TROPICAL RAIN FOREST:

GEOGRAPHY:
HISTORY:
BIOLOGY (BOTANY & ZOOLOGY):

TEACHING MATERIALS FOR ELEMENTARY

LEVEL

Incorporating rainforest-related content into your curriculum is an

interesting way to help kids learn math, science and social studies
skills. Here are some suggestions for classroom activities:
Turn your classroom into a rainforest (have students draw and cut out
plants and animals to hang around the classroom)
Making terrariums out of plastic bottles
Have students draw their favorite rainforest animals in their natural
habitat and hang the drawings around the room
Print and distribute Rainforest Foundations word puzzles and in-class
activities
Use key words to create a quiz on rainforest terms
Have students pick their favorite rainforest animal. Have them write a
journal entry as if they were that animal living in the rainforest for a day. What
makes this animal well suited to live in the rainforest (speed, agility, claws,
teeth, beak etc.)?
Write letters to government officials or company leaders that exploit
rainforest resources, asking them to stop deforestation in the rainforest or use
sustainable natural resources.
Assign a rainforest book report
Incorporating rainforest-related content into your curriculum can also
inspire kids to take action. One of our superstar student volunteers,
Josalyn, credits her first grade unit on rainforests as the impetus for her
rainforest passion and activism. Each year Josalyns first grade teacher, Mrs.
Miller, does an integrated study with her class on rainforests. Mrs. Miller turns
her first grade classroom into a jungle, with homemade vines and

stuffed jungle animals. Each child in the class picks a rainforest animal to
research and to do a report about. Through this process the students
learn about the importance of the rainforest as well as causes of its
destruction. Through this integrated study Josalyn became passionate about
protecting the rainforest and went on to hold a series of lemonade stands over
the past 6 years to raise money for rainforest protection. So far Josalyn has
raised over $10,000 to help save the rainforest!
Rainforest Facts to Incorporate into Your Classroom Activities
Why is it called a rainforest?
Because of the high level of precipitation, or rain, these forests receive per
year. To be considered a rainforest there must be an annual precipitation of at
least 80 inches.
What kind of rainforests are there and how are they different?
There are two types of rainforests: tropical and temperate. Tropical
rainforests receive a higher average rainfall; some rainforests may receive up
to 400 inches of precipitation per year. The average rainfall, however, is 160
inches. Tropical rainforests are very common close to the equator (0 degrees
longitude). Temperate rainforests are quite rare and are mostly found near
coastal, temperate regions, further away from the equator(such as in the
Northeastern US, Northwestern US, Chile, Norway, New Zealand, etc.).
Temperate rainforest receive an average of roughly 100 inches per year and
are generally cool with seasonal fluctuations.
What is the equator?
The equator is an imaginary line that divides the earths northern and southern
hemisphere. It is located at zero degrees latitude.

.
Where are rainforests
found? Rainforests are all over the world, from North and South America, to
Africa, Europe, Asia and even Australia.Tropical rainforests are located on a
belt along the equator, almost always less than 23.5 degrees north or south of
this imaginary line. 23.5 north of the equator is a line called the Tropic of
Cancer, and the same distance south of the equator is labeled Tropic of
Capricorn.Temperate rainforestsare located between 25 and 50 degrees
latitude, mostly in coastal areas.[educators can incorporate a lesson on
longitude and latitude here, or quiz students on rainforest geography]
How old are the rainforests? Tropical rainforests began developing roughly
200 million years ago. Temperate rainforests are relatively new, evolving
roughly 40 million years ago.
http://www.kidsmaps.com/geography/South+America/Physical/Amazon+River
+Lo
What is deforestation? Deforestation is the cutting down or clearing of forest
trees. Deforestation is one of the most critical global problems in the 21st
century. Every second 1 acre of rainforest disappears.
Why is the Amazon rainforest experiencing deforestation? About 20% of
the Amazon rainforest has been deforested. Forests have been cleared for
mining, agriculture, cattle ranching, and logging (cutting down trees in order to
sell them).

Who lives in the Amazon? Between 200,000- 350,000 indigenous people

who comprise 400 indigenous groups live in, and depend on the Amazon.
Exact figures are impossible to find, since some indigenous groups remain out
of contact, remaining isolated in the rainforests for generations. Other Amazon
residents are communities of non-indigenous peoples and mixed race
communities as well.
What happened to the indigenous people of the Amazon?
Before the Europeans arrived in the New World in the 1400s, about 7-10
million indigenous people lived in American rainforests; half of them lived in
what is now Brazil. Great cities existed in the Andes, while the Amazon
supported agricultural communities.The arrival of Europeans brought about
the end of many native civilizations in Central and South America. Europeans
carried diseases that killed millions of indigenous people, and within 100 years
of the arrival of these outsiders, the population of indigenous peoples was
reduced by 90%. Most of the surviving native people lived in the inner part of
the forest, having been forcefully pushed there by the Europeans or having
lived traditionally in remote areas and therefore protected from contact with the
Europeans. Indigenous peoples in the Americas and around the globe are
now fighting for their rights to continue living in the rainforests, and using and
managing its natural resources, as they have in the past.[see original article
here:http://kids.mongabay.com/elementary/304.html

Which animals live in the Amazon?

More than half of the worlds plant and animal, and insect species live in
tropical rainforests. Animals like the Macau, Jaguar, Panther, capybara, and
Amazon River Dolphin, along with 40,000 plant species, 3,000 freshwater fish

species, and more than 370 types of reptiles all inhabit the Amazon
rainforests.
There are thousands of species of insects, plants and animals which we still
havent discovered. Many of these species are endangered due to loss of
habitat, hunting, and poaching.
http://mrsgebauer.com/rainforestweb/layers.jpg

Did you know?

An area of rainforest the size of a football field disappears every second
The trees of a tropical rainforest are so densely packed that rain falling
on the canopy can take as long as 10 minutes to reach the ground.
Only 2% of sunlight reaches the forest floor. 80% of the sunlight is
absorbed by the forest canopy.
1.2 billion people rely on rainforests for their needs and livelihoods.
At least 50 million indigenous people around the world live in and
depend on rainforests
Tropical rainforests only cover about 7% of the planets land area, and
just 2% of the earths surface, but they are home to 50% of all living things.
80% of all insects live in rainforests
Keywords
Tributaries: A tributary is a stream or river that flows into and joins a main
river. It does not flow directly into the sea. The place where the tributary and
the main river meet is called
a confluence. http://education.nationalgeographic.com/encyclopedia/tributary/
Precipitation: The liquid and solid water particles that fall from clouds and
reach the ground are known as precipitation. These particles include drizzle,
rain, snow, snow pellets, ice crystals, and
hail.http://education.nationalgeographic.com/encyclopedia/precipitation/
Temperate Rainforest: wooded areas in cool, temperate zones that receive
high amounts of
rainfall.http://kids.nceas.ucsb.edu/biomes/temperateforest.html

Tropical Rainforest: grouping of tall evergreen trees, usually close to the

Equator, which receives more than 80 inches of rain a
year. http://www.globio.org/glossopedia/article.aspx?art_id=6
Deforestation: Deforestation is the clearing or thinning of forests, the cause
of which is normally implied to be human activity. Deforestation is one of the
most significant issues in global land use in the early 21st
century.http://kids.mongabay.com/lesson_plans/lisa_algee/deforestation.html
Logging: The work of cutting down trees for
timber http://kids.mongabay.com/lesson_plans/lisa_algee/logging.html
Indigenous: native to or characteristic of a specific
place. http://kids.mongabay.com/elementary/301.html (For more Keywords,
check our Rainforest Terms
page: http://www.rainforestfoundation.org/rainforest-terms)
RAINFORESTS
kids.mongabay.com for the full version of this site

WHAT ARE RAINFORESTS?

Tropical rainforests are forests with tall trees,
warm climates, and lots of rain. In some
rainforests it rains more than one inch nearly
every day of the year!

WHY ARE RAINFORESTS BEING

DESTROYED?
Every year an area of rainforest the size of New Jersey
is cut down and destroyed. The plants and animals that
used to live in these forests either die or must find a new
forest to call their home. Why are rainforests being
destroyed?

Rainforests are found in Africa, Asia, Australia,

and Central and South America. The largest
rainforest in the world is the Amazon rainforest in Humans are the main cause of rainforest destruction.
We are cutting down rainforests for many reasons,
South America.
including:
WHERE ARE RAINFORESTS LOCATED?
wood for both timber and making fires;
Rainforests are found in the tropics, the region
between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of
Capricorn, just above and below the Equator. In
this tropic zone the sun is very strong and shines
about the same amount of time every day all
year long, keeping the climate warm and
relatively stable.
Many countries have tropical forests. The
countries with the largest areas of tropical forest
are (in order):
1. Brazil

agriculture for both small and large farms;

land for poor farmers who don't have anywhere

else to live;

grazing land for cattle;

pulp for making paper;

road construction; and

extraction of minerals and energy.

