Vitenparken

Students are given 6-10 questions, intended to test their own opinions/point of view, for example:

Who has the most right to use the forest?

Sheep(-farmers)………………………………………………………………………. Wolf

The answers are recorded as the distribution of the students along a gradient from 1-5. The gradient is physically laid out in a line on the floor by the teacher in the form of numbered discs that are included in their own equipment box. In this way, the student must physically move and line up where they feel their opinion fits.

Suggested questions:

1. I like animals (Agree…….. Disagree)
2. Who has the most right to use nature? (Sheep farmers………… Wolves)
3. There are too many wolves in Norway (Strongly Agree…………………..Strongly Disagree)
4. There are too many sheep grazing in the forest (Strongly Agree…………………..Strongly Disagree)
5. I feel unsafe/think it's scary to be in the forest (because I'm afraid of predators) (Agree ……….Disagree) (Very unsafe ………._Completely safe)
6. Predators must eat other animals to survive, but which animal should predators prefer to live on? (Moose ……………Sheep)
7. We have more than enough forest in Norway (We have a lot of forest in Norway ……… The forest is almost gone)
8. It is important to keep all the animals in the forest (Strongly Agree_……………….. Strongly Disagree)
9. Dogs never kill sheep or deer (Totally agree…….Totally disagree)
10. Are there lynx in Østmarka? (Yes, many…….No, none
11. Most predators prefer (To be close to humans………to stay away from humans)
12. I am afraid that my dog/cat will be taken by predators (Strongly agree……Strongly disagree)
13. The wolf howls … _(Always towards the moon………Never towards the moon)
14. The lynx is too small to catch sheep (Totally agree……….Strongly disagree)
15. What should we do to prevent grazing animals such as sheep from being killed by predators? (Shed the sheep………Shoot the predators)

After the students have responded by standing where they feel their opinion lies along the gradient, the teacher takes on the role of moderator and asks the students why they have chosen the position they have chosen. This is done for each question. The moderator should only listen to the answer and it is not open to the other students to comment on each other's opinions. When the students have given their answers and the teacher has listened, the children step back from the gradient and get ready for the next statement.

This is an exercise in taking one's own stand based on the prior knowledge the students already have without being influenced by those around them, as well as an exercise in reflecting and listening to the opinions of others without necessarily having to comment.

This exercise can be a bit confusing for younger children at first. It may therefore be a good idea to conduct a few practice rounds of fun questions before presenting the statements. Examples of this could be; Pizza or hamburger? Which animal is better, a cat or a dog? Frozen is the best movie in the world (Strongly agree-Strongly disagree)

This exercise is repeated in the follow-up work. In this way, we can compare the results from the pre- and post-work and see if opinions have changed with increased knowledge. It is therefore important that you as a teacher keep the results from the first round for comparison in the follow-up work. This can

namely, used as a way in to talk about the need for knowledge in the social debate, as well as a conversation about the value of knowledge in bringing myths and legends to light in the predator debate.