Grade Levels: 7, 8

Subject(s):

• Science/Environmental Education
• Information Literacy/Research Skills

Curriculum (subject area) Objectives:
The activity may be included in a social studies unit on agriculture and industry or economics.

Resources :
Electronic periodical database such as Magazine Index
Periodical Collection
Sample Articles Using Magazine Index
Abramson, Pamela. " Razing the Giant Redwoods ; A Houston
Investor Takes on a National Treasure." Newsweek 110 (July 6, 1987), pp. 38.
Doherty, Shawn. "Oregon's Not-So-Sweet Home; Loggers May Be the Region's Endangered Species." Newsweek 114 (December 1989), pp. 55.
Ervin, Keith. " The Shrinking Province of the Primeval ." Sierra 72 (July-August 1987), pp. 38+
Knize, Perri. " Chainsaw Environmentalism ." Backpacker 15 (November 1987), pp. 54+ "The Pressure Is on to Cut More Timber on Public Woodlands."
National Wildlife 26 (February-March 1988), pp. 44.
Steinhart, Peter. " Respecting the Law ." Audubon 89 (November 1987), pp. 10+

Instructional Roles:
The classroom teacher and library media specialist may complete this activity with students cooperatively. The classroom teacher may introduce and complete the activity while the library media specialist explains how to use the database and how to find article in the library media center collection.  The activity may take four session.

Activity and Procedures for Completion:
The classroom teacher may explain that issues often have more than one point of view. The students will have an opportunity to investigate points of view concerning a current issue. They will research the use of forests in the United States and around the world. In the process, they will consider different viewpoints and take different roles related to the issues that they identify. The points of view will be expressed during a modified debate or discussion. The library media specialist may introduce students to indexes for current periodicals. If possible, this introduction will include the use of an electronic database. The example used here is Magazine Index. The library media specialist may show students the basic procedures for entering the computer database and discuss the materials that they will find. A sample entry may be reviewed so that the students will know how to find the periodical later. For this role playing debate, the students must use current periodicals. Students should read at least four articles which may be used to help them form an opinion.

To use the database, the library media specialist will want to concentrate on descriptors for searching. In this case, the library media specialist may explain that the students will want to begin with a subject as closely related to the issue as possible.

Sample main subject terms
Lumbering
Lumber Trade
Loggers
Clear cutting
Logging

There will be a number of entries so the students will need to be shown how to narrow the subject. Certain terms may further define the subject.

Sample subordinate subject terms
-employment
-environmental policy
-environmental aspects
-investigations

The library media specialist may show students which keys to press to seethe citations. Students may select the citations of interest and print the citations. The citations should lead the students to the area where periodicals are kept in the library media center. For those collections including microfiche holdings or access to interlibrary loan, the library media specialist will want to review procedures for use.

After reading at least four articles, each student must decide what kind of an opinion the person whose role he or she have taken would have. The following roles may be considered.

Groups of four or five students, each taking a role given a place, town and situation
 
role 1 logger
role 2 environmentalist
role 3 store owner in a town where logging is the main business
role 4 forest ranger
role 5 paper or furniture company owner

Situation: A large company has gained the rights to forest lands. They want to use clear cutting methods.

The students may prepare their opinions about what they would feel in a given role. On the day of the debate, (videotaped) the students may be in a panel. Each may tell his or her side of the story in five minute intervals.

Evaluation :
The student will collect information about an issue using an electronic periodical database.

Follow-Up :
The student may:

 
• Change role or point of view.
• Identify related issues to the problems of deforestation.
• Collect information about the problem in two different parts of the world and identify the similarities and differences in the situations.