Rainforests are also threatened by climate change **,

which is contributing to droughts in parts of the Amazon
and Southeast Asia. Drought causes die-offs of trees
3. Peru
and dries out leaf litter, increasing the risk of forest fires,
which are often set by land developers, ranchers,
4. Indonesia
plantation owners, and loggers.
In 2005 and 2010 the Amazon experienced the worst
5. Colombia
droughts ever recorded. Rivers dried up, isolating
communities, and millions of acres burned. The smoke
caused widespread health problems, interfered with
Other countries that have large areas of
transportation, and blocked the formation of rain clouds,
rainforest include Bolivia, Cameroon, Central
while the burning contributed huge amounts of carbon
African Republic, Ecuador, Gabon, Guyana,
India, Laos, Malaysia, Mexico, Myanmar, Papua dioxide to the atmosphere, worsening the effects of
New Guinea, Republic of Congo, Suriname, and climate change. Meanwhile, Indonesia has experienced
several severe droughts in recent decades. The worst
Venezuela.
occurred in 1982-1983 and 1997-1998 when millions of
acres of forest burned.
WHAT MAKES A RAINFOREST?
2. Congo (Democratic Republic)

Each rainforest is unique, but there are certain

features common to all tropical rainforests.

LOGGING AND TIMBER HARVESTING IN THE

RAINFOREST

Location: rainforests lie in the tropics.

One of the leading causes of rainforest destruction is

logging. Many types of wood used for furniture, flooring,
Rainfall: rainforests receive at least 80 and construction are harvested from tropical forests in
inches (200 cm) of rain per year.
Africa, Asia, and South America. By buying certain wood
products, people in places like the United States and
Canopy: rainforests have a canopy,
Europe are directly contributing to the destruction of
which is the layer of branches and
rainforests.
leaves formed by closely spaced
rainforest trees. Most of the plants and While logging can be carried out in a manner that
animals in the rainforest live in the
reduces damage to the environment, most logging in the
canopy. The canopy may be 100 feet (30 rainforest is very destructive. Large trees are cut down
m) above the ground.
and dragged through the forest, while access roads
open up remote forest areas to agriculture by poor
Biodiversity: rainforests have a high
farmers. In Africa logging workers often rely on
level of biological diversity or
"bushmeat" for protein. They hunt wildlife like gorillas,
"biodiversity". Biodiversity is the name deer, and chimpanzees for food.
for all living thingslike plants, animals,
and fungifound in an ecosystem.
Research has found that the number of species found in
Scientists believe that about half of the
plants and animals found on Earth's land logged rainforest is much lower than the number found
in untouched or "primary" rainforest. Many rainforest
surface live in rainforests.
animals cannot survive in the changed environment.

Symbiotic relationships between

species: species in the rainforest often Local people often rely on harvesting wood from
rainforests for firewood and building materials. In the
work together. In a symbiotic
relationship, two different species benefit past such practices were not particularly damaging to
by helping each otheryou can think of the ecosystem because there were relatively few
it as a partnership. For example, some people. Today, however, in areas with large human
plants produce small housing structures populations the sheer number of people collecting wood
and sugar for ants. In return the ants
from a rainforest can be extremely damaging. In the
protect the plants from other insects that 1990s, for example, the forests around the refugee
want to feed on the plant's leaves.
camps in Central Africa (Rwanda and Congo) were
virtually stripped of all trees in some areas.
WHAT IS THE CANOPY?
AGRICULTURE IN THE RAINFOREST
In the rainforest most plant and animal life is not
found on the forest floor, but in the leafy world
known as the canopy. The canopy, which may be Every year thousands of miles of rainforest are
over 100 feet (30 m) above the ground, is made destroyed for agricultural use. The two groups chiefly
up of the overlapping branches and leaves of
responsible for converting rainforest into farmland are
rainforest trees. Scientists estimate that 60-90 poor farmers and corporations.
percent of life in the rainforest is found in the
trees, making this the richest habitat for plant
Poor farmers in many parts of the world rely on clearing
and animal life. Many well-known animals
rainforest to feed their families. Without access to better
including monkeys, frogs, lizards, birds, snakes, agricultural lands, these people use slash-and-burn to
sloths, and small cats are found in the canopy. clear patches of forest for short-term use. Typically, they
farm the cleared land for a couple of years before the
The conditions of the canopy are very different soil is exhausted of nutrients, and they must move on to
from the conditions of the forest floor. During the clear a new patch of forest.
day, the canopy is drier and hotter than other
parts of the forest, and the plants and animals

that live there are specially adapted for life in the

trees. For example, because the amount of
leaves in the canopy can make it difficult to see
more than a few feet, many canopy animals rely
on loud calls or lyrical songs for communication.
Gaps between trees mean that some canopy
animals fly, glide, or jump to move about in the
treetops.

Agricultural companies are clearing more rainforest than

ever before, especially in the Amazon where large tracts
of rainforest are being converted into soybean farms.
Some experts believe that South America will someday
have an area of farmland that rivals that of the American
Midwest. But much of this farmland will come at the
expense of the Amazon rainforest.

In Asia, especially Malaysia and Indonesia, large areas

Scientists have long been interested in studying of rainforest are being cleared for oil palm plantations to
the canopy, but the height of trees made
produce palm oil, which is used widely in processed
research difficult until recently. Today
food, cosmetics, and soap. Today palm oil is found in
there special facilities with rope bridges, ladders, some 50 percent of packaged snack foods, a proportion
and towers to help scientists discover the
that is growing because palm oil is the cheapest type of
secrets of the canopy. The canopy is just one of vegetable oil. Unfortunately, the forests that are being
several vertical layers in the rainforest (the
destroyed for palm oil production are home to many
overstory, understory, shrub layer, and forest
endangered species, including orangutans, pygmy
floor).
elephants, Sumatran tigers, and Javan and Sumatran
rhinos.
THE RAINFOREST FLOOR
CATTLE IN THE RAINFOREST
The rainforest floor is often dark and humid due
to constant shade from the canopy's leaves.
Clearing for cattle pasture is the leading cause of
Despite its constant shade, the rainforest floor is deforestation in the Amazon, with Brazil now producing
an important part of the forest ecosystem.
more beef than ever before. Besides raising cattle for
food, many landowners use cattle to expand their land
The forest floor is where decomposition takes
holdings. By simply placing cattle on an area of forest
place. Decomposition is the process by which
land, landowners can gain ownership rights to that land.
fungi and microorganisms break down dead
plants and animals and recycle essential
Most of the beef produced by Brazil is consumed by
materials and nutrients.
Brazilians, but cattle products like leather is primarily
exported to overseas markets.
Also, many of the largest rainforest animals are
ROAD CONSTRUCTION IN THE RAINFOREST
found on the forest floor. Some of these are
elephants (in Asia), the tapir (Southeast Asia and
Central and South America), tigers (Asia), and
the jaguar (Central and South America).
Road and highway construction in the rainforest opens
up large areas to deforestation. In Brazil, the TransWHY DO RAINFORESTS HAVE SO MANY
Amazonian highway resulted in the destruction of huge
KINDS OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS?
areas of forest by colonists, loggers, and land
speculators. In Africa, logging roads give access to
poachers who hunt endangered wildlife as "bushmeat"
Tropical rainforests support the greatest diversity or meat sold to city dwellers. Some of the poached
of living organisms on Earth. Although they cover wildlifeespecially rhinos, pangolin, and tigersgoes to
less than 2 percent of Earth's surface, rainforests Asia where it is used for traditional Chinese medicine.
house more than 50 percent of the plants and
Therefore it is very important that when new roads are
animals on Earth.
built in rainforest areas, they are carefully planned to
minimize the environmental impacts. One way to reduce
Here are some examples of the richness of
deforestation from road construction is to create
rainforests:

protected areas on either side of the road.

Rainforests have 170,000 of the world's

PULP AND PAPER PRODUCTION FROM THE
250,000 known plant species.
RAINFOREST

the United States has 81 species of

frogs, while Madagascar, which is
smaller than Texas, may have 500
species.

