prepared by Lori
Lucci and Brooke Christman
ELU 205 Kutztown
University Winter Session 2002
Instructional Goals
………………1
Content
Outline
……………2-9
Lesson Summaries
…………10-21
Summative
Assessment Tool
With Rubric
…………22-23
Detailed Lessons
…………24-33
Glossary
…………34-35
Teacher Resources
…………….36
Student Resources
…………….37
Non-Print Resources
…………….38
Miscellaneous
…………39-41
Appendix
A,C,D,J,Q only
After completing the third grade thematic unit “Rain Forest Expedition”, students will be able to:
Content Outline for Thematic Unit on the Rain Forest
I. SCIENCE
A. Layers of the rain
forest
1. Emergent layer (130-160 feet)
a. This layer is at the top of the rain forest
b. It is where tall trees poke their tops out of the forest
2. Canopy (60-130 feet)
a. This layer is below the emergent layer
b. It is like an open umbrella of leaves and tree branches
c. A lot of rain falls on this umbrella
d. Many animals live in the canopy
3. Understory (0-60 feet)
a. This layer is below the canopy
b. Trees and plants do not grow very tall
c. Canopy shades plants of this layer from the sun
4. Ground layer (0 feet)
a. This layer is also called the floor
b. It is at the very bottom of the rain forest
c. Few plants grow here because of the darkness
5. The strongest and hottest sunlight on Earth hits the tops of the tropical
rain forest
6. Only a very small part, about two percent, of that light reaches the
forest floor
B. Climate of the rain
forest
1. The climate of the rain forest is hot and wet
2. Rain forests get as much as 200 inches of rain each year
3. In some parts of the forest, rain falls every day
4. The temperature of the rain forest never freezes and never gets extremely
hot
a. Rain forests rarely have temperatures below 75° Fahrenheit
b. Rain forests rarely have temperatures above 80° Fahrenheit
C. Plants of the rain
forest
1. In the rain forest of South America, scientists have counted as many
as 280 species of trees in
2 ½ acres
2. The kapok tree is found in African and American rain forests
a. This tree can grow 150-200 feet tall
b. They flower only in the flood season
c. The flowers produce cotton-like seeds which are blown in the wind and
eventually are
carried away by a river
3. Rain forests contain a huge variety of plants
a. Epiphytes, or air plants, sit on the branches of the canopy
i. Moss is an epiphytes
ii. Ferns are epiphytes
iii. Hundreds of flowering plants are epiphytes
iv. Water and debris collect in some epiphytes and provide tiny ponds for
tiny rain forest frogs
b. Herbs and ferns flourish on the forest floor
c. Rain forest trees have shallow root systems, so they often produce special
buttress roots
to help keep themselves standing upright
d. Most rain forest leaves are thick and waxy with special drip-tips to
drain away water (they are
often so big that they can be used as umbrellas)
D. Animals of the rain
forest
1. Big cats and eagles are the largest hunters in the rain forest
2. Scorpions, spiders, bees, and wasps are found all over the rain forest
3. On the forest floor, huge and heavy constrictors, like the anaconda,
wait for larger prey
a. They wait for wild boar
b. They wait for deer
4. The bushmaster, a venomous snake, hunts small animals that scavenge
on the forest floor
a. It is one of the most feared snakes in South America
b. Its bite can kill a person within hours
c. Luckily this snake is shy and not often seen
5. Each rain forest has its own type of giant eagle
a. In Africa it is the crowned eagle
b. In South America it is the harpy eagle
c. In Asia it is the monkey-eating eagle
d. Giant eagles are capable of catching monkeys, sloths, and other large
prey in the canopy layer
6. Protection from peril
a. Some butterflies have hidden eyespots on their wings, which are flashed
at predators
i. The false eyes startle the attackers
ii. This gives the butterflies a chance to escape
b. Some rain forest creatures produce a poison in their bodies that makes
them unpleasant to eat
i. Bold markings warn predators of this nasty taste
ii. Predators learn to recognize the warning signals
c. To reduce the risk of being eaten, many insects have clever camouflage
E. Soil erosion in
the rain forest
1. It takes less than ten years for rain forest land to become as barren
and lifeless as a desert
2. The soil of the rain forest is good for only three or four years of
farming
3. Then the soil cannot grow crops any longer
a. The tropical rains wash the topsoil away
