2010-11 National Schools Essay Competition and Debate

How on Earth Can We Save the Rainforests?

In celebration of the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity and the 2011 International Year of Forests, The Living Rainforest is pleased to announce a National Schools Essay Competition and Debate on the topic, ‘How on Earth Can We Save the Rainforests?’

The competition and debate are aimed at primary and secondary schools (Key Stages 2, 3 and 4). The winning essays and school teams will be invited to participate in a National Schools Debate at The Living Rainforest on 16-17 March 2011, featuring a distinguished panel of judges and participants.

Schools and teachers are invited to sign up here to receive further announcements as the events draw nearer.

DOWNLOAD THE POSTER! (A5, pdf, 5.28MB)

Essay Competition

Students are invited to write an essay on the topic ‘How on Earth can we save the rainforests?’ A distinguished panel of judges, drawn from experts and educationalists in the field, will select three winning entries for each Key Stage (2,3 and 4). The submission deadline is 15^th January 2011. The winning entries will be announced at the National Schools Debate on 16-17 March 2011 and published on the competition website. Essays will be judged for innovative and creative thinking and the potential to contribute to a broad-ranging and constructive debate. The maximum essay length will vary by Key Stage (KS) as follows:  KS2, max. 400 words;  KS3, max. 600 words, and  KS4, max. 750 words. For each Key Stage, schools will be invited to submit up to 30 essays online via this web page (a web form will be available soon). Based on the essays submitted, fifteen winning primary schools and fifteen winning secondary schools will be invited to participate in the Schools Debate in March 2011. 

Schools Debate

In order to participate in the National Schools Debate at The Living Rainforest on 16-17 March 2011, schools will be asked to nominate a team of two student essay writers, plus one teacher champion, for each Key Stage (KS). The debates for primary and secondary schools will occur on different days (primary schools - 16 March 2011; secondary schools – 17 March 2011). Primary school teams will consist of two KS2 student essay writers, assisted by one teacher champion. Secondary school teams will consist of two KS3 student essay writers (plus a teacher champion) and two KS4 student essay writers (plus a teacher champion).

Resources for Schools

To assist schools and students to prepare for the competition and debate, a range of resources will be made available on the competition website in the months leading up to the events.

Research

The essay competition and debate will form the basis of a special research study by the School of Geography at the Oxford University Centre for the Environment (OUCE), led by Dr. Paul Jepson. All essay submissions (except for those preferring to opt out) will be sent a follow-up questionnaire, aimed at better understanding how teachers and pupils build knowledge about rainforests and conservation.

Please sign up here to receive future announcements!

The above events are being organised by The Living Rainforest in association with the Oxford Centre for Tropical Forests and the Oxford International Education Bureau.