The production of pulp for the paper industry has been

one of the biggest causes of deforestation in parts of
Indonesia over the past 20 years. Vast areas of
An area of rainforest the size of two
rainforest in Sumatra have been logged and converted
football fields (one hectare) may have
more than 400 species of trees, while an into fast-growing plantations consisting of only a single
equal area of forest in the United States species. These plantations are used to produce fiber for
wood-pulp and paper, which is turned into cardboard
may have fewer than 20.
packaging, fast-food wrappers, printer paper, and junk
Europe has 570 butterfly species, while mail. Just think about how much paper we use on a
Manu National Park, a single reserve in daily basis: paper, in one form or another, comes with
almost every product we buy. In some cases that paper
Peru, has 1,300 species.
is produced directly through the destruction of
rainforests.
Rainforests have an abundance of plants and
animals for the following reasons:

Consequently, pulp and paper production is now one of

the biggest threats to the critically endangered
Climate: because rainforests are located Sumatran tiger.
in tropical regions, they receive a lot of
sunlight. The sunlight is converted to
EXTRACTION OF MINERALS AND ENERGY FROM
energy by plants through the process of THE RAINFOREST
photosynthesis. Since there is a lot of
sunlight, there is a lot of energy in the
rainforest. This energy is stored in plant
vegetation, which is eaten by animals.
The abundance of energy supports an Gold, copper, diamonds, and other precious metals and
abundance of plant and animal species. gemstones are important resources that are found in
rainforests around the world. Extracting these natural
resources is frequently a destructive activity that
Canopy: the canopy structure of the
damages the rainforest ecosystem and causes
rainforest provides an abundance of
places for plants to grow and animals to problems for people living nearby and downstream from
live. The canopy offers sources of food, mining operations, especially from toxic runoff into river
shelter, and hiding places, providing for systems. There have been cases of mining companies-sometimes working with local police or authorities-interaction between different species.
forcibly displacing forest people from their lands in order
For example, there are plants in the
canopy called bromeliads that store
to exploit mineral riches. Examples are gold mining in
water in their leaves. Frogs and other
the Brazilian and Peruvian Amazon, rare earth mining in
animals use these pockets of water for the Congo, and gold and copper mining in Indonesia
hunting and laying their eggs.
and Papua New Guinea.

It is important to note that many species in the

rainforest, especially insects and fungi, have not
even been discovered yet by scientists. Every
year new species of mammals, birds, frogs, and
reptiles are found in rainforests.

RAINFOREST PEOPLE

Some of the world's most promising oil and gas deposits

lie deep in tropical rainforests. Unfortunately oil and gas
development often takes a heavy toll on the
environment and local people. Oil and gas development
in rainforest areas causes displacement of local people,
air and water pollution, deforestation, and construction
of roads that open previously inaccessible areas to
deforestation. High energy prices in recent years have

spurred increased exploration of rainforests for oil and

Tropical rainforests are home to tribal peoples gas. The western Amazon--including Colombia,
who rely on their surroundings for food, shelter, Ecuador, Peru, and Brazil--has seen a lot of activity.
and medicines. Today very few forest people live More than 70 percent of the Peruvian Amazon--including
in traditional ways; most have been displaced by indigenous territories and conservation areas--is now
outside settlers or have been forced to give up under concession for oil and gas.
their lifestyles by governments.
Dams are also a big threat to rainforests, particularly in
Of the remaining forest people, the Amazon
the Amazon, the Mekong (Laos and Burma or
supports the largest native, or indigenous
Myanmar), and Malaysia. Dams disrupt river systems,
populations, although these people, too, have
flood rainforest, displace forest people, and support
been impacted by the modern world. While they
activities that cause more deforestation. In Sarawak,
still depend on the forest for traditional hunting
which is part of Malaysian Borneo, more than a dozen
and gathering, most Amerindians, as American
dams are being planned. These will force thousands of
indigenous people are called, grow crops (like
forest-dependent people to move and will inundate
bananas, manioc, and rice), use western goods
important rainforest areas. The power generated by the
(like metal pots, pans, and utensils), and make
dams will be used for large-scale mining activities,
regular trips to towns and cities to bring foods
causing further destruction. Similarly, in Brazil, Belo
and wares to market. Still, these forest people
Monte dam will block the Xingu river, a tributary of the
can teach us a lot about the rainforest. Their
Amazon, flooding more than 100,000 acres of rainforest
knowledge of medicinal plants used for treating
and displacing more than 15,000 people. Electricity from
illness is unmatched, and they have a great
the project will power mining activities and industrial
understanding of the ecology of the Amazon
agriculture that will destroy yet more rainforest.
rainforest.
Indigenous people, scientists, and environmentalists
strongly oppose the project.
In Africa there are native forest dwellers
sometimes known as pygmies. The tallest of
THE ROLE OF POVERTY IN DEFORESTATION
these people, also called the Mbuti, rarely
exceed 5 feet in height. Their small size enables
them to move about the forest more efficiently
than taller people.
Poverty plays a major role in deforestation. The world's
rainforests are found in the poorest areas on the planet.
GREAT CIVILIZATIONS IN THE RAINFOREST The people who live in and around rainforests rely on
these ecosystems for their survival. They collect fruit
and wood, hunt wildlife to put meat on the table, and are
paid by companies that extract resources from forest
Today most forest dwellers live in small
lands.
settlements or practice nomadic hunting and
gathering. In the past, tropical rainforests and
Most rural poor never have the options that we in
surrounding areas supported great civilizations Western countries take for granted. These people
like the Mayas, Incas, and Aztecs that developed almost never have a choice to go to college or become
complex societies and made important
a doctor, factory worker, or secretary. They must live off
contributions to science.
the land that surrounds them and make use of whatever
resources they can find. Their poverty costs the entire
These great civilizations faced some of the same world through the loss of tropical rainforests and wildlife.
environmental problems (excessive forest loss, Without providing for these people, rainforests cannot
soil erosion, overpopulation, lack of water
be saved.
supplies) that we face today. For the Maya, the
damage they caused to the environment
However, people in the wealthier world, such as the U.S.
apparently was great enough to cause their
and Europe, also play a large role in the destruction of
downfall.
rainforests, even if the forests are very far away.
MEDICINAL PLANT KNOWLEDGE OF NATIVE

PEOPLE

POPULATION AND CONSUMPTION

One of the most exciting areas of research in

The underlying cause of most environmental problems
tropical forests is ethnobotany, which is the study is human population and over-consumption: both the
of how people use plants to treat illness and
population in the temperate region that relies on
disease. Forest people have an incredible
resources derived from tropical rainforests, and the
knowledge of medicinal plants, with remedies for expanding population of developing tropical nations,
everything from snakebites to tumors.
who exploit the rainforest for survival.
To date, many of the prescription drugs used in
the western world have been derived from
plants. Seventy percent of the plants identified
by the U.S. National Cancer Institute as having
anti-cancer characteristics are found only in
forests.
The shaman or "medicine man" of a village
typically holds knowledge of medicinal plants.
The shaman treats the sick, often during
elaborate ceremonies and rituals using plants
gathered from the surrounding forest.

While it may seem hard to believe, people in rich

countries like the United States have a disproportionate
impact on the environment through our consumption
patterns. We use far more resources than poor farmers
in tropical countries. For example, the food we buy in
grocery stores may be produced through deforestation
for soy in the Amazon or palm oil in Indonesia. The
materials and energy to build and power our mobile
phones and laptops may come from the destruction of
rainforests in the Congo and Colombia. The paper we
use for printing, packaging, hygiene products and the
books we read may be produced from the logging of
rainforests in Indonesia. Only by reducing our
environmental footprint at home can we ever hope to
save rainforests and other wilderness areas.

Shamans have incredible healing powers, but

their knowledge is rapidly disappearing as
rainforests are cut down and tribes abandon
their traditions. Shamans are going extinct faster Overpopulation is a major concern. As more people are
than rare and endangered species.
added to the planet, there are fewer resources to share.
Crowded conditions and scarcity of resources often lead
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE NATIVE PEOPLE to conflict or other problems. Animals lose habitat to
OF THE AMAZON?
cities and expanding farm lands.

HOW CAN WE SAVE RAINFORESTS?