b. This causes the land to become very difficult to cultivate
4. Farmers then clear more forest and start over again
II. TECHNOLOGY
A. Utilization of the
land
1. Rain forest tribes get everything they need from their homeland
2. The many different plants and animals found in the forest provide raw
materials
a. Raw materials for meals
b. Raw materials for houses
c. Raw materials for clothes
d. Raw materials for medicines
e. Raw materials for tools
f. Raw materials for cosmetics
B. Destruction
1. Rain forest are being destroyed for timber and land
a. Timber companies send in bulldozers and chainsaw gangs to cut down the
hardwood trees
b. Sometimes rain forests are cleared completely to reach rich mineral
reserves
i. Iron
ii. Copper
iii. Uranium
III. SOCIETY
A. People of the rain
forest
1. Certain groups of people have lived in the rain forests for thousands
of years
2. Rain forest tribes live in structured communities with their own cultures
and customs
a. They have a deep understanding of the way the rain forest works
b. They know how to take from the forest without causing harm
3. There are rain forest tribes in parts of Africa, Asia, and South America
a. Their way of life is threatened
b. They have rights according to international laws; however, they are
often mistreated
i. Their land is stolen
ii. Their land is invaded
c. If all the ancient tribes disappear, their detailed knowledge of the
rain forest may be lost forever
B. Use of rain forest
products
1. Most of society uses rain forest products
a. Fruits
b. Nuts
c. Cereals
d. Domestic chicken began its life on the rain forest floor
e. Hardwoods
i. Teak
ii. Mahogany
iii. Ebony
f. Other rain forest products
i. Tea
ii. Coffee
iii. Cocoa
iv. Rubber
v. Many types of medicines
2. Scientists believe that there are thousands of future foodstuffs, medicines,
and other raw
materials waiting to be discovered in the rain forest
a. There is an Amazonian tree that produces a sap very similar to diesel
fuel and can be used in a
truck
b. One-fourth of all medicines came from rain forest plants and animals
c. Rain forest insects could offer an alternative to expensive pesticides
d. There are at least 1,500 potential new fruits and vegetables growing
in the world’s rain forests
3. Kapok, from Kapok trees, is used in the stuffing of some life jackets
C. Safety issues
1. Many animals of the rain forest have poisonous bites or stings that
can cause harmful side effects
a. Can cause rashes
b. Can cause sickness
c. Can cause death
2. People need to be aware of the proper precautions to take if they are
bit or stung by an animal in
the rain forest
D. Air pollution
1. Trees and plants help to keep the air around us clean
2. They use sunlight, water, and air to make food
a. In the food-making process, they make use of the part of the air that
we breathe out
(carbon dioxide)
b. In the food-making process, they produce the part of the air that we
breathe in (oxygen)
3. When rain forests are burned down to clear land, the trees stop using
up carbon dioxide
4. The forest fires produce carbon dioxide
5. Carbon dioxide pollutes the atmosphere
E. Global warming
1. Many scientists believe that when the rain forests disappear, the earth’s
weather will change
2. They worry that the earth will become hotter and hotter
3. They worry that deserts will spread across the planet
F. Saving the rain
forests
1. More and more people are becoming aware of the need to save the rain
forests
2. Some steps have been made to slow the rate of destruction
a. Native tribes have blocked the paths of bulldozers and chainsaw gangs
b. Many conservation groups have launched rain forest campaigns
3. Much more could still be done to save the world’s rain forests
a. Timber companies could change the way they harvest the forest to reduce
the amount of
damage that they cause
b. Timber companies could replant areas of the forest that have been disturbed
c. Slash-and-burn farmers could be taught better ways to farm rain forest
lands
d. By planting trees and crops together, they could preserve the fragile
topsoil and use the same
pieces of land for many years
4. Some people are working to keep rain forests alive
5. You can make a difference, too
6. A person or group can adopt one acre of rain forest for a fee
a. The Nature Conservancy runs this program
b. They will send you a report about the land you have adopted
c. You will learn about the animals and plants that live on your acre
