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QUÉBEC – SECONDARY 5
Conservation of forest land:
What will the consensus be?
Lesson Overview
The lesson plan is based on the structure of strategic teaching or a learning and evaluation
situation (LES) structure recommended by the Contemporary World Program for Secondary
5 in Québec.
The lesson plan is divided into four specific stages.
1)
2)
3)
4)
Brainstorming (LES preparation phase)
Preparation of group discussion (LES implementation phase)
Presentation of group discussion (LES implementation phase)
Review of each position and general discussion of what has been learned (LES
integration phase)
Grade Level
This lesson plan is intended and designed for students from Grade 9 to Grade 12 (especially
Secondary 5, i.e. 3rd year of Secondary Cycle 2 in Québec).
Time required
The lesson lasts about 150 minutes, or two 75-minute classes. The first class is devoted to
preparation and implementation of the learning and evaluation situation. The second covers
implementation and integration of the LES.
Curriculum Connection (course and Province/Territory)
“Contemporary World” Program for Secondary Cycle 2, Québec.
Broad Area of Learning: Environmental Awareness and Consumer Rights and
Responsibilities
Theme: Environment
Central concept: Sustainable Development
Specific concepts: Interdependency, Regulation, Consumption.
Additional Resources, Materials and Equipment Required



“Contemporary World” manual approved by the Ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et
du Sport, according to publisher.
Contract (attached)
Computer connected to the Internet for research.
Websites:
Website of the Récit Univers social for the “Contemporary World” program
http://mondecontemporain.recitus.qc.ca/
Canadian Atlas Online Future of Forestry theme
www.canadiangeographic.ca/atlas
Boreal Forest on the Canadian Atlas website
http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/
Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement Map:
www.canadianborealforestagreement.com/index.php/en/the-canadian-borealagreement/
THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE
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QUÉBEC – SECONDARY 5
Main Objective
 Enable the student to determine how exploiting forest land, particularly boreal forest,
affects the development of Canadian and Québec territory.
 Enable the student to determine the choices the various stakeholders (including citizens,
forestry companies, the Government) have to make, to ensure the future is both
environmentally and economically viable.
 Enable the student to identify what geographical impacts boreal forest exploitation has
upon Québec territory.
 Enable the student to take all stakeholders into consideration when an issue lies at the
heart of major decisions.
Learning Outcomes
As a result of this lesson, the student will be able to:
 Understand the position of the various stakeholders with regards to the exploitation and
conservation of forest land;
 List the different criteria defining what determines forest land conservation;
 Preview the choices to be made by stakeholders who wish to ensure the economic
development of a territory while also ensuring environmental equilibrium;
 Position themselves as a student-stakeholder in relation to forest land and issues
surrounding its exploitation and protection.
THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE
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QUÉBEC – SECONDARY 5
The Lesson
Teacher Activity
Introduction
Ask students what comes to their mind when we
mention forest land.
List the topics from this brainstorming on the
board.
Ask: “What criteria are associated with the
protection of forest land?”
Then ask them to identify among everything
listed on the board, what affects Québec?
Present the following simulation exercise:
“A forestry company wants to equip some land to
exploit its natural resources. The government
has to accept or refuse the offer. However, an
organization working for conservation of the
boreal forest disagrees with this purchase. Will
they be able to come to an agreement?”
The students are separated into teams of 3 (a
government representative, a company and an
organization).
Suggested forestry companies operating in
Québec:
 AbitibiBowater Inc.
 Canfor Corporation
 Canfor Pulp Limited Partnership
 Cascades Inc.
 F.F. Soucy Inc.
 Kruger Inc.
 Papier Masson Ltée
 Fibrek
 Tembec
 White Birch Paper Company
Suggested conservation organizations:
 Pew Environment Group International
Boreal Conservation Campaign)
 Canopy
 David Suzuki Foundation
 Ivey Foundation
 ForestEthics
 Greenpeace
 Canadian Boreal Initiative
 The Nature Conservancy
 Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society
Then give each team the “Canadian Boreal Forest
Agreement” map (see resources).
Student Activity
List the brainstorming topics
on the board.
The teacher decides how much
time students are allowed for
finding a solution to this
problem and preparing their
presentation:
“A forestry company wants to
buy further land to exploit its
natural resources. The
government has to accept or
refuse the offer. However, an
organization working for
conservation of the boreal
forest disagrees with this
purchase. Will they be able to
come to an agreement?”
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Lesson
Development
QUÉBEC – SECONDARY 5
Based on students’ responses, the teacher
explains the task. Depending on the role they
have been assigned, they have to position
themselves in terms of the criteria they have
chosen to exploit.
At the end of the task, the students must
complete the contract (attached).
Conclusion
During the teamwork,
students mobilize all the
available resources in order to
identify jointly the issues
relating to the criteria
selected.
At the end of the task,
students fill out the contract
(attached).
Each team should present their agreement in an
informal manner.
Each team presents their
agreement informally.
The teacher goes over what has been decided in
the different agreements and what was written
on the board at the beginning of the activity.
Students record all results and
positions mentioned during the
presentations in their
notebooks or logbooks.
The contract must be filled out by the students
and handed in at the end of the task. One
student per team presents the contract to the
other students in the class.
Lesson Extension

