A Journey Through the Rainforest
February 10th, 2012
MNEAYC Conference
Laura Reuter and Katie Xiong
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Tropical Rainforest - Definitions
• Defined by 68-78 inches of rain annually
• Layers: Emergent, Canopy, Understory,
Forest Floor
• Majority of world’s animal and plant
species live in the rainforest
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Tropical Rainforests - Importance
• Provides over 25% of the world’s
natural medicines
• Responsible for 28% of the world’s
oxygen turnover
• Provides many different kinds of food to
the world
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Tropical Rainforests - Importance
to the Children of MN
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Direct correlation to the forests of MN
Learn about the world around them
Produce responsible global children
Understand where their food originates
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Teaching the Rainforest Learning Theories
• Eric Erickson’s Theory of Development
– Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt - activities are hands on allowing children
to learn by doing; promoting autonomy
– Intiative vs. Guilt - activities are open ended allowing children be creative
and produce their own ideas
– Industry vs. Inferiority - activities are adaptable for a broad range of ages
and skill levels allowing children to refine their skills
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Teaching the Rainforest Learning Theories
• Piaget’s Cognitive Stages
– Preoperational - because the rainforest can not be visited, activities are
hands on and use concrete object to manipulate, helping children to learn in
this stage
– Concrete - Because children in this age are better able to think abstractly,
information and facts about the rainforest are easier to understand
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Teaching the Rainforest Learning Theories
• Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple
intelligences
– Provide a variety of activities to ensure you reach all children with different
intelligences
– Intelligences include: existential, verbal/linguistic, logical/mathematical,
interpersonal, intrapersonal, visual/spatial, naturalist, bodily/kinesthetic,
musical/rythmic
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Teaching the Rainforest Learning Theories
• Children learn through play and
developmentally appropriate practice
• Activities follow NAEYC standards
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Artistic Exploration
Paint with Twigs
Use branches, twigs, any part of the tree to
paint pictures.
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Artistic Exploration Rainforest Animals
Have children create different rainforest animals.
Use patterns or have them create their own.
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Artistic Exploration Fruit Prints
Cut apart rainforest fruits such as pineapple,
kiwi, or coconut. Have the children dip them
in paint and make prints on paper.
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Artistic Exploration Handprint Tree Tops
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Artistic Exploration Earth Friendly Art
Provide children with boxes, containers, other
“recyclables” and allow them to create art.
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Artistic Exploration Recycled Rainbow
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Math, Science, and Social Studies Rain Gauge
Mark a two liter bottle with inch marks. Place
outside and collect rain. Record how much it has
rained. Compare with how much it rains in the
rainforest.
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Math, Science, and Social Studies Rain Forest and Farm Animal Sort
• Sort the animals in two groups; farm animals
and rainforest animals
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Math, Science, and Social Studies Feed the Monkey Number Activity
Draw a monkey on a cardboard box. Cut out the
mouth portion. Roll a dice and feed the monkey
that many bananas (bean bags).
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Math, Science, and Social Studies Terrariums
Cut the bottom off of a two liter soda bottle. Plant a
flower or other plant in the bottom of the soda bottle.
Replace the top of the soda bottle. The plant will
water itself as condensation forms on the top and
drips down on the plant.
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Math, Science, and Social Studies Frog Count
Supplies: paper ponds with number, paper or
plastic frogs
Children place the correct number of frogs on
the numbered ponds.
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Math, Science, and Social Studies Milk Carton Air Pollution
• Cut a milk carton
into desired shape
• Cover milk carton
with Vaseline and
hang
• Observe the
pollution collected
on the milk carton
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Math, Science, and Social Studies Compost
Collect paper from the classroom and leaves and
twigs from outside and put them in a container
outside for composting.
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Math, Science, and Social Studies Pet Worms
Place worms in a jar filled three quarters full
with dirt. Cover the outside of the jar with
black paper, so the worms have a dark
home. Feed the worms shredded
newspaper.