d. You will also be told about the work being done to save the land
i. The address of this group is The Nature Conservancy, 1815 North Lynn
Street,
Arlington, VA 22209
ii. The phone number for this group is 1-800-842-3678
Return to Table Of Content (top page)
IV. INTEGRATION
A. Social Studies
1. Geography
a. More than half of the world’s rain forests are in South and Central
America
b. The remainder of the rain forests can be found in parts of Africa, Asia,
and Australia
c. Almost all rain forests lie between two imaginary lines north and south
of the equator
i. Tropic of Cancer
ii. Tropic of Capricorn
d. Rain forests once formed a wide, green belt around the planet, but today
pictures from space tell
a different story
2. Amazon rain forest
a. The largest rain forest in the world stretches across the Amazon Basin
in South America
i. It covers an area nearly as big as Australia
ii. The Amazon River snakes through the rain forest
(a.) It is the largest river system in the world
(b.) During the rainy season, it floods the rain forest
(c.) The Amazon rain forest was named after the Amazon River
b. The land surrounding the Amazon River is called the Amazon River basin
i. A river basin is all the land drained by a river
ii. The Amazon River basin is very flat
(a.) Because of this, the land next to the river is often flooded
(b.) The rain forest thrives on the land surrounding the Amazon River
c. Brazil, the country where the Amazon rain forest is located, has a large
population
i. Very few people live in the Amazon rain forest though
ii. Some Brazilians say that only the Amazon Indians know how to live in
the
rain forest environment
(a.) The Amazon Indians have learned how to use their environment to meet
their needs
(b.) Some build houses out of branches and mud
(c.) They sleep in hammocks made of grasses and reeds
3. Culture and customs
of people who live in the rain forest
a. Some tribes build communal houses where many families live together
b. Rain forest children do not have to go to school, but they still have
a lot to learn
i. Their elders teacher them
ii. They teach them everything there is to know about the rain forest
c. Many rain forest people paint their bodies with colorful dyes and use
feathers, flowers,
and other natural materials to make simple pieces of jewelry
4. Causes for destruction
a. Many rain forests are found in poor and developing countries
i. These countries cannot afford to keep their beautiful forests
ii. They are forced to sell the land to timber companies
b. Rain forests are also cleared to make huge cash-crop plantations of
coffee, cocoa, and bananas
c. There are thousands of poor and homeless people in the rain forest
i. They are called slash-and-burn farmers
ii. They build simple homes in the forest and then burn the surrounding
vegetation to enrich the soil
B. Language Arts
1. Letter writing
a. Heading
i. Can include your address and the date
ii. In casual, friendly letters, your address is not necessary
b. Salutation (greeting)
i. This usually begins with Dear……..,
ii. After you write the person’s name, you need a comma
c. Body
i. This is for the information you are writing in your letter
ii. The body may be more than one paragraph
d. Closing
i. The first word of the closing is capitalized
ii. You need a comma after the last word of the closing
iii. Some examples of closings
(a.) Sincerely,
(b.) Your friend,
(c.) Love,
(d.) Very truly yours,
e. Signatur
i. This is your name in cursive
ii. It belongs under the closing
2. KWL charts
a. K – what you know
b. W – what you would like to know
c. L – what you learned
3. Venn diagrams
a. Used for comparing of two concepts
b. Used for contrasting of two concepts
4. Writing an opinionated
response
a. Opinions should be backed up by facts
b. Everyone is entitled to have varying opinions
5. Reading and responding
to literature
a. Identify literary elements in a story
i. Characters
ii. Setting
iii. Plot
b. Evaluate the quality of a piece of literature
i. Illustrations
ii. Interest level
iii. Content
C. Visual Arts
1. Music
a. Read music
b. Follow rhythm
c. Sing songs
d. Accentuate beat in a rap song
2. Poetry
a. Demonstrate the ability of expressing emotion through the reading of
poetry
b. Identify the function and purpose of a piece of poetry
3. Crafts
a. Incorporate the use of visual design elements
i. Color
ii. Line
iii. Shape
iv. Texture
v. Space
vi. Value
b. Use varied media to create a visual art
