Brazil+-+Olivia+Love


 * __Lesson Title__****: The Disappearing Rainforest**

__**Instructor**:__ Ms. Love

**__Subject:__** 6th grade Social Studies

**__Class Period:__** 53 minutes

**__Location:__** The country of Brazil, in the central southern portion of South America.

**__NC Standard Course of Study Objective__:** **3.02** describe the environmental impact of regional activities such as deforestation, urbanization, and industrialization and evaluate their significance to the global community.

**__Goals:__** As a result of today’s lesson, students will be able to: -locate the rainforest in the country of Brazil -illustrate the issue of deforestation in a visual representation. -write a persuasive letter explaining why deforestation in Brazil is having deadly consequences.


 * __Lesson Sequence__:** This lesson will be taught during the unit on South America. Based on the Standard Course of Study, I will assign certain countries in South America to relevant objectives. Brazil fits standard 3.02 well, since Brazil encompasses 60% of the Amazon Rainforest, the largest remaining rainforest in the world. The issue of deforestation could not be bigger than it is currently; therefore, it is necessary that students decipher the facts behind what is really happening to the rain forest, and what must change to fix it.

Material Used: -Poster boards -markers -dry erase board

-projector/smart board for video
==== **__ Procedures for Class Period __** **:** [//Warm-Up/Freewrite, 5 minutes]// As students are entering the room, I will instruct them to grab a laptop and take their seats. This video will be on in the background. It has rainforest sounds and peaceful images. Once the students have settled in their seats I would have them conduct a free write on how they feel about the rainforest. Where is it? What have they heard about it? Basically any prior thoughts they have about the topic. I would have them 5 minutes for this freewrite. (the rainforest music would continue during this time) ====

//[KWL Chart, 7 minutes]// After the students complete their free write, we would create a KWL chart on the board together. This would allow students, as well as myself, to see what students know and what they are interested in knowing more about. If students don’t mention the rain forest declining, I would probe the question here, so it enters their minds, and hopefully pushes for further curiosity.

//[Save the Rainforest Posters; 30 minutes]// From here I would introduce to students (if it hadn’t already by mentioned) the devastating effects that deforestation is having on the ever decreasing rainforest. I would show students the two maps (included) showing how dramatically the size of the rainforest has decreased over the past decade. From here I would tell students that now that they know about the dying rainforest they are to investigate further and ultimately create a poster that will be displayed telling people why they should care about the dying rainforest. I would urge students to be creative and include whatever they feel will persuade people as long as it is factual evidence. I would also forwarn them at this time that their poster needs to be based on facts, because their will be a later assignment that ties into their choices and reasoning. They will complete the poster with their tablemates, one per table (5 in total). They have 30 minutes to complete their research and create their poster.

//[Wrap Up/Homework Assignment 10 minutes]// After students complete their posters, we will display them in the hallway and they will have 5 minutes to view other groups posters. Once they have finished and returned to their seats, I will tell them their homework assignment, which is to complete a persuasive letter to the people of Brazil, explaining to them why they should stop allowing the rainforest to be destroyed. They should tie in the message they put on their poster at some point in their letter. This letter should be ¾-1 page max. I simply want to see that they have retained factual information as to the extremity of the dying rainforest and why it’s essential that something changes. Students should include 1 fact about how the size is decreasing, and at least one fact to back up their argument for the importance of maintaining the rainforest.

==== **__ Assessment: __** The posters will be graded as a completion grade; however, the main form of assessment in this lesson is the homework assignment. It is a short ¾-1 page persuasive letter to the people of Brazil urging them to stop allowing the Rainforest to be killed. Students should include 1 fact about how the size is decreasing, and at least one fact to back up their argument for the importance of maintaining the rainforest. This is a simple assessment to see that students were paying attention and were able to reflect on it individually after the group assignment. ====

**__Next Class Period__:** Students will have the opportunity to share the letters they have written about saving the rainforest.
 **//__Lesson Narrative__//** Today I will be teaching a lesson on Brazil, specifically focusing on the Amazon Rainforest and deforestation. This lesson is relevant to the 6th grade social studies curriculum, because objective 3.02 refers to the impact of deforestation on the environment and the people. Deforestation is currently a major issue in the Amazon, and since 60% of the Amazon is in Brazil, it makes sense to study them together. After today’s lesson students will be able to illustrate the issue of deforestion though a visual representation, and defend their illustration through a persuasive letter to the people of Brazil. Students will be able to indicate that they understand the consequences of deforestion in the rainforest through their letter. Today’s lesson will be taught as part of a larger unit on South America. The materials required to teach today’s lesson are poster boards (one per group), markers, a white board, laptops, and a projector/smart board for the video. The lesson begins as students are entering the room, I will instruct them to grab a laptop and take their seats. This video will be on in the background. It has rainforest sounds and peaceful images. Once the students have settled in their seats I would have them conduct a free write on how they feel about the rainforest. Where is it? What have they heard about it? Basically any prior thoughts they have about the topic. I would have them 5 minutes for this freewrite. (the rainforest music would continue during this time) After the students complete their free write, we would create a KWL chart on the board together. This would allow students, as well as myself, to see what students know, and what they are interested in knowing more about. If students do not mention the rain forest declining, I would probe the question here, so it enters their minds and hopefully pushes for further curiosity.

After the KWL chart is complete, students will begin the primary activity. I will introduce to students (if it hasn't already been mentioned) the devastating effects that deforestion is having on the ever decreasing rainforest. I would show the two maps (included) showing how dramatically the size of the rainforest has decreased over the past decade. From here I would tell students that now that they know about the dying rainforest, they are to investigate further and ultimately create a poster that will be displayed telling people why they should care about the dying rainfrest. I would urge student to be creative and include whatever they feel will persuade people as long as it is based on factual evidence. I would also forwarn students that their will be a later assignment based on their poster; therefore, they need to be able to defend whatever they chose to put on their poster. They will compete the poster with their tablemates, one per table (5 in total). They will have 30 minutes to complete their research and create the poster.

After students complete their posters, we will display them in the hallway, and they will have 5 minutes to view the other groups posters. Once they have finished and returned to their seats, I will tell them their homework assignment, which is to complete a persuasive letter to the people of Brazil, explaining to them why they should stop allowing the rainforest to be destroyed. At some point in the letter, they should tie in the message they used on their poster. This letter should be 3/4-1 page maz. I simply want to see that they have retained factual information as to the extremity of the dying rainforest, and why it is essential that something changes. Students should include one fact about how the size is decreasing, and at least one fact to back up their argument for the importance of maintaining the rainforest.

==== The assessment for this lesson is a completion grade on the poster board and a formal grade on the homework letter. Students will receive full credit if they defend the message on their poster, and include the two facts discussed earlier. The following day in class students will have the opportunity to share their persusive letters to the people of Brazil as a follow up activity. I think this is a very important lesson for the current day and age. Deforestation is a huge issue, and these students are going to be in the best position to bring about change in the next ten years of their lives. I also think they will enjoy the opportunity to be creative and express themselves while learning. ====