Feedback Loops - Forests

• This video explains how tropical, boreal, and temperate forests are essential carbon sinks and how they cool our planet. 
• Students will learn how dangerous feedback loops, caused by climate change and deforestation will turn forests into carbon emitters unless people cut emissions, stop deforestation, and regreen the Earth to begin a cooling feedback loop. 

Positives

• This video is articulately narrated by Richard Gere and provides powerful visuals to make the information easy to understand. 
• This video has subtitles that are available in 25 languages. 

Additional Prerequisites

• Teachers may want to show this video to introduce students to the concept of feedback loops.
• This topic can be emotionally challenging for students, so it would be beneficial for teachers to prepare ways to support students' wide range of feelings about this topic. 

Differentiation

• Teachers could stop the video at 2 minutes, 32 seconds and have students create a graphic organizer similar to the one in the video to ensure understanding of the feedback loop presented in the video. 
• In art classes, students could analyze the photographs at the beginning of the video and discuss the role of nature photography in environmental and climate activism. 
• Allow students to use this interactive map to gather more information on deforestation, fires, tree cover, forest variation, and the rate of change in the world's forests. 
• Consider having students watch other videos on feedback loops including these videos on permafrost, atmosphere, and albedo. 

This resource addresses the listed standards. To fully meet standards, search for more related resources.