i. Scissors
ii. Crayons
iii. Markers
iv. Paper
v. Cutouts
vi. Tissue Paper
vii. Cellophane
viii. Color Pencils
ix. Glue
Return to Table Of Content (top page)
Lesson #1: Looking At Rain Forests
This is the introductory lesson to the thematic unit “Rain Forest Expedition”. The lesson begins with the class singing the song “Rain Forest” by Meish Goldish to the tune of “I’ve Been Working on the Rainroad” (SEE APPENDIX A). Then the class will collaboratively construct a KWL chart along with the teacher. KWL charts are excellent graphic organizers that grab the students’ interests. They will only fill out the first two columns. The chart will then be stored in their folders until the conclusion of the unit. At this time, the students will fill in the last column with the fascinating information that they learned about the rain forest. The KWL charts will be included in the final portfolios for each child. After the construction of the KWL chart (SEE APPENDIX B), the teacher will have the students close their eyes as he / she describes the setting of the rain forest. This will allow the children to create a mental picture of what the rain forest looks like, sounds like, smells like, and feels like. Then the class will take turns reading a line of the poem “Rainforest Animals” by Meish Goldish (SEE APPENDIX C). The teacher will pose questions that will result in a class discussion on the contents of the poem, techniques used in the poem, and opinions of the poem. The lesson will conclude with the teacher pointing out the class library that has been created for the thematic unit. The children will each get a copy of the recommended reading list (SEE APPENDIX D). They will be informed of an ongoing assignment. Each student is to read at least three of the books from the recommended reading list and choose one to write a book report about. Each child will get a form for the pattern of the book report (SEE APPENDIX E1 AND E2). The book reports will be included in the final portfolios for each child.
Lesson #2: Where in the World
In this lesson, students will have the opportunity to learn where most of the world’s rain forests are located. Using a large world map, the teacher will point out the Tropic of Cancer, Tropic of Capricorn, and the equator. The students will be provided with dry erase maps and will follow along by drawing these imaginary lines. Using maps that show specific rain forests as guidelines, students will come up to the teachers map and locate the various rain forests around the world. Labels will be attached with thumbtacks to the teacher’s map. Students will simultaneously label their maps with dry erase markers. At the conclusion of the activity, students will have an understanding that almost all of the Earth’s rain forests are located between two imaginary lines north and south of the equator, the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. They will be assigned a homework worksheet that will later be included in their final portfolios (SEE APPENDIX F).
Lesson #3: Layers of the Rain Forest
To begin this lesson, students will each create a flap book using directions on a worksheet (SEE APPENDIX G). The flap book will contain a section for each of the four layers of the rain forest. Then, as the teacher reads the book, Inside the Amazing Amazon, by Don Lessem, the children will write down specific characteristics of each of the layers in the corresponding section of their flap books. The children will keep the flap books as the unit progresses, and they will have the opportunity to add to it whenever they see fit. If children ever have free time between activities, they may embellish their flap book with color. The flap books will be included in the final portfolios at the end of the unit. After the creation of the flap books, the class will construct a class bulletin board stressing the layers of the rain forest (SEE APPENDIX H1, H2, AND H3). The bulletin board will include trees of various heights, vines, leaves, animals, water source, clouds, sun, and labels of the layers and their corresponding heights along the right side. The children are not only using their visual art skills to construct a bulletin board, but they are utilizing their wealth of knowledge about the layers to decipher what plants and animals belong where and which labels belong where. This lesson is an excellent example of integration between science and the visual arts.
