Tracking Global Changes in Forest Cover

Lesson Plans

Grades9, 10, 11, 12Biology, Earth and Space Sciences

Scientist Reviewed

Provided by BioInteractive

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What it is

In this activity, students will analyze two graphs that show the change in the annual loss of forests in Indonesia and Brazil.

Teaching tips

Positives

The Educator Materials document includes a captioned figure, background information, graph interpretation, and discussion questions.
The materials are available in English and Spanish.

Prerequisites

The data is from 2000 to 2012, so the trends in deforestation are not up to date.
Students should know how to read a bar graph.

Differentiation & Implementations

Social studies or civics classes can learn more about the policies that Brazil enacted to preserve forests. Students could discuss how the policies have changed and if similar policies could help preserve forests in other countries.
Biology classes can discuss how deforestation impacts biodiversity because of habitat loss.
Other resources on this topic include this Google Earth timelapse video on forests around the world and this article about the importance of primary forests.

From the scientist review

There is no contradiction in the resource, the datasets used are accurate to estimate forest loss over time, but more recent data may show different trends. This resource is recommended for teaching.

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At a glance

Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12
Subjects: Biology, Earth and Space Sciences
Other types: Activity - Classroom, Worksheets
Format: PDF
Language: English, Spanish
Location: Asia, Oceania, South America
Provider: BioInteractive
Authors: BioInteractive
Published: April 19, 2021
Last updated: July 16, 2026
: Reviewed by our climate scientists How we review

Standards alignment · HS-LS2-2. + 9 more

Core

Core Standards legacy

HS-LS2-2.HS-LS2-2. Use mathematical representations to support and revise explanations based on evidence about factors affecting biodiversity and populations in ecosystems of different scales.
HS-ESS3-6.HS-ESS3-6. Use a computational representation to illustrate the relationships among Earth systems and how those relationships are being modified due to human activity.
D2.Civ.13.9-12D2.Civ.13.9-12 Evaluate public policies in terms of intended and unintended outcomes, and related consequences.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSS.ID.C.7CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSS.ID.C.7 Interpret the slope (rate of change) and the intercept (constant term) of a linear model in the context of the data.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSS.ID.C.9CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSS.ID.C.9 Distinguish between correlation and causation.
3.13.1 Making Connections: Learners build, reinforce, and expand their knowledge of other disciplines while using the language to develop critical thinking and to solve problems creatively.

Michigan Climate Education Hub

Michigan Climate Education Hub Standards legacy

S.ID.7.S.ID.7. Interpret the slope (rate of change) and the intercept (constant term) of a linear model in the context of the data.
S.ID.9.S.ID.9. Distinguish between correlation and causation.
HS-LS2-2HS-LS2-2 Use mathematical representations to support and revise explanations based on evidence about factors affecting biodiversity and populations in ecosystems of different scales.
HS-ESS3-6HS-ESS3-6 Use a computational representation to illustrate the relationships among Earth systems and how those relationships are being modified due to human activity.

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What it is

Teaching tips

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