Before the beginning of European colonization of
Rainforests are disappearing very quickly. The good
the New World in the 15th century, an estimated
news is there are a lot of people who want to save
seven to ten million Amerindians lived in
rainforests. The bad news is that saving rainforests is
American rainforests, half of them in Brazil.
not going to be easy. It will take the efforts of many
Great cities existed in the Andes, while the
people working together in order to ensure that
Amazon supported agricultural societies.
rainforests and their wildlife will survive for your children
The arrival of Europeans brought about the end to appreciate, enjoy, and benefit from.
of the native civilizations in Central and South
Some steps for saving rainforests and, on a broader
America. Europeans carried diseases that killed
scale, ecosystems around the world can be abbreviated
millions of Amerindians, and within 100 years of
as TREES:
the arrival of these outsiders, the Amerindian
population was reduced by 90 percent. Most of
Teach others about the importance of the
the surviving native people lived in the interior of
environment and how they can help save
the forest, either pushed there by the
rainforests.
Europeans, or living traditionally in smaller
groups.
Restore damaged ecosystems by planting trees

KIDS IN THE RAINFOREST

on land where forests have been cut down.
Although they generally don't watch TV, use the
Internet, or play video games, kids in the
rainforest do many of the same things you
probably do. They play with friends, help their
families with chores, and go to school.
Since "rainforest kids" live closer to nature than
the average American child, they learn things
that are helpful in the environment around them.
From an early age many children learn how to
fish, hunt, and collect materials and food from
the forest. Instead of going to a playground or a
shopping mall for fun, children in places like the
Amazon spend most of their time outdoors
playing in the forest and in rivers and streams.
THREATS TO RAINFOREST PEOPLE

Encourage people to live in a way that doesn't

hurt the environment

Establish parks to protect rainforests and

wildlife

Support companies that operate in ways that

minimize damage to the environment

SAVING RAINFORESTS THROUGH EDUCATION

Education is a critical part of saving the world's
rainforests. People must see the beauty and understand
the importance of these forests so they will want to
protect them. Environmental education should occur
both in western countries like the United States and in
countries like Bolivia and Madagascar that have
rainforests.

In the United States, people need to understand their

There are several reasons the lives of forest
role in the loss of rainforests. For example, buying
peoples are changing. Tribes in places like the
certain products like mahogany contributes to the cutting
Amazon and Malaysia are losing their traditional
down of rainforests in other countries. If we make an
land to governments and developers. The forests
effort to learn about the environment, we can
they have used for countless generations are
understand what we're losing as rainforest disappears.
being cut down by loggers, torn up by miners,
We can also make decisions to buy products and
and hunted by poachers. The rivers they use for
support companies and organizations that help the
water and fishing are being dammed to produce
rainforest.
electricity for far-off cities. When forest people
resist these developments, they may be
In rainforest countries, local people sometimes do not
ridiculed, arrested, forcibly moved, or even
know why forests are important. Through educational
killed.
programs these people can learn that forests provide
Rainforest people themselves are choosing to key services (like clean water) and are home to plants
and animals found nowhere else in the world. Few
change the way they live. For the indigenous,
the lure of urban culture is strong. Cities seem to children in Madagascar know that lemurs are not found
in America. They are proud and happy when they learn
offer the promise of affluence and the
conveniences of an easy life. But in leaving their that lemurs only live in Madagascar.
forest homes indigenous peoples usually meet
with a stark reality: the skills that serve them so In other cases, however, people already know that
well in the forest don't translate well to an urban forests are important. Where they need help is in
setting. The odds are stacked against them; they fighting companies that are taking their land and
arrive near the bottom of the social ladder, often destroying rainforests. In some tropical countries,
not proficient in the language and customs of city governments may not fully recognize the rights of forest
people. Instead, governments may sell forest lands to
dwellers. The lucky ones may find work in
factories or as day laborers and security guards, companies that chop down trees for timber or industrial
agriculture. Local people therefore need help learning
but many eventually return to the countryside.
Some re-integrate into their villages, others join about legal processes so they can defend forest lands

the ranks of miners and loggers who trespass on against destructive companies.
indigenous lands, negotiating deals that pit
members of the same tribe against each other in The Internet, mobile phones, and satellite monitoring
order to exploit the resources they steward. As have created new opportunities for communities to
tribes are fragmented and forests fall, indigenous mobilize against forest destruction. Tools like Facebook
cultureand its wealth of profound knowledge and Twitter can help people organize campaigns and
is lost. The world is left a poorer place,
protests when their rights are being ignored or violated.
culturally and biologically.
Google Earth is helping scientists, environmentalists,
and even indigenous people see where forests are
threatened by logging and mining.
WHY ARE RAINFORESTS

IMPORTANT?

Finally, education is important for improving people's

Flying over the heart of the Amazon is like flying quality of life. One of the most effective ways to reduce
population growth and alleviate poverty is through
over an ocean of green: an expanse of trees
broken only by rivers. Even more amazing than education, especially education of girls and young
women.
their size is the role the Amazon and other
rainforests around the world play in our everyday
REHABILITATE AND RESTORE RAINFORESTS
lives.
While rainforests may seem like a distant
concern, these ecosystems are critically
important for our well-being.

In trying to protect rainforests, we also need to look at

how damaged forests can be brought back to health.
While it is impossible to replant a rainforest, some
Rainforests are often called the lungs of the
planet for their role in absorbing carbon dioxide, rainforests can recover after they have been cut down -a greenhouse gas, and producing oxygen, upon especially if natural forests remain nearby or they have
some help through the planting of trees. In some cases
which all animals depend for survival.
it is also possible to use deforested lands for improved
Rainforests also stabilize climate, house
forms of agriculture to provide food for people living
incredible amounts of plants and wildlife, and
produce nourishing rainfall all around the planet. nearby. When these people have enough food, they will
not need to cut down more forest to plant crops.
Rainforests:
One promising area of research looks at ancient
societies that lived in the Amazon rainforest before the
help stabilize the world's climate;
arrival of Europeans in the 15th century. Apparently
these populations were able to enrich the rainforest soil,
provide a home to many plants and
which is usually quite poor, using charcoal and animal
animals;
bones. By improving soil quality, large areas of the
Amazon that have already been deforested could be
maintain the water cycle
used to support agriculture. This could reduce pressure
on rainforest areas for agricultural land. Further, the
"terra preta" soil as it's called, could help fight climate
protect against flood, drought, and
change since it absorbs carbon dioxide, an important
erosion;
greenhouse gas.

are a source for medicines and foods;

support tribal people; and

are an interesting place to visit

RAINFORESTS HELP STABILIZE CLIMATE

ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO LIVE IN WAYS THAT DO

NOT HURT THE ENVIRONMENT

A key part of saving rainforests and the environment is

encouraging all people to live in ways that do less harm

to the world around them. Driving less, using fuel

efficient cars and public transport, conserving water,
Rainforests help stabilize the world's climate by recycling, and turning off lights when you don't need
absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. them are all ways that you and your family can reduce
Scientists have shown that excess carbon
your impact on the environment.
dioxide in the atmosphere from human activities
is contributing to climate change. Therefore,
What can I do to help the environment?
living rainforests have an important role in
mitigating climate change, but when rainforests In rainforest countries many scientists and organizations
are chopped down and burned, the carbon
are working to help local people live in ways that cause
stored in their wood and leaves is released into less damage to the environment. Some people call this
the atmosphere, contributing to climate change. idea "sustainable development." Sustainable
Rainforests also affect local weather conditions development has a goal of improving the lives of people
while at the same time protecting the environment.
by creating rainfall and moderating
Without improving the livelihoods of people living in and
temperatures.
around rainforests, it is very difficult to protect parks and
wildlife. Conservation must be in the interest of local
RAINFORESTS PROVIDE A HOME FOR
people to make parks work.
PLANTS AND WILDLIFE
ESTABLISH PARKS THAT PROTECT RAINFORESTS
AND WILDLIFE
Rainforests are home to a large number of the
world's plant and animals species, including
many endangered species. As forests are cut
down, many species are doomed to extinction.

Creating protected areas like national parks is a great

way to save rainforests and other ecosystems.
Protected areas are locations preserved because of
Most rainforest species can survive only in their
their environmental or cultural value. Generally,
natural habitat. As their habitat is destroyed,
protected areas are managed by governments and use
many well-known rainforest species are
park rangers and guards to enforce the rules of the park
threatened with extinction, including orangutans,
and protect against illegal activities like hunting, mining,
rhinos, tigers, gorillas, elephants, as well as
and the cutting down of trees.
many birds, monkeys, reptiles, and amphibians.
Zoos cannot save all animals.

Today, parks protect many of the world's most

endangered species. Animals like Pandas are found
only in protected areas.