Each team can give an oral presentation. This task may involve preparing the form of
a computer-assisted (PowerPoint type) presentation so that the presentations are
supported with visual elements.

This activity may also be integrated with a language teaching approach: use
resources of mother-tongue and second-language teachers to evaluate the oral
presentations.
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QUÉBEC – SECONDARY 5
Evaluation
Evaluation Scale for the Contemporary World Program
Competency 1: Interprets a
contemporary world problem
Description
Advanced (5)
Gives a detailed explanation of the problem of forest
land conservation, linking it to various social aspects.
Thorough (4)
Identifies trends. Correctly explains the problem of
forest land conservation.
Acceptable (3)
Partial (2)
Minimal (1)
Determines the causes and consequences of the
problem of forest land conservation
Interrelates the information collected, without
explaining the problem.
Skims the documentation and collects information
relating to the problem, without explaining the
problem.
Evaluation Scale for the Contemporary World Program
Competency 2: Takes a position
on a contemporary world issue
Description
Advanced (5)
Uses arguments wisely to defend their opinion about
forest land conservation.
Thorough (4)
Identifies the advantages and disadvantages of the
various avenues of resolution proposed by the
stakeholders. Expresses an opinion about forest land
conservation.
Acceptable (3)
Identifies interests and values underlying the points
of view of stakeholders. Establishes convergences
and divergences between stakeholders’ points of
view.
Partial (2)
Examines documentation and identifies avenues of
resolution proposed by stakeholders, expressing an
opinion and sometimes justifying it.
Minimal (1)
Skims the documents, identifying the points of view
of stakeholders concerned by the issue of climate
change, without justifying them.
THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE
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QUÉBEC – SECONDARY 5
Further Reading

Canadian Geographic/FPAC Boreal Forest poster map

Canadian Geographic/FPAC Boreal Forest interactive map
www.canadiangeographic.ca/boreal

Forest Products Association of Canada
http://www.fpac.ca/
Ministry of Natural Resources and Wildlife
www.mrnf.gouv.qc.ca/english/home.jsp
Links to Canadian National Standards for Geography
Essential element #2: Places and Regions

Regional analysis of geographic issues and questions
Essential element #5: Environment and Society

Environmental issues (e.g. global warming, loss of biodiversity, deforestation, ozone
depletion, air pollution, water pollution, acid precipitation, disposal of solid waste)
Geographic Skill #2: Acquiring geographic information

Systematically locate and gather geographic information from a variety of
primary and secondary sources.
THE CANADIAN ATLAS ONLINE
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QUÉBEC – SECONDARY 5
CONTRACT
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE FOLLOWING PARTIES
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WHAT EACH PARTY UNDERTAKES TO RESPECT
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SIGNATURES:
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