Year 8 It’s a Jungle Out There Problem Solving Exercise

This assessment is in 3 parts.
Part 1 – Self Assessment – Investigating Madagascar and the rainforest ecosystem.
Part 2 – Peer Assessment – Investigating strategies to manage the rainforest ecosystem in Madagascar.
Part 3 – Teacher Assessment – Your decision as to the best way to manage the ecosystem of Madagascar.

For this assessment, you will need the information sheet provided to you by your teacher.

Part 1 – Self Assessment – Investigating the rainforest ecosystem in Madagascar

aDescribe the location of Madagascar.[3 marks]

bDescribe and explain three pieces of evidence that suggests Madagascar is a poor country. [6 marks]

cWhy is Madagascar’s rainforest one of the most vulnerable in the world?

[3 marks]

Part 2 – Peer Assessment – Investigating strategies to manage the rainforest ecosystem in Madagascar

The largest area of Rainforest in Madagascar is along the North East Coast. Some areas of forest are protected from deforestation with National Park Status but there are still huge areas of forest available for companies who want to make money very quickly.
An area of rainforest (10km x 10km) is currently being fought over by 3 groups of people. Each group has a plan to use the area of rainforest in a different way.

Option 1: Lemur International – A Fair Trade, Organic Vanilla Farm

1Give two reasons why Vanilla is important to the Madagascan economy.[2 marks]

2What does the Lemur Organic Vanilla Company want to do with the land?

[2 marks]

3Describe one benefit of the group using the area of forest in Madagascar.

[2 marks]

4Describe one problem created if the Vanilla company were to use the forest.

[2 marks]

Option 2: The Rosewood Logging Company – a commercial logging company

5Why can rosewood logs now be exported from Madagascar?[1 marks]

6Describean advantage for local people and an advantage for the country of Madagascar if this group were to use the area of rainforest. [4 marks]

Option 3: Conservation International – A scientific reserve

7What does Conservation International want to do with the area of rainforest?

[2 marks]

8How will indigenous tribes be affected by this decision?[2 marks]

9How will people in other countries be affected by Conservation International’s plans for the forest? [2 marks]

Part 3 – Teacher Assessment – Your decision as to the best way to manage the ecosystem of Madagascar.

Your task is to write a letter to the government of Madagascar explaining to them which group should manage the area of rainforest in the future. You may use ideas from this task and your own notes from the It’s a Jungle Out There topic. Use the following structure to help you.

Dear Government Minister,

  • My plan for the future management of the area of rainforest is … who will use the forest for …
  • The advantages of this plan would be …
  • I have considered sustainability because …
  • My plan would be better than the two alternatives because …

Yours Faithfully …

Excellence / Knowledge / I have described in detail features of the three user groups in Madagascar.
Understanding / I have explained in detail using physical and human processes how my chosen user of the rainforest will result in a changeof the characteristics of the rainforest.
I have categorised most of my ideas into social, economic and environmental groups.
I have begun to explain the concept of sustainability using a few contexts.
Application of your knowledge and understanding / I have described the strengths and weaknesses of the user groups and made some connections between the groups.
I have begun to recognise that factors influence decision and outcomes.
I have made my judgements by applying geographical knowledge and understanding from the Rainforests topic.
Geographical Skills / I have used geographical terms within all my work.
I have analysedthe data available to draw a conclusion with some evaluation.
My SPaG is excellent.
Secure / Knowledge / I have describedwith some accurate detail features of the three user groups in Madagascar.
Understanding / I have begun to explainhow my chosen user of the rainforest will result in a changeof the characteristics of the rainforest.
I have tried to categorise most of my ideas with some links to social, economic and environmental groups.
I have tried to explain the concept of sustainability using a few contexts.
Application of your knowledge and understanding / I have described the strengths and weaknesses of the user groups with few connections between the groups.
I have made my judgements by applying some geographical knowledge and some understanding from the Rainforests topic.
Geographical Skills / I have defined and begun to use geographical terms within all my work.
I have analysedthe data available to draw a conclusion with some evaluation.
My SPaG is excellent.
Developing / Knowledge / I have identified with some accurate detail the features of the three user groups in Madagascar.
Understanding / I have begun to give reasons for the how my chosen user of the rainforest will result in a changeof the characteristics of the rainforest.
I have tried to explain the concept of sustainability.
Application of your knowledge and understanding / I have described some of the strengths and weaknesses of the user groups.
I have made my judgements by applying some geographical knowledge but there is little explanation.
Geographical Skills / I have begun to use geographical terms within all my work.
I have tried to draw a conclusion.
My SPaG is good.
Foundation / Knowledge / I have Identified the three user groups in Madagascar..
Understanding / I have begun to give simple reasons for how the chosen user of the rainforest with result in changing the characteristics of the rainforest.
Application of your knowledge and understanding / I have described few strengths and weaknesses of the user groups.
I have made my judgement. There is little geographical knowledge and explanation.
Geographical Skills / My SPaG shows some mistakes and I haven’t used many keywords.