RAINFORESTS HELP MAINTAIN THE WATER

CYCLE
Parks are most successful when they have the support
of local people living in and around the protected area. If
local people have an interest in the park they may form
a "community watch" to protect the park from illegal
The role of rainforests in the water cycle is to
logging and wildlife poaching.
add water to the atmosphere through the
process of transpiration (in which plants release
An effective way to protect rainforests is to involve
water from their leaves during photosynthesis).
indigenous people in park management. Indigenous
This moisture contributes to the formation of rain
people know more about the forest than anyone
clouds, which release the water back onto the
and have an interest in safeguarding it as a productive
rainforest. In the Amazon, 50-80 percent of
ecosystem that provides them food, shelter, and clean
moisture remains in the ecosystem's water cycle.
water. Research has found that in some cases,
When forests are cut down, less moisture goes "indigenous reserves" may actually protect rainforest
than "national parks" in the Amazon.
into the atmosphere and rainfall declines,
sometimes leading to drought.

In recent years, the rainforests of Borneo and

the Amazon have experienced very severe
droughts. These have been made worse by
deforestation.

Parks can also help the economy in rainforest countries

by attracting foreign tourists who pay entrance fees, hire
local wilderness guides, and buy local handicrafts like
baskets, T-shirts, and beaded bracelets.

Moisture generated by rainforests travels around SUPPORT COMPANIES THAT DON'T HURT THE
the world. Scientists have discovered that rainfall ENVIRONMENT
in America's Midwest is affected by forests in the
Congo. Meanwhile, moisture created in the
Amazon ends up falling as rain as far away as Today, some companies are concerned about the
Texas, and forests in Southeast Asia influence environment. These companies look for ways to reduce
rain patterns in southeastern Europe and China. their impact on the world around them through recycling,
Distant rainforests are therefore important to
using less energy, and supporting conservation efforts in
farmers everywhere.
other countries. If consumers like you and your parents
RAINFORESTS REDUCE EROSION

support these companies by buying their products and

services, the environment will be better off.

One way to learn what companies have responsible

practices is to ask a local environmental group or do
The roots of rainforest trees and vegetation help research online. Beware that some companies try to
anchor the soil. When trees are cut down there mislead people about their environmental record. It's
is no longer anything to protect the ground, and best to seek independent opinions on the environmental
soils are quickly washed away with rain. The
practices of a company rather than relying solely on
process of washing away of soil is known as
what a company states on its own web site.
erosion.
Another way to learn which companies are making
efforts to reduce their environmental impact is to check
whether their products have been eco-certified, which
means that an independent group has evaluated the
environmental impact of its products. Examples of ecocertification initiatives are the Forest Stewardship
Council (FSC) for wood products, the Roundtable on
Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) for palm oil, and the
Rainforest Alliance Marketplace for other products.
None of these systems are perfect, but they are often
better than the alternative: non-certified products. Be
On steep hillsides, loss of forest can trigger
sure to do a little research about eco-certification,
landslides. For example, thousands of people
were killed in Central America during Hurricane because sometimes companies use fake certification
systems.
Mitch of 1998 when deforested hillsides
collapsed. Had forests been maintained, the
Some companies have established policies that exclude
death toll would have been lower.
products produced by cutting down rainforests. For
example, Nestle, Mars, and Kellogg's have promised
Forests also play an important role in reducing
that the palm oil they use will be free of deforestation.
damage from flooding by reducing the rate of
water runoff.
Companies that support forest conservation
directly
During the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean
tsunami, areas where mangrove forests had
One way to determine the "eco-credentials" of a
been cut down suffered more devastation than company is to learn whether it has has policies that
areas where healthy mangrove forests remained minimize or "offset" the pollution it produces. In the near
as a buffer. Mangroves also help protect against
As soil is washed down into rivers it causes
problems for fish and people. Fish suffer
because water becomes clouded and spawning
grounds fill with silt, while people have trouble
navigating waterways that are shallower
because of the increased amount of dirt in the
water. Meanwhile, farmers lose topsoil that is
needed for growing crops, and dams generate
less electricity as water is lost to runoff.

coastal erosion.

future, companies will be able to support rainforest

conservation and "offset" emissions by sponsoring forest
RAINFORESTS PROVIDE RESOURCES FOR protection in tropical countries. The idea is called
PEOPLE
"avoided deforestation" or REDD (which stands for
"Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and
Degradation") and could become an important source of
funds for global rainforest conservation.
People have long used forests as a source of
food, wood, medicine, and recreation. When
ECOTOURISM
forests are lost, they can no longer provide these
resources. Instead people must find other places
to get these goods and services. They also must
Ecotourism is environmentally responsible travel to
find ways to pay for the things they once got for
enjoy and appreciate nature and cultural experiences.
free from the forest.
Ecotourism should have low impact on the environment
As a frequent visitor to rainforests, I can attest and should contribute to the well-being of local people.
that they provide much more than life-saving
medicines and nourishing fruit. Rainforests are WHAT YOU DO CAN AT HOME TO HELP THE
ENVIRONMENT
found in a variety of landscapes: some are
situated on scenic mountain ranges, others hug
giant lowland rivers, while more still are found
near beautiful beaches and coral reefs.
There are several things you can do at home to help
Rainforests offer opportunities for cultural
reduce your impact on the environment.
exchange, photography, adventure, fishing,
hiking, relaxation, birding and wildlife spotting.
Eat less beef and pork. Fish (check Seafood
Watch from the Monterey Bay Aquarium to see
what types are OK) and poultry have a much
lower impact on the environment, while other
protein sources such as nuts and organic soy
are even less damaging to the planet.

Think about packaging before you buy products.

Individually-wrapped candy uses resources and
generates a lot of trash, while fruits and
vegetables are healthier and mean less waste.

Turn off lights and other electrical devices when

you don't need them. When light bulbs burn out,
replace them with energy-efficient bulbs.

Do not waste water.

Recycle.

Encourage your parents to drive fuel-efficient

cars and not to overheat their house.

Don't let your pets go when you don't want them

any more. Feral pets can have a destructive
impact on the local environment. Before buying
a pet be sure that you are ready to take care of

it. Having a pet is a responsibility.

Think about where the things you buy come

from and how they are made. Sometimes it's
better not to buy something new, and buy it
used instead. Or skip buying it altogether if it's
not necessary.

Get involved! Join a local environmental group

that is working to make a difference. For
example, mongabay has selected the following
organizations as recipients of its annual
conservation award, which recognizes groups
that are using innovative methods for protecting
forests, oceans, and other ecosystems: the
Amazon Conservation Team, for its work with
indigenous tribes in trying to protect the
Amazon; Health in Harmony, which is helping
protect rainforests in Borneo by providing health
care to local communities; and WildlifeDirect,
which has created a system for funding park
rangers and other conservation workers at
dozens of sites around the world.

Tell your family, friends, and relatives that you

want to do more to protect the environment and
why it's important to do so. Spreading the word
is very important.

Things you can do to help save rainforests:

Don't buy products made from wildlife skins.

Don't buy exotic pets that have been collected

from the wild. You can ask pet stores whether
animals are "wild-caught" or "captive bred."
"Captive bred" animals are more friendly for the
environment.

Buy recycled paper.

Don't buy wood products from rainforest

countries unless you know they come from ecofriendly suppliers. A good way to know if wood is
rainforest-safe is if it has a "certification label."
An example of a certification label is "FSCcertified" which means the wood comes from
more responsibly managed forests. However
bear in mind that no certification label is perfect,
so do your research on the type of wood you are
buying.

Learn more about rainforests and the plants and

animals that live in them. Tell your friends and
parents why rainforests are important.

Join an organization or an Internet group

(Facebook has many communities) that is
working to protect rainforests or wildlife.

If you would like to learn more about rainforests, please

visit mongabay.com's main rainforest site.

QUIZ
Now it's time to see what you have learned about
tropical rainforests.
1. Where is the world's largest rainforest?
______________________________________
______
2. True or False. Most life in the rainforest is found
in the canopy.
3. What is a symbiotic relationship?
______________________________________
______
______________________________________
______
______________________________________
______
4. True or False. The Mbuti or "pygmies live in the
Amazon rainforest.
5. Fill in the blank. Indigenous shaman or
"medicine men" have a lot of knowledge about
medicinal ____________.
6. What happened to most of the people who lived
in the Amazon once Christopher Columbus
arrived in the New World?
______________________________________
______
______________________________________
______
______________________________________
______
7. What are 3 reasons why rainforests are
important?
______________________________________

______
______________________________________
______
______________________________________
______
8. What are 3 reasons why rainforests are being
destroyed?
______________________________________
______
______________________________________
______
______________________________________
______
9. True or False. "Bushmeat" refers to meat from
the hunting of wild animals.
10. Fill in the blank. Some steps for saving
rainforests around the world is to focus on
"TREES": ___________ others about the
importance of the environment and how they
can help save rainforests.
Restore damaged ecosystems by planting
___________ on land where forests have been
cut down.
Encourage people to live in a way that doesn't
hurt the ___________.
Establish ___________ to protect rainforests
and wildlife.
Support ___________ that operate in ways that
minimize damage to the environment.
11. What are 3 ways that people can help reduce
their impact on the environment?
______________________________________
______
______________________________________
______
______________________________________
______

BONUS SECTION: INDUSTRIAL AGRICULTURE

Why are biofuels bad for rainforests?

