Olivia Dransfield

Emily Enoch

Johanne O'Brien

McKenna Wood

To understand what deforestation is and its impacts.

SUCCESS CRITERIA

I can define deforestation.

I can explain why deforestation occurs.

I can identify who/what is involved in deforestation.

I can name products with palm oil in.

I can identify emotions caused by deforestation.

I can express deforestation through drama.

WHOLE CLASS DISCUSSION

What is deforestation?

Why does deforestation happen?

What things do we use that are made from palm oil?

ACTIVITY

Freeze frames to show the different people/animals impacted by deforestation. Emphasis on displaying emotions through drama.

Orangutans - Hiding from the danger. Worried and scared about where they will live.

Loggers - Cutting down the trees. Tired from the hard work.

Protestors - Shouting at the loggers. Angry that the rainforest is being destroyed.

People - Using items made from deforestation. Happy that they get to use the items.

Extension: Print the freeze frame of their group with speech bubbles for each character. The children can write sentences to describe key emotions experienced during deforestation, or explain who each child in the freeze frame represents.

1. Reading Excerpts from the Book - Read aloud select passages from "There's an Orangutan in My Bedroom" that introduce the main character's encounter with an orangutan and describe its natural habitat.

2. Show pictures or videos of orangutans in the wild, swinging from trees, eating fruit, and interacting with each other. Highlight the lush rainforest environment where orangutans live.

1. Engage students in a discussion about orangutans and their habitat. Ask questions such as:

   - Where do orangutans live?

   - What do they eat?

   - How do they move around?

   - Why are rainforests important for orangutans?

4. Activity - Provide materials for a simple craft activity where students can create paper plate masks of orangutans. As they work on their craft, discuss additional facts about orangutans and their habitat.

2. Utilize visual aids such as posters, diagrams, or simple infographics to explain the concept of climate change. Highlight key points such as the greenhouse effect, rising temperatures, and changing weather patterns. Use everyday examples to illustrate these concepts, such as melting ice caps or extreme weather events.

3. Conduct a hands-on demonstration to help students understand the greenhouse effect. Use a clear container filled with water to represent the Earth's atmosphere. Place a heat source (e.g., lamp) above the container to simulate the sun's energy. Cover the container with plastic wrap to represent greenhouse gases trapping heat. Observe how the temperature inside the container increases over time.

4. Discuss the causes of climate change in simple terms. Explain that human activities, such as burning fossil fuels and cutting down trees, release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, leading to global warming. Encourage students to think about actions they can take to reduce their carbon footprint.

1. Brainstorming Activity- have a discussion about how students can help to protect orangutans. Write ideas down on flipchart/whiteboard. Encourage children to think of different actions such as reducing plastic use, planting trees etc.

2. Group Project- divide class into small groups and assign each group an action to focus on. For example, one group could create posters about recycling, another could organise a whole school clean up.

3. Action Plan- each group should make a plan of how they will carry out their project. Encourage them to think about the steps needed in order for their project to be successful.

4. Implementation- allow students to implement their projects in the classroom and/ or the community. Encourage collaboration and teamwork amongst group members.

5. Reflection- after completing their projects, gather the class for a reflection session. Allow each group to share what they came up with, what they learned, and any challenges they faced. Discuss the impact of their actions and how they can continue to make a lasting change.

Lesson 1: Introduction to Orangutans and Their Habitat:

- Misconception: All animals live in similar habitats.

- Clarification: Students might think that all animals, including orangutans, can adapt to any environment. It's important to emphasize that orangutans have specific habitat requirements, such as rainforests, and that habitat loss can have severe consequences for their survival.

Lesson 2: Exploring Climate Change:

- Misconception: Climate change only affects the weather.

- Clarification: Students might think that climate change simply results in changes to the weather, such as warmer temperatures or more storms. It's important to clarify that climate change has broader impacts, including shifts in ecosystems, sea level rise, and changes in precipitation patterns.

