ESL Questions Forests
Forests
From the Amazon to local woods, these questions explore our link to trees. Students discuss the environment, the life of a forest, and the tension between logging and conservation.
Beginner
Is the forest green?
Do you see a tree?
Is the air fresh?
Do you walk in the woods?
Is the sun bright?
Do you see a bird?
Is the dirt brown?
Do you like the shade?
Is a forest quiet?
Do you see a bug?
Is the tree tall?
Do you hear the wind?
Is the leaf soft?
Do you pick fruit?
Is the forest big?
Do you see a squirrel?
Is the wood hard?
Do you like rain?
Is the path long?
Do you see a flower?
Is the sky blue?
Do you wear boots?
Is a branch long?
Do you see a deer?
Is it dark at night?
Intermediate
What would you do if you got lost in a very large forest for a night?
How do you feel when you spend a whole day away from the city?
Is it better to have a park or a wild forest near your home?
How do you think trees 'talk' or help each other in a group?
Why are so many forests being cut down to make room for cows?
Have you ever spent the night camping in a forest with friends?
Do you think that 'forest bathing' is a good way to reduce your stress?
How do you stay safe when there is a risk of a forest fire?
Is it important to keep old forests exactly as they are right now?
What kind of animals live in the forests of your home country?
How do you feel when you see a forest that has been burned down?
Should we plant more trees in the middle of our biggest cities?
Why is the air so much cleaner inside a forest than on a street?
Is it difficult to find your way without a phone or a GPS?
What is the most beautiful forest you have ever visited in person?
How does the forest change when the seasons move from summer to winter?
Should we pay more for paper if it helps to protect the trees?
Why do so many stories and fairy tales take place in the woods?
How do you feel about 'hunting' animals in the forest for sport?
Is it possible for a forest to grow back once it has been destroyed?
What is the most useful thing we get from trees: wood, fruit, or air?
How do you handle a situation where you see trash in the woods?
Should we build more houses in the forest to solve the housing crisis?
What is a 'rainforest' and why is it so important for the world?
Why do some trees live for thousands of years while others die quickly?
Advanced
Is the destruction of the Amazon rainforest an 'international' crime?
How do 'mycorrhizal networks' (fungi) act as the internet of the forest?
Should we prioritize 'reforestation' (planting new) or 'proforestation' (saving old)?
Is it ethical to use 'monoculture' plantations and call them a forest?
How does the loss of forests contribute to the rise of new diseases in humans?
Should we grant 'legal personhood' to ancient forests to protect them?
How does 'slash and burn' agriculture affect the soil over several decades?
What is the impact of 'ecotourism' on the animals that live deep in the woods?
Is 'selective logging' a sustainable way to get wood or just a myth?
How do 'invasive species' change the balance of a local forest ecosystem?
Should we use technology to 'seed' clouds to prevent forest fires?
How does 'urban sprawl' lead to the fragmentation of wildlife habitats?
Is the 'carbon credit' system a real solution or just a way for companies to keep polluting?
How do different cultures view the 'spirituality' of trees and forests?
Should we allow 'indigenous' groups to manage the forests they live in?
How does the 'albedo effect' of forests change the temperature of the planet?
Is it possible to have a modern civilization without destroying our forests?
How do 'prescribed burns' help to prevent larger, more dangerous fires?
What is the significance of 'old-growth' forests for global biodiversity?
Should we use genetic engineering to help trees survive in a warmer climate?
How do 'mangrove forests' protect coastal cities from storms and floods?
Is 'deforestation' the primary driver of the current mass extinction event?
How does the 'wood-wide web' change the way we think about plant intelligence?
Should we tax products that come from deforested areas very highly?
What will the 'forests' of the future look like in a world with ten billion people?