Rainforest conservationists must share information with students about rainforest ecology, biology, and preservation. The educational process of understanding the relationships between humans and the environment is fundamental for the education of our students. Our students must understand how a tree-for example – gets its nutrients. To do so, we must first define the nature of living organisms and then show examples of conservation in the form of “classroom models.”
In the school setting, we use the model of a virtual classroom where students can follow instructions and perform projects. Students can watch others work while they are on their own computer and can request help when they need it. In addition, many schools have begun to require their students to take “Rainforest Conservation Admiration” quizzes.
We recommend that students take the quizzes on the Internet. Many of the largest web portals provide the appropriate formats, which allow students to complete the quiz through the Internet, while participating in their class work. Because it is not possible to take the simulated quizzes in an actual classroom, many schools use the quizzes as a pre-term substitute for actual classes. Students who enter the year after the scheduled end of the school year may find the quizzes useful in their first year.
A “virtual” exam is much like an online quiz, except that the questions are answered by others. Our advice is to create a “Virtual Classroom” for Rainforest Conservation Admiration Tests. A Virtual Classroom allows students to monitor the progress of their classmates as they work on a particular assignment. Most students are willing to do the same.
Using a Virtual Classroom to help students learn about rainforest conservation is not limited to an online quiz. Let’s say that you want to inspire students to protect the rainforests and their imperiled animals and plants. Your first step should be to describe the complex web of relationships between humans and the environment. The next step should be to identify a few species that are endangered.
There are no two people who are alike. Each one differs from the next. This fact creates the need for each person to understand the relationships among species. Thus, when they are asked to identify a couple of endangered species, students will not only need to find examples but to understand how species relate to one another. They will also need to be able to identify the habitat that each species needs.
How would a bird-catcher use ear drops to attract the attention of birds? Each species has a certain earwax fluid, and a bird will not respond to a particular kind of earwax unless it recognizes the species. If you use a modified ear drop to create a mousetrap, you would not scare away the bird if he did not recognize your species.
In this way, we can begin to “teach” students the dynamics of relationships between species and what is required to change the dynamics. You can begin by starting with a simple relationship, such as the relationship between species of the dog family and their relatives and between a tree and its closest relative. Students will be able to identify the relationships they are looking for in this situation.
By involving students in a dramatic story about the conservation of one species, we can help them understand how important it is to change the relationships among species to conserve the species. This way, they will become committed to seeing what needs to be done to save the threatened species.
A virtual classroom can be used in the same way to teach students the concepts of conservation. after students have completed a first course in the biological sciences, they may want to find a way to add to the curriculum. their existing coursework with the aid of a virtual version of a Virtual Classroom.
