Rainforests

1
Rainforests

• Karen Bova,
• Dana Falls,
• and
• Amber Spaulding
• ED 417-01
• Instructor Dr. Helms

2
Rainforests

• Grade Level-Third
• Unit-Geography
• Lesson-Rainforests

3
Objectives

• The third grade students will be able to do the
  following
• 1. Identify the key components and
  characteristics of the rainforest.
• 2. Construct a classroom replica of the
  different layers in the rainforest.
• 3. Compare and contrast the positive and
  negative effects humans have on the rainforest.
• 4. Create and observe their own living
  rainforest.
• 5. Discuss and debate, through a mock trial, the
  key issues involving the rainforest.

4
Materials Needed

• Student computers with internet access
• PowerPoint accessibility and PowerPoint projector
• Television set and VCR
• Movie-Fern Gully The Last Rainforest
• Writing paper
• Pens and pencils
• Markers, crayons, and colored pencils
• Paint
• CD player
• CD with rainforest sounds
• Colored butcher paper and crepe paper (ex. brown
  and green)
• Chart paper
• Construction paper

• Blue cellophane
• Masking tape
• Scissors
• Stapler and staples
• Small sponge
• Wire or clothesline
• Pictures of different native rainforest animals
  and plants
• Mason jars with lids
• Potting soil and gravel
• Large spoons
• Small plants (ex. mosses, ferns, and house
  plants of various heights.
• Water
• Nametags (see activity number five for details)

5
Web Sites

• Toucan Sam the Rainforest http//www.toucansa
  m.kelloggs.ca/
• The Bronx Zoo-Rainforest http//www.congogorill
  aforest.com/
• Learning About Rainforests http//www.srl.caltech
  .edu/personnell/krubal/rainforest
• Rainforest-Alliance http//www.rainforest-all
  iance.org/kidsteachers/kids/activities
• Science In The Rainforest http//www.pbs.org/tal
  /costa_rica/layers.html
• Corbis.com http//www.corbis.com

6
Student Activity 1

• Field Report-After viewing the PowerPoint
  presentation, students will take an imaginary
  journey through the rainforest.
• Procedure-
• Turn off lights and begin playing rainforest CD
  of jungle sounds. Have students close their eyes
  and begin to imagine hiking through the
  rainforest. Ask students, How do you imagine
  the rainforest looks, feels, sounds, and smells?
  What animals and plants live there? Why are
  rainforest endangered?
• Have students record their thoughts on writing
  paper, creating a field report of their visit to
  the rainforest.
• Have students share and discuss their thoughts
  and ideas on the rainforest.
• Post field reports in the hallway for display of
  student work.

7
Student Activity 2

• Classroom Rainforest Replica- Students will
  construct, with available materials, the
  different layers, animals, and plants of the
  rainforest.
• Procedure-
• Cover the left and right side of the classroom
  with blue butcher paper.
• On the left and right side of the classroom
  staple/tape lengths of brown butcher paper to
  represent trees. Tear tree branches from another
  piece of brown butcher paper and staple/tape them
  to the top of the trees.
• Cut vines of various lengths of spiral shapes
  from green butcher paper. Wrap some vines around
  tree trunks allow others to dangle down freely.
• Cut leaves from green paper. Using pictures of
  rainforest vegetation as a guide, cut long, thin,
  pointy leaves for the Upper Canopy, large, broad
  leaves for the Lower Canopy, and smaller leaves
  for the Emergent Layer. Staple/tape to the
  trees.
• At the right side of the room, place labels
  indicating the four layers of the rain forest
  The Forest Floor 0-30 feet The Understory 30-60
  feet The Canopy 60-90 feet The Emergent Layer
  90-120 feet.

8
Student Activity 2 contd.

• Procedure contd.-
• Have students, using provided materials, create
  animals for each level of the rainforest and
  write facts that pertain to each animal on the
  display.
• Using sponge and the following colored paint
  create white-for clouds above Emergent Layer,
  green-for moss on tree trunks at Understory and
  Canopy Layers, yellow-for sunlight at Emergent
  and Canopy Layers, and dark brown-for forest
  floor.
• Scrunch and tape the length of cellophane along
  the floor of the forest to simulate a rainforest
  river.
• Secure two or three lengths of wire across the
  ceiling in parallel lines approximately three
  feet apart.
• Cut leaves from green paper. Using pictures of
  rainforest vegetation as a guide, cut smaller
  leaves for the Emergent Layer. Staple/tape to
  the trees.
• Cut vines of various lengths from the crepe paper
  to wrap around the ceiling wire allow some to
  dangle down.

9
Student Activity 3

• Compare and Contrast- Students will be exposed to
  technology, found in the classroom, by playing an
  internet board game on the Bronx Zoo-Rainforest
  web site. As a class, also have students view
  the film Fern Gully The Last Rainforest. After
  playing the game and viewing the film they will
  then compare and contrast the effects humans have
  on the rainforest.
• Procedure-
• Have students play Bronx Zoo-Rainforest board
  game on the web site http//www.congogorillaforest
  .com/
• Have students, as a class, view the film Fern
  Gully The Last Rainforest.
• As a class, compare and contrast the effects
  humans have on the rainforest. Record student
  responses on chart paper and post in the
  classroom.

10
Student Activity 4

• Rainforest In A Jar- The students will make a
  miniature living rainforest in a jar.
• Procedure-
• Have each student put a layer of gravel in the
  bottom of their jar.
• Then add several inches of soil.
• Each student will get three plants. The student
  will need to plant the smallest plant first, then
  the next biggest one and so on. Tell the
  students to push their finger dome into the soil
  to make a hole and then place the plant inside
  it. The hole and roots should be filled in with
  dirt.
• Have the students water their plants lightly and
  then put the lid on the jar tightly and do not
  remove.
• Have the students keep journals on there plant
  growth and other happenings that they see inside
  their jar. NOTE Make sure that the students
  pick up on the moisture that gathers around the
  inside of the jar. This is where a lesson on
  plant transpiration can be taught. This explains
  the plentiful plant life of the rain forest and
  how it generates.