Recently there has been a lot of interest in using plants as fuels to replace fossil fuels like gasoline and
diesel that contribute greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, warming the planet.

These plant-based fuels, called biofuels, are typically produced from agricultural crops. The are two
main types of biofuels: ethanol and biodiesel. Ethanol is typically made from corn and sugar cane, while
biodiesel is made from the fruit of palm trees, soybeans, and canola (also called rapeseed).
While biofuels produced from agricultural crops can generate less pollution and greenhouse gas
emissions than conventional fossil fuels, in practice, scientists are finding that some are causing
environmental problems. Biofuels may also be hurting the poor. The reason is largely economic.
Now that traditional food crops are being used for the production of energy, there is increased demand
for such crops, translating to higher prices. While higher prices may be good for some farmers who
receive more money for the crops they grow, consumers have to pay more for food. In poor countries,
where people have very little money, it means that many go hungry. In 2007 and 2008 several countries
saw protests and riots by people who could not afford to pay higher prices for food.
Higher prices for crops is also causing other problems. To take advantage of higher prices, farmers all
over the world are converting land for crop production. With most of the land in North America and
Europe already used for farming, agriculture is expanding in tropical places, especially in Brazil and
Indonesia, where there are still large areas suitable for new agricultural land. The trouble is that some
of this land is currently covered by tropical rainforests. When farmers cut down rainforests for farms and
ranches, the dead trees release carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere (just
like when fossil fuels are burned). Further the destruction of rainforests displaces indigenous people
and kills wildlife. Therefore biofuels are having a significant impact on the environment.
Some biofuels are less bad than others. When crops are grown on abandoned agriculture lands and in
areas that are not covered by natural ecosystems, they can have a low impact on the environment
provided that fertilizers and pesticides are not over-used. In the future, new types of biofuels will
produce even less greenhouse gas emissions and may actually help the environment. For example, the
use of native grasses for biofuel production in the United States could offer higher biofuel yields and
generate less pollution than corn-based ethanol. At the same time, these grasses can enhance soil
fertility and do not drain the water table.
Why is palm oil bad for orangutans?

Certain types of palm trees produce large red fruit which are rich with oil. After refining, this oil, known
as palm oil, can be used to produce all sorts of products, including oils used in foods like chocolates
and cookies, cosmetics like makeup, and even biodiesel, a fuel that can be used in cars instead of
diesel (gasoline).
Oil palms, as these trees are called, have very high oil yields -- some of the highest of any crop used for
biofuel (plant-based fuel) production. A single hectare (2.5 acres) can produce up to 7 tons of oil, many
times what would be produced from the same area of corn, soy, or canola.
Given its high yield and the many uses for its oil, it may seem that oil palm is a great solution to
dwindling supplies of fossil fuels and concerns about global warming (the burning of fossil fuels is a
major contributor of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere). However, there are problems is some
places where palm oil is being produced, specifically the tropical rainforests of Malaysia and Indonesia.
About 88 percent of global palm oil production was in Malaysia and Indonesia in 2007. Although much
of this production took place on land long ago established for agriculture, some of it occurred in areas

that were newly cleared specifically for oil palm cultivation.

The most threatened ecosystems by expansion of oil palm plantations are rainforests and peatlands.
Peatlands are swampy areas where the soils are made of peat decomposed vegetation. Peat acts
as a sponge, soaking up water and helping prevent floods. It also stores large amounts of carbon.
When peatlands are drained, the stored carbon reacts with air to release carbon dioxide into the
atmosphere, increasing concentrations of the greenhouse gas. The dry peat then becomes highly
flammable, increasing the risk of large-scale fires when plantation developers use fire to clear land and
burn agricultural waste.
Greenhouse gas emissions also result when rainforest is cleared for oil palm plantations. Worse, oil
palm plantations support very low levels of biodiversity, meaning most of the plants and animals once
found in the rainforest must either move or perish. Oil palm plantations are not good for wildlife and
endangered species like the orangutan, the Sumatran rhino, the pygmy elephant of Borneo, and the
Sumatran tiger are all threatened by development for oil palm.
What can I do?
The first thing you can do is be aware of palm oil and its impact on the environment. Look at the labels
of household products and packaged foods to see if they contain palm oil (however palm oil is often not
labeled as an ingredient). You may soon see that palm oil is all around us.
Palm oil isn't going to go away, but consumer pressure on the industry will help force the industry to
reduce its impact on the environment. Already some industry leaders are working to develop
"sustainable palm oil" that meets certain criteria to ensure that its production did not result in
deforestation or hurt wildlife. Consumers can now choose products made from more environmentallyfriendly palm oil, which is certified under the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil or RSPO. These
products should be supported to encourage the entire industry to shift towards "greener" palm oil.
Another way you can help is to support organizations working to protect orangutans and other wildlife in
their native habitat. For example, Orangutan Foundation International [article] and the Borneo
Orangutan Survival Foundation are two such groups.
Remember it is important to note that not all palm oil is bad for rainforests, so be sure to check whether
palm oil in the products you buy is RSPO-certified or not.
Why is soy bad for the Amazon rainforest?

Soy production in Brazil is contributing to deforestation of the Amazon rainforest, both directly through
forest clearing for new soy farms (usually giant in size) and by displacing small farmers who then move
into forest areas for subsistence agriculture. Further pressure comes from the development of
infrastructure (like roads and ports) to support soy expansion. This infrastructure attracts other
developers (like loggers, ranchers, and colonists who have been displaced from elsewhere) who cut
down the forest.
Why is soy expanding in the Amazon?
Soybean cultivation is expanding in the Amazon due to economics, including high prices for grains.
These high prices are driven by increasing demand for meat in countries with a large and fast-growing

middle class (especially India, Brazil, and China) and U.S. government subsidies for corn-based
ethanol production. Such subsidies (essentially payments to farmers for growing certain crops) mean
that American farmers are planting corn instead of soy. Less soy production in the United States,
means that more production is needed in places like Brazil, which has large tracts of lands suitable for
agriculture.
Since 1990 the area of land planted with soybeans in Amazonian states has expanded at the rate of
14.1 percent per year and now covers more than eight million hectares.

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Copyright Rhett Butler 2005-2015

Overview of the Rain Forest Unit

Title
: Exploring the Rain Forest Through Print, Graphics,
and Sound

Content
: Art (creating a rain forest, save the rain forest
posters), Writing (a walk
through the rain forest, diary of a rain forest dweller), Reading
(about the
rain forests, research), Math (graphing precipitation), Music
(create sounds
of the rain forest on musical instruments), Geography (mapping
the
rain forests), and some Science (graphing precipitation).

Grade Level
: Third through Fifth

Rationale
: I have chosen to use the rain forests for
this thematic unit because it can
provide numerous meaningful reading and writing activities. It
is also a
topic that I believe fourth grade students will have a large degree
of
interest in.

Overview of Activities
:

Days 1 & 2
: Mapping the rain forests

Day 3
: Reading about the rain forests (throughout the
unit)

Day 4

: Graphing precipitation

Days 5-7
: Creating a rain forest

Days 8 & 9
: Diary of a rain forest dweller

Day 10
: Creating sounds of the rain forest

Day 11
: Save the rain forest posters

Days 12-14
: A walk through the rain forest

Day 15
: Return to readings about the rain forests; discussion

Activities / Objectives

1
. Students will fill in the locations on a global map
that contain rain forests.

2
. Students will keep a journal based on their readings.

3
. The students will construct a graph comparing local
precipitation to precipitation
in the rain forests.

4
. Through group work, the students will create a rain
forest along a wall of the
classroom or in the hallway.

5
. The students will write a diary entry from the perspective
of someone who lives in
a rain forest.

6
. Using musical instruments, the students will recreate
sounds from the rain forest to
the best of their ability after listening to a CD or cassette
with rain forest sounds.

7
. After discussing the importance and relevance of the
rain forest, students will
create posters expressing their desire to save the rain forest.
They will include
specific reasons for saving the rain forest on their posters.

8
. As a final activity, students will write about their
imagined experience of walking
through a rain forest; what they see, hear, and feel, and their
experiences in
general.

Lesson Plans

Lesson 2
:
Reading about the Rain Forests

Objectives
: The students will keep a journal describing

the information they have gained

from different books. They will take part in a class discussion
on what they have
learned.

