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This activity guides users through a series of steps for measuring land use change in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil in three different years. Using Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images students calculate how much of the area is forested and how much is deforested in each year by processing and measuring the images using ImageJ, a public-domain image analysis program. The final product of this chapter is an image showing, in color, the oldest to most recently deforested areas.

Learn more about Teaching Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness»

Grade Level

9-14

Climate Literacy

This Activity builds on the following concepts of Climate Literacy.

Click a topic below for supporting information, teaching ideas, and sample activities.

Notes From Our Reviewers The CLEAN collection is hand-picked and rigorously reviewed for scientific accuracy and classroom effectiveness. Read what our review team had to say about this resource below or learn more about how CLEAN reviews teaching materials
Teaching Tips | Science | Pedagogy | Technical Details

Teaching Tips

  • Takes 2-3 class periods or more, if you need to teach the software too.
  • Requires computers with internet access.

About the Content

  • Uses real imagery to measure deforestation.
  • Provides helpful background material about the importance of the rainforests.
  • Guides students through the process of quantitative image analysis.

About the Pedagogy

  • Guides students through the process step-by-step.
  • Contains links to all images needed.
  • Contains link to free image analysis software, ImageJ, as well as instructions for use. Requires software download to view images.
  • Process skills activity for analyzing data on deforestation.
  • Comments from expert scientist: Quite an interesting lesson, looks to be well planned out and a solid way to introduce students to the use of satellites in monitoring forest degradation (although might be conceptually above some students at the targeted age range). Lots of information related to deforestation and carbon storage.

Technical Details/Ease of Use

  • Instructors will want to download the program ahead of time and run through all the steps prior to offering this activity in the classroom.
Entered the Collection: April 2017 | Last Reviewed: January 2025

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