deforestation

Definition: Deforestation is when a forest is cleared away, either by natural events or by people, and the trees aren't replanted.

When a large area of rainforest is cut down to create space for farms, that is an example of deforestation.

How to teach this in 30 seconds

Try this analogy: Deforestation is like clearing all the Lego buildings off a playmat to build something new, leaving the mat empty.

Ask your child: What do you think happens to the animals when their forest home is cleared away?

Common mix-up: Kids might think deforestation is just cutting down a few trees. It's actually the clearing of a huge area of forest, which changes the whole landscape.

Examples

A large forest fire that clears away most of the trees.
Clearing land to build new roads or towns where a forest once stood.

deforestation is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.

+5 more mentions across the curriculum

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The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗

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