Content
: Reading, journal keeping, and discussion

Description
:
KWL would be an effective strategy to start off this lesson as
well as the entire unit itself. What they know can be used to
activate students prior knowledge, what they want to know can
be used to provide students with a meaningful reason to read and
research, and what they learned can be used in assessment or to
evaluate the effectiveness of the unit. What they learned will
also be useful in keeping the knowledge that they have gained
in their head, will allow for students to share information with
others, and will provide students with evidence that they really
did learn a lot through the unit.
Instruct the students to take out a notebook to keep their journal
in. Introduce the books on the rain forest, and have students
write down the three books they would want to read the most.
Use these votes to distribute the books to the class. Once the
students have received their books, instruct them to keep a journal
as they read. Suggest that they write in their journal after
every chapter or a specified number of pages. After the students
have finished their books (at the end of the unit) have them use
their journals to help them discuss in class what they learned
from the books. Talk with the students about the different animals
and plants native to the rain forests. Discuss with the students
what they liked or did not like about each book and the illustrations.
After the discussion is finished, allow students to write in
their journals a final time about what they learned from the discussion.

Materials
: As many books on the rain forest as possible.
Examples include:
Discover Rain Forests
by L. H. Baptista,
Whats in the Rain Forest
by S. Ross,

Tropical

Rain Forest: Around the World

by E. Landau,
Rain Forest
by H. Cowcher, and
Animals of the Rain Forest
by L. Stone.

Evaluation
: Use the journal writings to assess the students
knowledge about the rain
forests. Remember that some students will have more prior knowledge
than others
about the rain forests, so look mostly at the new information
that they learned.

Adaptation/Extension
: Have students create a poster to
advertise the book that they
read. They should include information about the book itself,
the illustrations, and
information about the rain forests.

Lesson 3
:
Graphing Precipitation

Objectives
: The students will create bar graphs comparing
local precipitation levels to
precipitation levels in another nation that contains rain forests,
such as Costa Rica,
Brazil, or Ecuador. They will also be able to make comparisons
based upon the graph that they create.

Content

: Math, graphing, statistics, and research (Internet)

Description
:
Begin the lesson by introducing the concept of monthly precipitation.
Ask students whether it rains more where they live or in the
rain forests. These questions should prompt students thinking
before they begin their research.
Once the students have a good idea of what monthly precipitation
is, have them do research to find out how much rain falls each
month in the two different locations. Tell them that they need
accurate information because they will make bar graphs afterwards.
Encourage students to also look for general differences in climate
between the United States and these other nations with rain forests.
After all their research is done, they should begin work on their
bar graphs.
The bar graphs could be done in several different ways, but the
graph on the following page works well because it compares the
both places precipitation by month. Discuss with students the
need for clarity of the information in their graph. Thus, students
should see the need for having the data for each location next
to each other on the graph for direct comparison. Ask for comments
from the class on ways to make the graph and perhaps they will
come up with a graph similar to the following or another format
that would be acceptable. After a format has been decided upon,
have students create their graphs using the information they gained
through their research. These graphs should then be used by the
students to make written comparisons between the local precipitation
and that in a nation with rain forests. These graphs can then
be used in assessment.

Materials
: Any available resource materials that will
have information on Costa Rica
would be helpful for this lesson. The use of the library, encyclopedias,
CD-ROM
encyclopedias, and other resources should be available. World
almanacs that show
precipitation around the globe would be particularly helpful.
Numerous web sites
provide detailed information about weather around the globe.
These could easily
be found by doing an Internet search on rain forest climate
or tropical climate.

Evaluation:
Students comparisons
of the monthly precipitation levels locally and in rain
forest countries can be evaluated on how well they were interpreted
from their bar
graph as well as how accurate they were. The graph itself can
be graded based on
its accuracy. However, when evaluating students written comparisons,
consider
how well they reflect the information on their graph. Do not
take off points twice
for inaccurate information.

Adaptation/Extension
: This lesson could be followed up
with students actually
recording their local precipitation for a month to have a real-life
example of what
monthly precipitation means. This extension would be great for
students that had
trouble with the lesson or in understanding monthly precipitation.
As an
adaptation to the adaptation, this extension could instead be
done before the lesson

so that students will know what monthly precipitation is coming

into the lesson.

Lesson 4
:
Creating a Rain Forest

Objective
: After listing and explaining the layers of
the rain forest, students will work
together to create their own artistic version of the rain forest
on a wall.

Content
: research, language arts, listening, and art

Description
:
This activity can be started by reading to the class a book on
layers of the rain forests. Encourage the students to listen
because they will need to discuss the book after it has been read.
Share with the class a transparency depicting the layers of the
rain forest and a list of animals that live in the rain forest.
Discuss what each layer is like and what its purpose may be.
Also talk about what types of plants and animals might be found
in each layer. Once again, provide books for the students to
look through to learn more.
Now students will work on creating their own rain forest. Divide
the class into groups of three or four and assign a layer of the
rain forest to each group, with several groups working on the
same layer, but on different parts of that layer. Provide each
group with pieces of butcher paper. Have the students recreate
their layer of the rain forest using construction paper, markers,
crayons, and any other material that they may find to be useful.
Instruct the students to depict the different types of plants
and animals that would appear in their layer of the rain forest.
Once they are finished, place each rain forest layer on a classroom
wall or the hallway and attach the sections together. Allow the
students to use markers and more paper to label the layers of
the rain forest and to name their rain forest once it has been
put up on the wall. Now may be a good time to discuss the relationship
the rain forest has with society and the deforestation of the
rain forests.

Materials
: Rain forest layers transparency, books on the
layers of the rain forest and
animals and plants that live in these layers, butcher paper, scissors,
construction
paper, tape, markers, pencils, crayons, etc.

Evaluation
: Students can be assessed during their group
work on their knowledge of the
layers of the rain forest and the animals and plants that live
in each layer. This can
be done by use of a checklist.

Adaptation/Extension
: The lesson could be extended by
discussing Ethnobotany which
is that field of science that studies the products that an environment
may naturally
create. In addition, students could study about a particular
group of people that
live in a rain forest area.

Lesson 7
:
Saving the Rain Forest

Objective
: Students will be able to discuss why rain forests
are being destroyed and why
we should try to save them (their importance). Students will
also create a poster
indicating their desire to save the rain forests.

Content
: Writing, art, speaking, and brainstorming

Description
:

Spark students interest by asking them to help brainstorm ideas

of why the rain forests may be being destroyed. Next, brainstorm
reasons why we would want to save the rain forests and what their
uses are. Discuss with the class both of the lists that are generated.
Now have students begin work on their save the rain forest posters.
They should include illustrations and a strong message of why
they think the rain forest should be saved. Once they are finished,
the students will present their posters to the class and describe
their reason for saving the rain forest. Let students know that
there are many people that do not want the rain forests to be
destroyed and that they can make a difference through some of
the following organizations. They could write to these organizations
to request information on what they can do to save the rain forest.
Childrens Alliance for Protection of the Environment, Inc. (CAPE)
CAPE International Office
P.O. Box 307
Austin, TX 78767
(512) 476-2273
Global Response Newsletter
P.O. Box 7490
Boulder, CO 80306-7280
Rainforest Action Network
301 Broadway, Suite A
San Francisco, CA 94133

Materials
: posterboard (butcher paper), markers, crayons,
pencils, etc.

Evaluation
: A rubric could be used to assess the poster
and presentation.

Adaptation/Extension
: Have students write to the above

organizations for more

information and then share this information in class.

Evaluation Lesson Plan

Lesson 8
:
A Walk Through the Rain Forest

Objective
: The students will synthesize the information
they have learned throughout the
unit to write a story about their imaginary walk through a rain
forest.

Content
: Writing, reading, critical thinking, and editing

Description
:
Have the students brainstorm what they have learned about the
rain forest throughout the unit (the last stage of the KWL method).
Then provide the class with the reading and have them read it
silently. When they are finished, discuss the things that Vanessa
saw and experienced on her walk through the rain forest. Now
ask the students to write their own story about a walk through
the rain forest. Ask them to take on the role of an adventurer,
a scientist, an animal, a native, or some other character. Instruct
them to describe what they would detect with their senses, what
they would smell, feel, hear, see, etc. Their stories should
discuss particular animals, plants, peoples, climate, and other
aspects of the rain forest that they are in. Present students
with a version of the rubric that will be used to grade their
story. Have the students share their stories with another student
and then allow that student to edit the story.

