Why Rainforests Are Being Cut Down

Science · Rainforests · ages 9-11

Name ______________________ Date ____________

About how many hectares of forest are lost around the world every year?
- 10 thousand
- 10 million
- 10 billion
Which of these is a major cause of rainforest deforestation?
- Cattle ranching
- Volcanic eruptions
- Ocean storms
Logging for timber is one of the causes of rainforest deforestation.
Circle one: True False
Palm oil and soy are grown on cleared rainforest land mostly for what reason?
- To use in food and other products sold around the world
- To feed the animals that already live in the rainforest
- To rebuild the rainforest faster
Look at the chart. Which cause clears the most rainforest in the Amazon?
- Mining
- Logging
- Cattle ranching
Cutting down a rainforest destroys homes for millions of species. Which topic does this harm?
- Ocean currents
- Biodiversity
- Volcanic activity
If the world loses about 10 million hectares of forest each year, about how many million hectares would be lost in 5 years at that rate?
Answer: ______________
Miguel says deforestation only hurts animals, not people. What is wrong with his idea?
- Nothing is wrong, only animals are affected
- Deforestation doesn't actually hurt anyone
- Indigenous communities also lose their homes and way of life

Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

10 million · Roughly 10 million hectares of forest disappear globally each year, an area about the size of South Korea.
Cattle ranching · Raising cattle for beef is one of the biggest reasons rainforest gets cleared, especially in the Amazon.
True · Cutting trees for wood is a real cause, alongside cattle ranching, farming, and mining.
To use in food and other products sold around the world · Palm oil and soy are grown as crops and shipped worldwide for food and other products.
Cattle ranching · The tallest bar shows cattle ranching clears far more forest than mining or logging.
Biodiversity · Fewer trees mean less habitat, so biodiversity drops sharply when a rainforest is cleared.
50 · Multiply 10 million by 5 years to get 50 million hectares lost at that steady rate.
Indigenous communities also lose their homes and way of life · Indigenous communities have lived in rainforests for generations, so losing the forest means losing their homes too.