Exploring the Rain Forest
Thematic Unit by: "Go Getters:" Ia Yang, Jim Dybdal, Jean Fondern, Kathleen Preska,
and Jackie Polinske
Overview of the Rain Forest Unit
Title: Exploring the Rain Forest
Content: Art/Drama/Music (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)
Social Studies (mapping the rain forests)
Science (planting, graphing precipitation)
Physical Education (awareness of environmental issues)
Grade Level: 4th
Overview of the Classroom
Overview of Activities:
Day 1: Creating own journals
Planting tropical seeds
Day 2: Mapping the rain forests
Day 3: Reading about the rain forests (throughout the entire unit)
Day 4: Graphing precipitation
Day 5-7: Producing rain forest items
Days 8 & 9: Diary of the rain forest dweller
Day 10: Creating sounds of the rain forest
Singing rain forest songs
Day 11: Save the rain forest posters
Day 12: Field trip to the Minnesota Zoo
Study the tropical rain forest exhibit
Day 13: Reflection on the field trip
Day 14: Research and list the drugs extracted from tropical rainforest plants
Explore/discuss medicines made available useful in treatments today
Day 15: Return to readings about the rain forests
Encourage small group and class discussions
Day 16: Guest Speaker
Assessment
Clean up the rain forest
Objectives:
1. Students will create and keep a written journal. Students will keep a journal based
on their readings. Students will also reflect on their newly acquired information
on a daily basis.
2. Students will observe forms of seeds and experience growing plants.
3. Students will fill in the locations on a global map that contains rain forests.
4. The students will construct a graph comparing local precipitation to precipitation
in the rain forests.
5. Through group work, the students will create a rain forest in the classroom.
6. The student will write a diary entry from the perspective of someone who lives in
a rain forest.
7. Using musical instruments, the students will recreate sounds from the rain forest
after listening to a CD or cassette with rain forest sounds. The students will also
learn and sing new songs.
8. After discussing the importance and relevance of the rain forest, students will
create posters expressing their desire to save the rain forest. The students will
include specific reasons for saving the rain forest on their posters.
9. As a final activity, students will write about their imagined experience of living in
a rain forest. They will describe what they see, hear, and feel, an overall general
experience.
Sample Lesson Plans
Lesson: Reading about the Rain Forests
Objectives: The students will keep create and keep a journal describing the information
they have gained from different books. They will take part in small group and class
discussion on what they have learned.
Content Areas: Reading, journal making, 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 throughout the unit.
Introduce the books on the rain forest. Have the students write down three books they
would want to read the most. Use these suggestions as a way of distributing 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 a specified number of pages or at
the end of every chapter. After the students have finished their books, at the end of the
unit, instruct them to use their journals to help discuss in class what they have 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 disliked about each book and the
illustrations. When the discussion is finished, allow students to write in their journals a
final time about new things learned from the discussion.
Further Literacy Instruction: Students will utilize and practice encoding and decoding
skills as they read their rain forest books. The many new vocabulary words students
encounter in their reading will serve as a basis for vocabulary acquisition. Students will
be instructed to explore meanings of new words and put them on flash cards to share with
the group. Students will create a word wall to increase vocabulary acquisition. One can
also use a rain forest word web format to aid in vocabulary instruction.
Materials: As many books on the rain forest as possible. The books chosen should be of
varying reading levels. Picture books, magazines, and encyclopedias would be good
choices to include. Other specific examples include: Discover Rain Forests by L. H.
Baptista, What’s in the Rain Forest by S. Ross, Tropical Rain Forest: Around the World
by E. Landau, Rain Forest by H. Cowcher, Animals of the Rain Forest by L. Stone, The
Rainforests: A Celebration by L. Silcock, and Tropical Nature by A, Forsyth & K.
Miyata.
Assessment: Use the journal writings to assess the students’ knowledge about the rain
forests. Remember that some of the students will have more prior knowledge than others
about the rain forests. Identify mostly new information they have learned.
Lesson: 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 Brazil, Costa Rica,
or Ecuador. They will also be able to make comparisons based on the graph that they
create.
