What the forest peoples know

Science · Rainforests · ages 7-9

Name ______________________ Date ____________

Indigenous rainforest peoples have learned about plants and animals over thousands of years.
Circle one: True False
Which of these is an example of indigenous ecological knowledge?
- Knowing which plant can cure a fever
- Knowing the rules of chess
- Knowing how to use a calculator
What is shifting cultivation?
- Clearing the whole forest at once
- Farming a small patch, then moving on so the forest can regrow
- Never farming in the rainforest at all
A family in the rainforest treats a cough using a leaf passed down from their grandparents. What is this an example of?
- Indigenous ecological knowledge
- A brand-new scientific discovery
- A guess with no real reason behind it
Why is shifting cultivation less harmful than clearing a huge area of forest for good?
- Because it uses more machines
- Because it happens only once every hundred years
- Because the small patches get time to grow back
How can indigenous knowledge and modern science work together?
- Scientists ignore what indigenous peoples know
- Scientists test plants that indigenous experts already know are useful
- Indigenous peoples stop using their own knowledge
A scientist wants to find a new medicine from a rainforest plant. What is the best way to start?
- Talk with indigenous experts who already know the plants well
- Wait for the plant to be sold in a store
- Cut down random trees and test every leaf
Mia says shifting cultivation and clearing a forest permanently are the same thing. What is wrong with her idea?
- Shifting cultivation uses more land than permanent clearing
- Permanent clearing is actually better for the forest
- Shifting cultivation lets the forest regrow, but permanent clearing does not

Answer key

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

What the forest peoples know W1-mt_m43jiOAOCt-s1

True · That is exactly why their knowledge is so deep. It was not learned overnight.
Knowing which plant can cure a fever · Indigenous peoples have studied rainforest plants for thousands of years and often know exactly which ones treat illness.
Farming a small patch, then moving on so the forest can regrow · Shifting cultivation means moving between small patches so each one gets time to recover.
Indigenous ecological knowledge · Using plant knowledge passed down through generations is a classic example of indigenous ecological knowledge.
Because the small patches get time to grow back · Small patches are cleared and then left alone, so trees and soil have a chance to recover.
Scientists test plants that indigenous experts already know are useful · Combining indigenous knowledge with scientific testing can lead to new medicines and better forest protection.
Talk with indigenous experts who already know the plants well · Indigenous experts already hold generations of knowledge about which plants matter, which saves time and respects their expertise.
Shifting cultivation lets the forest regrow, but permanent clearing does not · The key difference is recovery time. Shifting cultivation gives the forest a chance to grow back.