Return to Table Of Content (top page)
Lesson #4: Rain Forest Climate
During this lesson, the students will learn what a climate is, and more specifically, what the climate of the rain forest is like. The students will record data in a daily log about two main components of our weather: temperature and precipitation. They will use the local newspaper and weather reports to gather this information. Students will learn about the weather of the rain forest through books and discussions. Students will find out that the temperature of the rain forest is always between 75° and 80°, and they will find out that they rain forest gets an average of 200 inches of rain each year. They will have the opportunity to compare and contrast the climate of their local area to that of the rain forest. Using math skills, they will calculate averages in precipitation and temperature between to two varying climates. The data log will be included in the student’s final portfolio.
Lesson #5: Rain Forest Plants
This lesson will begin with the teacher stressing that the rain forest is home to as many different kinds of plants as it is animals. The students may be surprised to know learn that many of these are now used as common houseplants. The teacher will then provide the students with information about plants that live in the rain forest including various trees, flowers, mosses, ferns, etc. The teacher will make a connection to the previous lesson on the layers of the rain forest. The teacher will ask questions to help the children access prior knowledge about what types of plants existed at what layers in the rain forest. The class will have a discussion about many of the foods that we eat today that come from rain forest plants. Then as a follow-up activity, students will get diagram of a plant and a chart containing the labels: roots, leaves, fruit, seeds, and flowers (SEE APPENDIX I). Then students will get samples of 16 spices: ginger, tarragon, basil, oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme, allspice, pepper, mustard, caraway, sesame, dill, poppyseed, cloves, and saffron. They will use them to construct their spice collage. They will have to use the chart to identify which part of the plant each spice comes from. They will then glue that spice with the corresponding part on the plant diagram. Continuously remind the students that many of these spices come from plants that are grown in the rain forest. The plant diagram with spices will be included in the students’ final portfolios. The lesson will conclude with the students taste testing a snack made from products of rain forest plants (SEE APPENDIX J).
Lesson #6: Rain Forest Animals See Detailed Lesson Section
Return to Table Of Content (top page)
Lesson #7: Rain Forest People
This lesson deals with the cultures and customs of those people who live in the rain forests around the world. The teacher presents information about the people in the rain forest, including what their lifestyle is like, how the dress, what they eat, etc. Then, individually, the students compare and contrast themselves to people who live in the rain forest. They do this comparison with the use of a Venn diagram (SEE APPENDIX K). The class then reconvenes and discusses what they each included on their individual Venn diagrams. The Venn diagrams will be included in the final portfolios. The lesson concludes with the teacher presenting the children with a website in which they can write back and forth to other people who live in rain forest countries (http://www.penpal-world.com).
Lesson #8: Gifts from the Rain Forest
This lesson begins with a brainstorm session as a whole class. The class collaboratively thinks of products that they believe come from the rain forest. The teacher makes a list on the chalkboard as items are mentioned. Students are then broken up into pairs. Each pair of students gets an 11 x 17 piece of poster board. This serves as their individual bulletin board. Then, the students work together and cut pictures out of magazines and newspapers of the items that they previously listed. They form their clippings into a collage and creatively title their collage. Each of the items pictured needs to have a caption explaining how we use the different products today (SEE APPENDIX L). The teacher will take photographs of the students bulletin boards to be included in their final portfolios. The concluding activity for this lesson involves the product of rubber. Students will learn that rubber originated in the rain forest, and they will discuss the use of rubber today (rain coats, shoe soles, water bottles, balls, rubber cement, combs, tires, rubber bands, etc.). The students will then have the opportunity to make rubber using tap water, Elmer’s Glue, 4% borax solution, stirring rods, paper towels, plastic drinking cups, and graduated cylinders. This activity allows for student exploration and manipulation of the created substance (SEE APPENDIX M1 AND M2).
