Handouts:

Handout 1Print Handout 1

Responsible?

Directions for Round Table Discussion

Everyone silently reads the questions and thinks about possible responses.  Once everyone has time to think, the group member holding the small tree branch shares his/her response for Question #1 with the rest of the team.  Each of the other team members listens quietly to their teammate.  Once he/she has finished responding to Question #1 the next teammate takes the branch and politely responds to the previous speaker by “paraphrasing” (summarizing the previous comments and agrees or politely disagrees with the previous speaker.  If he/she disagrees the second teammate must indicate how he/she feels that differs from the first team member.)  This second person then responds to Question #2 while everyone listens quietly.  When finished responding, he/she passes the small tree branch to the third member of the group who responds to teammate number two (agreeing or politely disagreeing, and then he/she responds to Question #3.)  This process continues until all of the nine questions have been responded to. (Because there are nine questions, perhaps a time limit of one minute per sharing might be introduced.)  Finally, time will be given for learners to share their agreements or disagreements, that because of the order in which the responses were shared, they did not have an opportunity to do so.

1. Who is responsible for the continued destruction of the rainforest?  Can you put all of the blame on only one group?
   
   
   
2. Do you feel the government is acting in the best interest of the rainforest people?  Why or why not?
   
   
   
3. Do you think the government is protecting the interests of citizens world wide?  Why or why not?
   
   
   
4. How much power do you have as a citizen to affect or change government policy?
   
   
   
5. What Democratic Principles give you the right to speak out and be involved in government decisions?
   
   
   
6. How might you exercise your rights in this situation?
   
   
   
7. Is it only the government’s responsibility to do something to stop continued destruction of the rainforest and promote alternative methods for successful economic growth in those areas?
   
   
   
8. What other groups or organizations might address the needs of citizens that are not being met by the government?
   
   
9. Who is responsible enough to make an effort to stop continued destruction of the rainforest?  (What are the characteristics of someone who is willing to give of their time, talent, and/or treasure for this cause? and, what role could you play in this effort?)
    

Handout 2Print Handout 2

Rainforest Action

• Experts agree that by leaving the rainforests intact and harvesting its many nuts, fruits, oil-producing plants, and medicinal plants, the rainforest has more economic value than if they were cut down to make grazing land for cattle or for timber.
  
   
• The latest statistics show that rainforest land converted to cattle operations yields the land owner $60 per acre and if timber is harvested, the land is worth $400 per acre.  However, if these renewable and sustainable resources are harvested, the land will yield the land owner $2,400 per acre.
  
   
• If managed properly, the rainforest can provide the world's need for these natural resources on a perpetual basis.
  
   
• Promoting the use of these sustainable and renewable sources could stop the destruction of the rainforests.  By creating a new source of income harvesting the medicinal plants, fruits nuts, oil and other sustainable resources, the rainforests is be more valuable alive than cut and burned.
  
   
• Sufficient demand of sustainable and ecologically harvested rainforest products is necessary for preservation efforts to succeed.  Purchasing sustainable rainforest products can effect positive change by creating a market for these products while supporting the native people's economy and provides the economic solution and alternative to cutting the forest just for the value of its timber.

http://www.uhigh.lsu.edu/faculty/afont-wb/11-04/Animals/Rainforest%20Facts.htm

Handout 3Print Handout 3

My Hands Are Not Tied

You and your design team are to gather ideas for making an effort to preserve the World’s Rainforests.   Using lined paper, number it from 1 to 12 down the left column. You and each of your team members sign their name next to one of the numbers and put a check next to the corresponding website on this sheet.  Research that site and record any potential ideas for taking action. Include the ideas that are presented even if you are not sure they are doable. Once you have completed the research with your first website, write your name next to another site that has not been taken.  Continue through this until all twelve sites have been accessed.   If you finish before the others and all sites have been assigned, continue to research by doing the Internet search:  “How Can I Save The Rainforest?”

Handout 4Print Handout 4

A Plan of Action

Using the data and ideas you have uncovered, you will need to create a “Plan of Action”.  Start with your team and sharing the ideas found on the Internet.  Look at the “Some Suggestions” below to see if there are any additional ideas that you have not discovered. 

Some Suggestions:

1. Create tree cards (or use another rainforest symbol) in mass quantity to distribute to local businesses to generate donations for the rainforest. Customers will be asked if they would like to purchase a symbol and place their name on it to be posted in the business. (You may also just do this at the school level and have a wall of Rainforest Rescuers that have purchased the cards.)
2. Write letters to a government representative, write an article in your local paper (or a larger paper that will has a greater circulation) encouraging others to contact their representatives.
3. Generate ideas that promote the sale of rainforest products and/or warn people against the purchase of products that create further destruction of the rainforests.
4. Ask for newspaper donations, and make paper logs and sell them. (Note: How to make paper logs can be found on the Internet.)
5. Create and sell Rainforest Awareness Packets. 

Once your team has discussed all these and other ideas, list the two to four ideas by placing them in the order of importance or by identifying the action that would be most successful or accepted.  Your team may come up with more than one choice to finally present to the class, but be sure to consider if more than one is doable.  Select your top choice/choices and then come up with the necessary details for implementing the plan.

Philanthropy Framework: