Ecology Science Project
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.
This unit was developed in 2007 by Jennifer Glass and Ruth Bedinghaus SNDdeN, both members of the Science Department at Mount Notre Dame High School in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Jennifer Glass
Ruth Bedinghaus, SNDdeN
Contents:
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 Six: Causal Chains / Going for the Green
Day 6 gameview
Day 6 choice/risk cards
Lesson Seven: The Power of One
References and Additional Resources
Authors
Science Content Standards
