February 12, 2005 a 73 year-old woman and member of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur was murdered by gunmen on a muddy trail in the Amazon Forest. Thirty years of
defending the rights of poor farmers and educating them in sustainable forest living were in direct conflict with large ranch owners and logging companies. Sister Dorothy Stang realized the connection between helping the poor, preserving the environment and personal responsibility of each of us as global citizens. The Sisters of Notre Dame have committed to continuing Sister Dorothy’s mission. A fund has been established to educate others about Dorothy’s life and her vision. This unit was developed at the request of the Sisters of Notre Dame as part of that educational initiative. It is a nonprofit endeavor that will be distributed at cost.
Our goal is to educate students about the rain forest, encourage them to see the interconnectedness of life, and elicit an emotional response that may drive them to respond to a call to action.
Students will:
- Understand the values which impact environmental decision making.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the interconnectedness of environmental choices.
- Be challenged to be proactive rather than reactive in making environmental choices.
- Use technology to create class presentations.
- Learn to use and apply Earth Systems Science.
We are very grateful for the support and encouragement we have received for this project from the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur and the Mount Notre Dame High School community. We especially want to thank the administrators of Mount Notre Dame High School, Sister Rita Sturwold, SNDdeN, President; Mrs. Maureen Baldock, Principal; Mrs. Judy Metcalf, Assistant Principal; Mrs. Karen Day, Academic Dean; Science Department faculty Mrs. Susan Purdue and Mrs.Georgia Rutschilling, and the Visual Arts Department Chair Mrs.Shelly Brauer. We also want to thank Mr. William Slattery at Wright State University, for giving us the opportunity to take an Earth Systems Science course through the University’s distance learning program.
We hope you find our series of lessons to be a valuable addition to your curriculum.
Jennifer Glass
Ruth Bedinghaus, SNDdeN
(This unit is available on CD. Click here and order Item #8.)
Introduction
Lesson Outline and Objectives
Materials and Equipment
Understanding ESS: Methods for Teaching Earth Systems Science
Lesson One: Domino Effect
Lesson Two: Tropical Rain Forest Biome
Lesson Three: Student Presentations on Tropical Rain Forest
Lesson Four: Rain Forest Appreciation Day
Lesson Five: Impacts of Deforestation
Lesson Seven: The Power of One
References and Additional Resources
Authors
Science Content Standards
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