Lesson #9: Amazon Rain Forest
This lesson begins with the teacher reading aloud the book, The Great Kapok Tree, by Lynne Cherry. Then the students will complete a corresponding worksheet (SEE APPENDIX N). To complete the worksheet, the students will have to pretend that they are a rain forest plant or animal, and then they have to decide what they will tell Senhor. Whatever they decide to say to Senhor should make him want to stop chopping down the Amazon rain forest. The worksheet not only calls for elaboration from the piece of literature, but it checks on the students’ comprehension skills. The worksheet will become a part of the final portfolios. Then, as a class, the students will each have the opportunity to make their individual miniature rain forest (SEE APPENDIX O). They will use fine gravel, washed horticultural charcoal, mixed potting soil, a clear pickle jar with lid, piece of nylon, and an assortment of tropical plants. Some recommendations for plants to use include Madagascar palm, tropical foliage, pteris fern, silver tree plant, aluminum plant, and rain tree plant. The student’s miniature rain forests will be put on display in the room, and they will be observed through the course of the unit to take notice to any significant changes.
Lesson #10: Rain Forest Destruction
This lesson focuses on how and why the rain forests are being destroyed. Referring back to the lesson on the layers of the rain forest, the class will focus on the rain forest ecosystem. The students will have the opportunity to fill out a cause and effect chain (SEE APPENDIX P) that displays the crucial relationship between all organisms’ lives. The students will discuss the importance of habitats, food, water, etc. and acknowledge how destruction of the rain forests impacts each of these areas. The students will also refer back to the lesson on the gifts from the rain forest, and they will collaboratively develop a pro and con list on the chalkboard. This pro and con list will concentrate on positive attributes of rain forest destruction and negative attributes of rain forest destruction. Finally, students will individually research some factors that contribute to the destruction of the rain forest. They will then develop an opinionated response paper to posed statements (SEE APPENDIX Q). This opinionated response paper will be included in the final portfolio.
Lesson #11: Rain Forest Soil Erosion See Detailed Lesson Section
Lesson #12: Saving the Rain Forests
This lesson will focus on society’s crucial impact on nature. The teacher will facilitate a discussion in which the students will brainstorm and list on the chalkboard ways in which they can contribute to saving the rain forest. The teacher will instruct the students to develop a friendly letter addressed to The Natural Conservancy at 1815 North Lynn Street, Arlington, VA 22209. In their letter, they will demonstrate an interest in the world’s rain forests, and they will specifically request information on how to contribute to saving the world’s rain forests. The students will be given a brief review of the guidelines for a friendly letter (SEE APPENDIX R1 AND R2). They will also be given stationary in which to write their letter on (SEE APPENDIX S1 AND S2). This lesson will incorporate language arts while also fostering an awareness and participation in saving the world’s rain forests. Copies of the students’ letters will be included in the final portfolios.
Return
to Table Of Content (top page)
Summative Assessment Tool
The summative assessment tool used
for the 3rd grade thematic unit, “Rain Forest Expedition” is a student
portfolio. Various examples of student’s work should be collected
throughout the implementation of the unit. The collected examples
are noted in the lesson summaries. These examples will be combined
to give the teacher an overall idea of how well the student worked, achieved,
and learned during the unit on the rain forest. The included work
samples are listed below.
