1.14 Unit Plan Template
1
First and Last Name: Sasha Heath
Region: Eastern
School Name: Balwyn High School
School City, State: Melbourne, Victoria
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Unit Overview
Unit Plan Title: Tropical Rainforests of the World.
Essential Question:
Extinction for the Great Green Dinosaurs?
Unit Questions:
How do tropical rainforests compare with other forests?
Why are rainforests so important?
What threats do tropical rainforests face?
What are the solutions to the issues?
Content Questions:
What different environments are found throughout the world?
Where are tropical rainforests found?
Why are tropical rainforests hot and wet?
What are the differences between tropical and temperate climates?
Describe the characteristics of rainforests?
What plants and animals exist in a rainforest?
What are the uses of a rainforest?
To what extent are tropical rainforests diminishing?
What effects do humans have on rainforests?
How can rainforests issues be managed?
Unit Summary
Students will develop an understanding of tropical rainforests of the world. Students
will learn where tropical rainforests are found and why they are found where they are.
They will gain an understanding of the climate in a tropical rainforest. They will
learn about the characteristics of tropical rainforests including plants and animals that
exist in a tropical rainforest.
Students will also gain an understanding of the issues surrounding tropical rainforests
– vegetation clearing, overuse of resources, tourism etc. They will learn about
specific case studies, how the environment is altered and how humans are involved in
environmental change and can be affected by adverse environmental changes.
Students will attempt to evaluate effectiveness of current management strategies and
develop plans to monitor environmental changes and successfully manage rainforest
environments.
A fieldtrip to Sherbrooke Forest (a temperate rainforest) will enable the students to
experience a rainforest environment first hand.
Mapping and ICT skills will also be developed further.
Teaching and Learning Strategies
Technology
– assess prior knowledge of Microsoft Office Word, PowerPoint and Publisher;
internet research
– instruct students on use of technology
Group work
– successful organisation and coordination of groups;
Use of the 3 storey intellect (including some use of Blooms Taxonomy)
- gathering (PowerPoint plus other tasks)
- processing (Publication plus other tasks)
- applying (Website plus other tasks)
Gardiner’s Multiple Intelligences
- students complete a range of tasks which maximise multiple intelligences
including visual/spatial (mapping, concept maps etc.), verbal (class
discussions), mathematic (graphing data and statistics), kinaesthetic,
interpersonal, intrapersonal, and obviously naturalists.
Self guided research tasks.
Professional Learning
 Teachers will need to be confident with the ICT tasks the students are developing.
Training can occur on an informal basis, utilising the skills and resources of
fellow teachers. Sessions on specific Microsoft Applications can be offered
during in-school PD days.
 Read article on integrating ICT into a secondary school classroom. Research on
global rainforest depletion issues.
Year Level(s)
7
Key Learning/Subject Areas
Geography, SOSE
Learning/Syllabus Outcomes
Curriculum Standards and Frameworks II
5.1 Compare the characteristics of significant regions in Australia and the world.
5.2 Explain how natural processes and human activities change environments.
5.3 Explain how people’s use of natural and human environments changes over time.
5.4 Develop a plan to address impacts of change.
Procedures:
1. Probe of prior knowledge.
 What do students know about rainforests?
 What would students like to know?
 ICT abilities
2. Main environmental ecosystems / biomes in world
 Example of specific environments.
3. Video.
 Visual stimulus on tropical rainforests.
 Students to note down:
Characteristics of a
Climate of a rainforest
rainforest
Plants of a rainforest
Animals of a rainforest
3. Mapping. On a blank world map:
 Shade in tropical zone.
 Label Equator, Tropic of Cancer, Tropic of Capricorn
 Shade and label the tropical rainforests of the world.
 Complete full B.O.L.T.S.S.
 Describe the location of tropical rainforests – continents and key countries.
4. PowerPoint Presentation. Characteristics of a Tropical Rainforest.
 Students are to gather information on the following questions:
1. Why are tropical rainforests hot and wet?
2. Describe the characteristics of rainforests? Layers of a rainforest.
3. What lives in a rainforest? (plants and animals)
 Compare Melbourne’s climate with the climate of a rainforest.
5. Rainforest Ecosystems.
 Concept map of key words: plants, animals, water, oxygen etc.
6. Publication. Rainforest Issues
 Why are rainforests diminishing?
 Why are rainforests important?
 Scale of destruction.
 People and uses of the rainforest.
7. Website. What can be done to solve the problems?
 Higher-order thinking task. Students will need to apply the knowledge and
understanding they have developed by completing the previous tasks.
 Students will need to include examples of programs and management
strategies currently implemented. They must indicate different scales.
 Students must evaluate the effectiveness of the strategies.
 Students must also develop possible plans to solve the issues faced by
rainforests.
 Develop ICT skills by creating website
There will also be a fieldtrip involved during the course of the unit and additional
follow up tasks related to the fieldwork. (Scope for digital camera use during fieldtrip
which can be used to enhance website production.)
Approximate time needed:
One term
Prerequisite Skills:
Students will need a basic understanding of ecosystems/environments of the world.
Some knowledge of different technology would benefit students – basic keyboarding
skills. Basic mapping skills.
Materials and Resources
Technology - Hardware
Camera 
Printer 
Video Camera
Computer(s) 
Datashow Projector 
Video Conferencing
equipment
Digital camera 
Scanner 
Other
DVD player
Television/Averkey 
Other
Internet connection 
VCR 
Other
Technology – Software 
CD-ROMs
Editing software
Web page development
Database/spreadsheet 
Internet Web Browser 
Word processing 
Desktop Publishing 
Multimedia 
Other
Email software 
Animation software
Other
Printed Materials: textbooks, story books, manuals, reference materials etc. 
Supplies: Things that have to be ordered or gathered to implement your Unit
Internet Resources: web addresses (URLs) that support the implementation of your
Unit (see Work Cited Document)
Others: Guest speakers, mentors, excursions/incursions
Accommodations for Differentiated Learning
Students with Special Needs: modified requirements, differentiated instruction and
assessment, extended work time, guiding templates, support structures, and personnel.
English as a Second Language (ESL) Student: Appropriate resources including
Internet sites; a variety of ways available to demonstrate their learning, support
personnel, help of peers
Gifted Student: more challenging tasks, extended investigation in related topics of the
learner’s choice, open-ended tasks or projects that allow for deeper analysis and
evaluation of issues.
Student Assessment:
Students will be assessed by:
 Ongoing observation by teacher
 Mapping task – accuracy, labels, B.O.L.T.S.S.
B(border).O(orientation).L(legend).T(title).S(scale).S(source)
 PowerPoint Presentation – peer and teacher assessment
 Concept map – when given 12 words, students should be able to create at least
20 links.
 Issues articles – peer, individual and teacher assessment; students will be
required to complete a newsletter checklist scaffolding task.
 Website – criteria assessment.
Key Word Search:
Rain forests, tropical, temperate, threats, deforestation, equator, Amazon, Brazil,
Australia,
© State of Victoria 2003
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List of teachers name and materials produced – S. Heath - ‘Tropical Rainforests of the World’ Unit
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