Lesson 3: Understanding Deforestation:

- Misconception: Trees can grow back quickly after deforestation.

- Clarification: Students might think that deforested areas can easily recover and that trees can grow back quickly. It's important to emphasize that deforestation can have long-lasting effects on ecosystems, including loss of biodiversity, soil erosion, and habitat fragmentation.

Lesson 4: Taking Action:

- Misconception: Individual actions don't make a difference in addressing environmental issues.

- Clarification: Students might feel overwhelmed by the scale of environmental problems like deforestation and climate change, leading them to believe that their individual actions won't make a difference. It's important to emphasize that every action counts, no matter how small, and that collective efforts can lead to meaningful change.

Lesson 5: Reflecting and Creating:

- Misconception: Environmental problems are too big for kids to help solve.

- Clarification: Students might feel

Activities:

1. Reflection Circle: Begin the lesson with a reflection circle where students can share their thoughts and feelings about what they've learned throughout the unit. Encourage each student to contribute by asking questions such as:

   - What did you find most interesting about orangutans and their habitat?

   - How do you feel about the challenges orangutans face due to deforestation and climate change?

   - What are some ways we can help orangutans and protect their habitat?

2. Creative Expression: Provide students with a variety of materials such as crayons, markers, colored paper, and craft supplies. Allow them to choose how they would like to express their understanding creatively. They could create:

   - Drawings or paintings of orangutans and their habitat.

   - Posters with messages about the importance of conservation and protecting the environment.

   - Short stories or poems about orangutans and their adventures.

1. Sharing Circle: Once students have completed their creative projects, gather them in a sharing circle where they can present their work to the class. Encourage each student to explain the meaning behind their creation and how it relates to what they've learned about orangutans and environmental conservation.

4. Classroom Display: Create a classroom display showcasing students' artwork and writings. This could include hanging their drawings on a bulletin board, displaying their posters around the room, or creating a class book with their stories and poems. Celebrate their efforts and use the display as a reminder of the importance of protecting orangutans and their habitat.

Lesson Two: Creation of a mind map as a whole class whilst they are sat on the carpet. Work in smaller groups for the activity, using Post-It notes to record how they can reduce their carbon footprint.

Lesson Three: What do the children already know about deforestation? Create groups with attainment and confidence levels in mind, and monitor involvement in group work.

Lesson Four: Are the plans created by the students to take action realistic? Do they need some examples to help them?

Lesson Five: Use whiteboards to share their thoughts and feelings about what they learnt so far. Teacher assessing the answers. Peer-assessment of each other's posters through a silent gallery.

1. Palm Oil and Deforestation:The primary focus of the film is on the destructive effects of palm oil production, which contributes to deforestation in countries like Indonesia and Malaysia. Large-scale deforestation not only leads to habitat loss for orangutans and other wildlife but also contributes to carbon emissions, exacerbating climate change.

2. Loss of Biodiversity: The film highlights the broader issue of biodiversity loss resulting from deforestation. Orangutans are just one of many species affected by habitat destruction caused by palm oil production. The loss of biodiversity has significant ecological consequences and impacts the health of ecosystems worldwide.

3. Human Impact: The Rang-Tan in My Bedroom" also emphasizes the human impact of palm oil production, portraying the displacement of indigenous communities and the exploitation of workers in the industry. It underscores the interconnectedness of environmental and social justice issues.

4. Call to Action:Through its poignant storytelling and emotive animation, the film serves as a call to action for viewers to take steps to address the palm oil crisis. It encourages consumers to make informed choices about the products they buy and advocate for sustainable palm oil practices. Additionally, it urges policymakers and corporations to prioritize conservation and protect vital forest ecosystems.

Lesson Two: Visual aids and a practical demonstration.

Lesson Three: Using drama makes the task more accessible for children with lower writing attainment.

Lesson Four: The nature of the action plan is chosen by the group, so can be based on the children's interests/capabilities.

Lesson Five: Students are given a choice in how they express themselves creatively, e.g. it can be drawn or written.