New
New
Climate change and the forests
I can explain how deforestation contributes to climate change and how climate change impacts forests.
Lesson 9 of 12
New
New
- Year 7
Climate change and the forests
I can explain how deforestation contributes to climate change and how climate change impacts forests.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Global temperatures are increasing because of climate change.
- Forests remove carbon dioxide from Earth's atmosphere and replace it with oxygen.
- Deforestation is a major contributor to climate change.
- Climate change can cause changes to species in a forest; the spread of pests and diseases and more and worse wildfires.
Keywords
Greenhouse gases - gases in Earth’s atmosphere that trap heat
Carbon dioxide - one of the greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere that traps heat
Solar radiation - energy radiated from the sun via electromagnetic waves
Deforestation - the complete removal of trees
Decompose - to break down a substance into smaller parts
Common misconception
The greenhouse effect has a negative impact.
The greenhouse effect is a natural process that is essential for life on Earth. Without it, our planet would be too cold to sustain most life forms.
A homework task linked to this topic could involve students calculating their own carbon footprint using an online calculator.
Teacher tip
Equipment
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is climate change?
What is climate change?
The change in seasons from winter to summer
A sudden change in the temperature on one day
Q2.What is a greenhouse gas?
What is a greenhouse gas?
Gases that attract solar radiation
Gas that is stored in a greenhouse
Q3.What does deciduous mean?
What does deciduous mean?
A plant that keeps its leaves in winter
A way for plants to attract pollinators
Q4.Humans contribute to climate change by ...
Humans contribute to climate change by ...
planting trees
noise pollution
Q5.What is the name of the process by which plants transform carbon dioxide and water into glucose?
What is the name of the process by which plants transform carbon dioxide and water into glucose?
evaporation
biome
Q6.What is deforestation?
What is deforestation?
When trees are planted
The increase in global temperatures
Assessment exit quiz
4 Questions
Q1. gases are the name given to the gasses in Earth's atmosphere that trap heat.
gases are the name given to the gasses in Earth's atmosphere that trap heat.
Q2.Match the key terms.
Match the key terms.
Q3.What human activities emit carbon dioxide?
What human activities emit carbon dioxide?
walking to school
planting trees
Q4.How does climate change affect forests?
How does climate change affect forests?
more coastal erosion
overpopulation