Content Areas: Math, graphing. statistics, Social Studies, and research (using the
Internet)
Description: Begin the lesson by introducing the concept of monthly precipitation. Ask
the students whether it rains more where they live or in the rain forests. This question and
others should prompt students’ thinking before they begin their research.
Once the students have a good idea of what monthly precipitation is, have them research
to find out how much rain falls each month in the two different locations. Stress the
importance of accurate information. This is needed because they will be making 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.
There are many options for graphing. For this lesson it is important the students use a bar
graph that compares both places’ precipitation by the month. Discuss with students the
need for clarity of the information their graph. Hence, 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 entire class on ways to make the graph. After the format has
been decided upon, have the 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 bar graphs will be helpful assessment tools.
Materials: Any available resource materials that will have information on the tropics.
(Since the tropical rain forests lie chiefly near the equator, information on regions in
Africa, Asia, Central and South America, and on the Pacific Islands would be helpful.)
For this particular lesson, information on Costa Rica would be very helpful. The use of
the library, encyclopedias, CD-ROM encyclopedias, A Neo-Tropical Companion: An
Introduction to the Animals, Plants and Ecosystems of the New World Tropics by J., G.
Kircher, and other sources should be available. World almanacs that show precipitation
around the globe would be of great value. Numerous Web sites also 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."
Assessment: Student’s 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 evaluated for its
accuracy. However, when evaluation students’ written comparison, consider how well
they reflect the information on their graph. This is a total comprehension/transformation
exercise. Do not take off twice for inaccurate information.
School to Home Connection: This lesson could be followed up with students actually
recording their own local precipitation for a month. This would be a wonderful real-life
"hands on" experience of what monthly precipitation means. This extension would be
great for students who may have had difficulties with the lesson or in understanding
monthly precipitation.
Lesson: Creating a Rain Forest
Objective: After listing and explaining the layers that make up the rain forest, students
will work together to create their own artistic products of the rain forest.
Content Areas: Reading/language arts, research, listening, and Art
Description: This activity can be started by reading to the class. The book should be one
that describes the layers of the rain forests. Encourage the students to listen because they
will need to discuss the book after it has been read. Present with the class a transparency
depicting the layers of the rain forest and a list of animals that live there. 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. A variety of pictures and books provided will help
the student to learn more. Students will then be given the opportunity to produce various
trees, leaves, birds, insects, etc. These artifacts will be added to the netting hung from the
ceiling. (Attempt to hang more than one massive net, creating a true illusion of the
layered canopy unique to the rain forest.)
Materials: Rain forest layers transparency, books and pictures on the layers of the rain
forest and animals and plants that live in these layers, butcher paper, construction paper,
news paper, scissors, tape, markers, pencils, crayons, netting, hooks to hang it, string, etc.
Assessment: Students can be assessed during their 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
through observation using a checklist.
Lesson: Saving the Rain Forest
Objectives: 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 show their desire to
save the rain forests through the creation of a poster.
Content Areas: Health Education, writing, art, speaking, and brainstorming
Description: Spark the students’ interest by asking them to brainstorm ideas of why the
rain forests are being destroyed. Next, brainstorm reasons why we would want to save the
rain forests. What uses do the rain forests offer? Then discuss with the class the lists that
were generated. Now have the students begin work on their posters. Along with
illustrations, they should think about and include a message of why they think the rain
forests should be saved. Once the students are finished, they will present their posters to
the class and describe their reason(s) for wanting to save the rain forests. Let the students
know that there are many people who do not want to see more destruction of the rain
forests. Inform the students of ways they can make a difference.
Optional Extension Activity: The students could write to the organization following, to
request information on what they can do to save the rain forests:
Children’s Alliance for Protection of the Environment, Inc. (CAPE)
CAPE International Office
P.O. Box 307
Austin, TX 78767 (512) 476-2273
Materials: Poster board, butcher paper, markers, pencils, crayons
Assessment: Display and review the posters. Comment on the interesting ideas and
designs the students used. Award the students with a job well done certificate. There are
no wrong or bad ideas students can possibly come up with. Build their confidence with
positive feedback.
Lesson: 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 life in a rain forest.