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Math, Science, and Social Studies Five Senses of the Rainforest
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Sight - pictures
Hearing - recording of the rainforest
Smell - cinnamon, vanilla, etc
Touch - leaves, branches, animal fur
Taste - Vanilla, chicle, etc.
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Math, Science, and Social Studies Sunflower House
Plant giant sunflowers in a square outside. As the
sunflowers grow taller they will become the four
walls of the house.
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Language Enrichment Tropical Fruit Tasting Party
• Children taste different fruits from the
rainforest
• Graph likes, dislikes, favorites, etc.
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Language Enrichment Rainforest Songs
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“Little Leaf, Little Leaf”
“We’re going through the Rainforest”
“The Rainforest Animals”
“Animals on a Spider Web”
www.katieandcompany.net
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Language Enrichment Rainforest Foods
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Coconut
Cinnamon and Vanilla
Rainforest Trail Mix
Pinapple
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Language Enrichment Rainforest vs. Forest
• Discuss similarities
and differences
• Create a Venn
Diagram
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Language Enrichment Books, Stories, and Poems
• I Stink
• “Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout”
• For a full list of books see rainforest
curriculum
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Large Group Activities “Monkey Dance” Game
• Write numbers, letter, sight words, addition
facts, etc. on Popsicle Sticks
• On three or four popsicle sticks place monkey
stickers
• Children sit in a circle and take turns pulling
out popsicle sticks naming the letter, word,
etc.
• If a child pulls a stick with a monkey on
everyone stands up and dances like a
monkey
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Sensory Activities Snake
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Sensory Activities Tree Rubbings
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Sensory Activities Sensory Table Ideas
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Leaves and twigs
Rainforest animals
Sand and bugs
Plastic or real rainforest fruits
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Sensory Activities What is the Rainforest Smell?
• Soak cotton balls in rainforest smells
such as lemon, lime, cinnamon, vanilla,
etc.
• Place cotton balls in film canisters with
holes poked in the top
• Children guess the smell
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Music and Movement
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“One Elephant”
Rain Sticks
Tropical Fruit Jump
See Language Enrichment for other
songs
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Discovery
• What’s inside a coconut? Hypothesize
different tools to open a coconut and what’s
inside. Experiment what tools worked and
discover what’s inside.
• Vanilla Beans - Place vanilla beans at the
discovery table for children to explore
• Cinnamon Sticks - Place cinnamon sticks and
sandpaper at the discovery table for children
to explore
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Family Involvement Rainforest Tea Party
• Host a Rainforest Tea Party for families.
• Make foods with ingredients from the
rainforest and serve tea or smoothies.
• Display items from the rainforest and
what children have learned.
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Family Involvement Rainforest Class Quilt
• Create a quilt
with your class
• Auction the quilt
and donate
proceeds to a
charity of your
choice.
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Family Involvement Penny Banks
• Send penny banks home with families.
• Families collect pennies and coins to
donate to a charity of your choice.
• www.earthsbirthdayproject.org
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The Great Kapok Tree Play Skills Learned
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Respect
Self-Confidence
Self Control
Cooperation
Roles of Production
Commitment
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The Great Kapok Tree Play
• Children are involved in every aspect
from costumes to scenery
• Practices are held during class time
daily
• Dress rehearsals are held for other
classes in the school
• Final performance is for families
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The Great Kapok Tree Play
Adaptations
• Older children could narrate the story
• Children could have speaking parts
• Rewrite the story to present a play on
Minnesota Forests
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The Great Kapok Tree Play
Donation of Proceeds
• Pictures are sold and donations are
accepted to be donated to Earth’s
Birthday Project
• Other Donation possibilities are: WWF,
Sierra Club, Carlos Avery, MN Zoo,
Como Zoo, Library, etc.
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Going Green In the Classroom
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Reuse items
Trash Trunk
Farm to Fork
Class / School Garden
Take Home Bags
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Going Green At home
• Reduce Ecological Footprint
• Stop Unwanted Junk Mail
www.cataloguechoice.org
• Improve Air Quality
• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
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Contact Information
• Laura Reuter
kbh_preschoola@yahoo.com
• Katie Xiong mskatieladc@gmail.com
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