives with different interests and defend their points of view.
Tips are provided to help the students prepare the content. The game situation is briefly explained. Then the six roles are described in detail:
• Plantation manager
• Fine wood dealer
• Native inhabitant of the rainforest
• Peasant farmer
• Consumer in central Europe/North America
• Conservationist
Background information and links to additional information are provided for working out the roles.
A double teaching period should be provided to prepare for and carry out the role-playing game.
Information and ideas:
Other roles can be added, such as an engineer for road construction.
Using the following sources: Dr. Tom Deutschle; WWF 2011 Living Forest Report; “Indigenous affairs 2/05," IWGIA (2005); “Geografie Infothek," Klett; Pro REGENWALD; Süddeutsche Zeitung (Sept. 2, 2012); Schrot & Korn Magazin (09/2012)
Tips are provided to help the students prepare the content. The game situation is briefly explained. Then the six roles are described in detail:
• Plantation manager
• Fine wood dealer
• Native inhabitant of the rainforest
• Peasant farmer
• Consumer in central Europe/North America
• Conservationist
Background information and links to additional information are provided for working out the roles.
A double teaching period should be provided to prepare for and carry out the role-playing game.
Information and ideas:
Other roles can be added, such as an engineer for road construction.
Using the following sources: Dr. Tom Deutschle; WWF 2011 Living Forest Report; “Indigenous affairs 2/05," IWGIA (2005); “Geografie Infothek," Klett; Pro REGENWALD; Süddeutsche Zeitung (Sept. 2, 2012); Schrot & Korn Magazin (09/2012)
Related media:
There are no other media directly related to this file.
Learning resource type:
Teaching ideas; Worksheet (printable)
Subjects:
Business education; Civics and Politics; English (native language); Ethics
Grade levels:
Grade 7 to 9; Grade 10 to 13
School types:
Middle/high school
Keywords:
Civilization; Climate change; Ecology; Emission (environment); Environmental destruction; Forest fire; Future; Greenhouse effect; Rainforest; Road building
Bibliography:
Siemens Stiftung Media Portal
Author:
MediaHouse GmbH
Rights holder:
© Siemens Stiftung 2016