WORK SAMPLES INCLUDED IN FINAL PORTFOLIOS
Rubric For Summative Assessment
My Progress on the Rain Forest Expedition
Name of student:__________________
1. book report P- P P+
2. “Where in the world?” worksheet P- P P+
3. flap books P- P P+
4. climate data log P- P P+
5. spice collage P- P P+
6. collection of materials from the webquest P- P P+
7. Venn diagrams P- P P+
8. photograph of their rain forest product collage P- P P+
9. “Please Senhor!” worksheet P- P P+
10. opinionated response paper P- P P+
11. data sheets with statement of understanding P- P P+
12. letters to the Natural Conservancy
P-
P
P+
Lesson 6 prepared by Lori Lucci ELU 205/Winter2002
Title: Animal Exploration
Topic: Animals of
the Rain Forest
Grade Level: 3rd
Performance Objectives
General
1. Students will
understand the large variety of unique animals of the rain forest.
2. Students will
analyze the rap, and give feedback of their understanding.
3. Students will
successfully organize themselves in groups of three to prepare for the
webquest.
4. Students will
perform the tasks required on the webquest by accurately following the
directions.
5. Students will
navigate the Internet to successfully research a rain forest animal of
their choice and answer the questions given.
6. Students will
show an understanding of their animal by accurately drawing and coloring
their animal.
7. Students will
compare and contrast their findings with their group members.
8. Students will
show oral skills by presenting information learned to the class.
9. Students will
model a food chain with the animals they researched.
10. Students will
comprehend the working of a food chain by completing cycle graph.
Science
1. Students will
understand and identify the five types of mammals.
2. Students will
understand the term “endangered species”.
3. Students will
understand the term “camouflage.”
4. Students will
understand the term “ecosystem” and how each animal takes a role in it.
5. Students will
understand the food chain of the rain forest.
Integrated
1. Music - Students
will listen and answer questions to the “Rain Forest Rap”.
2. Technology -
Students will accurately demonstrate activities of the webquest using the
Internet.
3. Social Skills
- Students will successfully work in groups while collaboratively learning.
4. Oral Skills -
Students will present research to class.
5. Art - Students
will demonstrate their knowledge of their animal by accurately drawing
and coloring it.
6. Kinesthetic-
Students will model the food chain of the rain forest and infer from it.
Return to Table Of Content (top page)
Pennsylvania State Standards
Speaking and Listening
1.6.5
C. Speak using skills
appropriate to formal speech situations.
· Use complete
sentences.
· Pronounce
words correctly.
· Use appropriate
volume.
· Pace speech
so that it is understandable.
D. Contribute to
discussions.
· Ask relevant
questions.
· Respond
with relevant information or opinions to questions asked.
· Listen
to and acknowledge the contributions of others.
· Give reasons
for opinions.
· Summarize
when prompted.
E. Participate in
small and large group discussions and presentations.
· Participate
in everyday conversations.
· Present
an oral reading.
· Deliver
research reports.
F. Using media for
learning purposes.
· Access
information on the Internet.
Research 1.8.5
C. Organize and
present the main ideas from research.
· Present
the topic using relevant information.
Unifying Themes 3.1.4
B. Know models as
useful simplifications of objects or processes.
· Identify
and apply models as tools for predictions and insight.
C. Illustrate patterns
that regularly occur in nature.
Biological Sciences
3.3.4
A. Know the similarities
and differences of living things.
· Identify
the process of living things.
· Know that
some organisms have similar external characteristics.
Technological Devices
3.7.4
C. Identify basic
computer operations and concepts.
D. Identify basic
computer communication systems.
· Use online
searches to answer age appropriate questions.
Environmental Health
4.3.4
B. Understand that
the elements of natural systems are interdependent.
· Identify
some organisms that live together in an ecosystem.
· Understand
the components of that system all play a part for a healthy natural system.
· Identify
the effects of a healthy environment on the ecosystem.
Ecosystems and their
Environments 4.6.4
A. Understand that
living things are dependent on nonliving things in the environment for
survival.
· Identify
and categorize living and nonliving things.
· Describe
the basic needs of an organism.
· Identify
plants and animals with their habitat and food sources.