Content Areas: Writing, critical thinking/higher order literacy, and editing
Description: Have the students brainstorm what they have learned about the rain forest
throughout the unit (the last step/stage of the KWL method). Now ask the students to
write their own story about a life in the rain forest. Ask them to take on the role of an
adventurer, a scientist or botanist, an animal, a native, or some other character. Instruct
them to describe what they would detect with their senses, what they might smell, feel,
hear, see, etc. The student’s stories should discuss particular animals, vegetation, the
climate, and other specific details native to the rain forest they are in. Present the students
with a version of the rubric that will be used to evaluate their story. Have the students
share their stories with another student and then allow that student to edit the story.
Materials: Paper and writing materials, books for reference, string, markers and crayons
Assessment: Use the rubric included with this unit. Since this assignment requires
synthesis of the information learned throughout the unit, it can serve as the final
assessment on the unit. For additional assessment, the students can write a selfassessment and this can be compared with the student’s rubric for an overall grade. A
tremendous deal of information can be used in writing this story. We chose a rubric
because it is less likely to involve bias in grading. A rubric is also very easy to use and
will keep the standards the same as we grade each story.
Scoring Rubric for Living in the Rain Forest Lesson
Name:______________________
1. Eight facts must be included on the following aspects of rain forests. Each fact
will be worth 3 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
Accommodations: The large print and spectacular photography contained in choice
books are excellent resources for slower readers and advanced readers alike. The large
print in certain books should not give the impression that it is an "easy book," however.
The content is quite in depth, the book(s) is just made to be easier to read. Some of the
focuses are primarily on the plant and animal life of the rain forests, but they also discuss
the layers of the rain forest and their importance, the destruction of the rain forests, and
animal survival in the rain forest. Keep in mind a variety of books great for any students’
use, but more specifically those which aid special needs students.
Multicultural: Choice books also have some spectacular photography. Such books also
discuss the plant and animal life, the layers of the rainforest, and deforestation and saving
the rain forest. Peoples, many different kinds of people of the rain forest are discussed,
from the hunter-gatherers to the Indians to the modern people of the rain forest. Local
tradition and customs are explored. We think that teachers should be cautioned of the
typical display of natives’ lack of clothing when considering the use of certain books for
their class. The rain forests’ effect on global climate and the products derived from the
rain forest are also discussed in various resources. A variety of books contain a wealth of
information. It is important to make good choices for use in the classroom. Pictures and
posters are also good visual aids valuable to the multicultural curriculum area.
Classroom Design: A colorful and exciting environment welcomes the students. This
environment is created with door decorations, bulletin boards, and in other areas of the
classroom. The way the classroom is arranged will also benefit the culminating events of
this unit. Grouping the desks/tables in small groups of four will be best for the student’s
creation of a rain forest. For example, various trees will be built up through the center of
each arrangement. Creativity is demonstrated through displaying the word wall using
various leaves. The students will hang them from the trees built in the classroom.
Parent Newsletter: Parents are a teacher’s most valuable resource. Sending a newsletter
of welcome to the students and the families will serve as a connector from school to
home. It will also provide families with opportunities for participation. A newsletter is a
valuable means of communicating ways parents could be actively or passively involved
in their student's educational experiences. This parent newsletter will give parents a
calendar of events and programs they could attend, a wish list of needed supplies, a
statement of expectations/goals, and an invitation to anyone who wishes to visit. The
wish list of needed supplies will be displayed on a "giving tree." Items included on the
tree are cameras, film, paper products, paper tubes and other recycled products, books,
magazines, photos, and other literature material dealing with "Exploring the Rain
Forests". Parents are to be honored as one’s primary resource!
Resource List
Primary Resource: Yamintz, Kyle- http://www.eduplace.com/rdg/gen_htlm
Other Resources:
Cowcher H. (1998). Rain Forest. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
Eisele, S. (1997). Who Lives in the Rain Forest? (On-line). Available:
http://bvsd.k12.co.us/schools/cent/Newspaper/dec94/rainforest_scott_eislie.html.
Fry, C. (1996). Living in the Rain Forest-Forests Page (On-line). Available:
http://north.island.net/~chrisfry/forests.htm.
Goodman, B. (1991). The Rain Forest. New York: Tern Enterprise, Inc. Terbough,
J. (1992). Diversity and the Tropical Rain Forest. New York: Scientific American
Library.