Materials
: The story
A Jungle Journey

from Ranger
Ricks Nature Scope, paper and
writing materials, books for reference, and (optional) string,
markers, and crayons

Evaluation
: Use the rubric on the following page. Since
this assignment requires
synthesis of the information learned throughout the unit, it can
serve as the final
evaluation on the unit. For additional evaluation, students can
write a selfevaluation and this can be compared with the students rubric
for an overall grade.
I chose this lesson to contain the final evaluation because of
the synthesis of
information it requires. A great deal of information can be used
in writing this
story. I chose a rubric because it is less likely to involve
bias in grading. A rubric
also is easy to use and will keep my standards the same as I grade
each story.

Adaptation/Extension
: Students could make books out of
their stories by adding
illustrations and stitching the pages together. As an alternative,
they could
combine all the stories into one larger book.

Scoring Rubric for A Walk Through the

Rain Forest lesson
Name_____________________
1. Eight facts must be included on the following aspects of rain
forests. Each fact will be worth three points for a total of
24 points. The facts must be accurate to receive points.
Vegetation: __________
Animals: __________
Climate: __________
People: __________

Total Points: __________

2. Spelling, punctuation, and grammar will be worth a total of
18 points.
Spelling: 6 5 4 3 2 1
Punctuation: 6 5 4 3 2 1
Grammar: 6 5 4 3 2 1
Total Points: __________
3. Neatness and creativity will be worth a total of 8 points.
Neatness: 4 3 2 1
Creativity: 4 3 2 1
Total Points: __________
Overall Total: __________ / 50 Points
Notes/Comments/Suggestions:

Student Self-Assessment Rubric

I thought my story was accurate because
My story was entertaining because
What I need to do to make my story better is
Circle One:
I described rain forest
Vegetation: Well

Fair

Not at all

Animals: Well

Fair

Not at all

Climate: Well

Fair

Not at all

People: Well

Fair

Not at all

I think my
Spelling is: Good

Punctuation is: Good

Fair
/

Fair

Poor
/

Poor

Grammar is: Good

Fair

Poor

Neatness is: Good

Fair

Poor

Resources
Childrens Books:
Baptista, L. H. (1992).
Discover rain forests
. Lincolnwood,
IL: Publications International, Ltd.
Annotation:
The large print and spectacular photography make this book an
excellent
source for slower readers and advanced readers alike. The large
print should not
give the impression that it is an easy book, however.
The content is quite indepth, the book is just made to be easier to read. It focuses
primarily on the plant
and animal life of the rain forests, but also discusses the layers
of the rain forest
and their importance, the destruction of the rain forests, and
animal survival in the
rain forest. Little is mentioned about the peoples of the rain
forest. A glossary is
included to clarify difficult terms. This book would be great
for student use.
Cowcher, H. (1988).
Rain forest
. New York: Farrar,
Straus and Giroux.
Goodman, B. (1991).
The rain forest
. New York: Tern
Enterprise, Inc.
Annotation:
Similar to the
Discover Rain Forests

book, this book

also has some
spectacular photography. It also discusses the plant and animal
life, the layers of
the rain forest, and deforestation and saving the rain forest.
In addition, this book
also has a large section on the peoples of the rain forest. All
peoples are discussed
from the hunter-gatherers to the Indians to the modern people
of the rain forest. I
do think that teachers should be cautioned of the typical display
of natives lack of
clothing when considering the use of the book for their class.
The rain forests
effect on global climate and the products derived from the rain
forest are also
discussed. This books wealth of information makes it a good
choice for use in the
classroom.
Knapp, B. J. (1992).
What do we know about rain forests?
New York: Simon &
Schuster Young Books (Peter Bedrick Books).
Annotation:
Unlike the previous two books discussed, this one has little
information on
the wildlife of the rain forest. It does however, deal more with
geography, the
environment, usefulness of the trees, mining, and a major emphasis
on farming in
and around the rain forests. Once again, teachers should be cautioned
about the
lack of clothing on the natives for immature students. A glossary
is also at the end
of this book, which can be helpful.
Landau, E. (1990).
Tropical rain forest: Around the world
.
New York: Franklin
Watts.
Ross, S. (1991).
Whats in the rain forest?

Los Angeles:
Enchanted Rain Forest Press.
Sly, A. (1992).
The Brazilian rain forest
. New York:
Dillon Press.
Stone, L. (1994).
Animals of the rain forest
. Florida:
The Rourke Corporation, Inc.
Stone, L. (1994).
Rain forest at night
. Florida: The
Rourke Corporation.
Teacher Resource Books:
Fisher, R. (1990).
Emerald realm: Earths precious rain
forests
. Washington D.C.:
National Geographic Society.
Gibbons, G. (1994).
Natures green Umbrella
. New York:
William Morrow and
Company, Inc.
Greenaway, F. (1992).
Rain forest
. New York: Dorling
Kindersley, Inc.
Nations, J. (1988).
Tropical rain forests: endangered environment
.

New York:
Franklin Watts.
Terbough, J. (1992).
Diversity and the tropical rain forest
.
New York: Scientific
American Library.
Internet Resources:
Edmark Products. (1996).
Destination: Rain forest
.
Eisele, S. (1997).
Who lives in the rain forest?
Fry, C. (1996).
Living in the rain forest-forests page
Rainforest Action Network. (1997).
Welcome to the rainforest
action network homepage
. [On-line]. Available:
http://www.ran.org/.
Annotation:
This Internet site contains various information on the RAN (Rainforest
Action Network) organization. Within it, aspects such as their
current rain forest
protection projects are discussed. It offers tips for helping
in the battle to save the
rain forests. In addition to this information on the organization,
it also provides a
great deal of information on the rain forests themselves. There
is a kids corner
which offers even more information geared to a childs perspective.
Many of the
topics here deal with plants and animals in the rain forest.
This site would be
useful for both educators and students alike.

StarkNet. (1997).
Rain forest
Annotation:
I received many of my ideas for this unit from this site. It
contains a
thematic unit for teachers to use that focuses on the rain forests.
There are
numerous more ideas for lessons that teachers could get from this
site as well.
There are sections of the plan devoted to each of the major content
areas. Each
content area contains at least three well-developed lessons.
This site is incredibly
useful for educators.
CD-ROM:
Edmark Products. (1996).
Destination: Rain forest
.
Edmark Corporation.
Annotation:
This program allows students to create their own interactive
stories from
CD-ROM. They are able to develop professional-looking electronic
storybooks
with this program (Edmark, 1). They are provided with information
on numerous
plants and animals to integrate into their rain forest story.
The students have a
wealth of rain forest photography to use to illustrate their books
with. There are
also sounds that can be included to aid in the telling of their
story. Of course, the
finished product can be printed out in a book format (well, not
the sounds). This
would be a great resource for students and would be excellent
to use with
students
Walk Through the Rain Forest
story lesson.
Reflection

I feel that with some adaptations made to suit particular classrooms

and to consider every student, this thematic unit can be very
useful and informative to students. The list of resources that
I have compiled should prove to be very useful in carrying out
the unit. I think that the lessons that I chose tap in to all
of the content areas in some way or another. However, I do feel
that there could be some additions in certain areas, such as science.
Science could be integrated more with a lesson focusing on study
of the biological life of the rain forests.
The individual lessons should combine well to provide students
with a well-developed knowledge base on rain forests. Mapping
the rain forests will allow students to find out where exactly
the rain forests are located. Reading about rain forests will
simply allow students to soak up information and the journal will
help them to digest it. Graphing precipitation will help students
to understand the difference in local climate compared to rain
forest climate. In addition to the knowledge that must be applied
to do so, creating a rain forest will assist in drifting students
off into the rain forest for their upcoming writings. The diary
of a rain forest dweller will allow students to relate with people
that do live in the rain forest. It requires critical thinking
on the part of the students to put themselves in the place of
someone living in the rain forest. They must consider this as
well as all of the information they have learned so far about
what will be surrounding them. Creating the sounds of the rain
forest will also familiarize students with what it would sound
like to be in a rain forest. Listening will allow them to understand
the animal sounds, etc., while recreating the sounds will require
critical thinking on what the sounds were of and how to best represent
them. The save the rain forest posters will help students to
understand the usefulness of the rain forests and the danger that
they are in. Hopefully students will learn to support the rain
forest. The final activity, a walk through the rain forest, requires
synthesis of all the information they have learned throughout
the unit, and thus, it is a suitable final evaluation. The use
of a clear rubric and/or a student self-assessment will allow
for a fair evaluation. All of the lessons match up with the objectives
for the unit and these objectives should help to guide the development
of additional lessons. Either by using these objectives, or adding
objectives to make up for material that is missed, additional
lesson plans would help to enhance the unit.
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