Curriculum
Curriculum
Ages 16-18, Lesson 1: Why Tropical Rainforests Are Important
View this lesson plan:
This lesson plan examines why tropical rainforests are so important for people and nature—from oxygen production and rainfall generation to critical carbon storage and vital natural resources, like food and medicine.
Students will analyze different ecosystem services and real-world data on tree cover loss, using graphs and infographics to visualize their findings. This reinforces skills in data interpretation and reasoning.
Educational materials
- Videos:
- Worksheet: Global rainforest map; Rainforest ecosystem services
- Quiz: Region matching (Amazon, Congo Basin, Southeast Asia) and multiple-choice on ecosystem services provided
- Math tie-ie: Tracking tree loss across continents
- Art tie-in: Ecosystem services infographic
- Classroom discussion questions:
- How are rainforests connected to ecosystems on the other side of the world?
- What services do they provide that humans rely on?