Threatened, Endangered,
or Extinct Species 4.7.4
B. Know that adaptations
are important for survival.
· Explain
how specific adaptations can help a living organism to survive.
· Explain
what happens to a living thing when its food, water, shelter, or space
is changed.
Production, Performing,
and Exhibition of Dance, Music, Theatre, and Visual Art 9.1.4
D. Demonstrate the
ability to define objects, express emotion, illustrate an action, or relate
an expression through creation of works of art.
Return to Table Of Content (top page)
Benchmarks For Science Literacy
BY THE END OF 5th GRADE, STUDENTS SHOULD KNOW THAT:
Nature of Technology
– Technology and Science
· Technology
enables scientists and others to observe things that are too small or too
far away to be seen without them and to study the motion of objects that
are moving very rapidly or are hardly moving at all.
Living Environment
– Diversity of Life
· A great
variety of kinds of living things can be sorted into groups in many ways
using various features to decide which things belong to which group.
Living Environment
– Interdependence of Life
· Changes
in an organism’s habitat are sometimes beneficial to it and sometimes are
harmful.
Teaching Strategies
Materials:
song “Rainforest
Rap” (SEE APPENDIX T1 AND T2)
webquest (SEE APPENDIX
U1, U2, U3, AND U4)
access to webquest,
one computer for every three students
paper
markers
crayons
colored pencils
yarn
Venn diagram (SEE
APPENDIX V)
group evaluation
forms (SEE APPENDIX W1 AND W2)
cycle graph (SEE
APPENIX X)
Implementation:
1. As a motivator
to begin the lesson, students will first listen to the “Rain Forest Rap”.
The students will be asked to identify the animals and their corresponding
habitats mentioned in the song.
2. Students will
then split themselves into groups of three
3. Students will
perform webquest activities. Students are instructed to follow directions
of the webquest.
a. Students will
select a vertebrate and research according to information on the web.
They will then record the information.
b. Students will
accurately draw and color the animal they chose.
c. Students will
share information with group members, using a Venn diagram, and they will
compare and contrast the lifestyles and characteristics of their animals.
d. Students will
evaluate the web-quest, and their group work using group evaluation forms.
4. As a concluding
activity, students will represent their animal while standing in a circle
holding their pictures. They will be provided with pieces of yarn.
Going around the circle, each student will present their findings of their
animal (task #1) and talk about their picture (task #2). The students
will then make connections with what they prey on. Students will
gain an understanding through the web of connections of what animals prey
on each other.
5. They will learn
what lies at the top of the food chain to the very lowest of the food chain.
6. Discussion will
follow concerning the manipulation of the food chain. Students will
predict what would happen. Students will exemplify their comprehension
of this activity by completing the cycle graph.
7. The student’s
formative assessment will be the evaluation included on the webquest.
They will be assessed according to the criteria on the webquest.
Students will also be assessed according to the accurate completion of
the cycle graph.
Methods:
The students are
to learn about the rain forest. In this lesson, the focus will be
on animals. The lesson will begin with the students listening to
a rap song about all the various types of animals and habitats of the rain
forest. The students will be instructed to listen extra carefully
so they can answer a focus question on the music. “What types of
animals were mentioned, and where do they live?” This motivational
activity will lead into an oral discussion of answers from the students.
This will allow for a transition into the main activity of the lesson,
a webquest. The webquest will be done in groups of three, and it
contains directions in it. Once all the tasks of the webquest are
completed and shared with the class, omitting task #4, the last activity
of the lesson will be human model representing the food chain of the rain
forest.
Activity Sources
Benchmarks For Science
Literacy http://www.project2061.org/
Pennsylvania Academic
Standards http://www.pde.psu.edu/standard/stan.html
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to Table Of Content (top page)
Title: Slippery Soil
Topic: Rain Forest
Soil Erosion
Grade Level: 3rd
Performance Objectives
General
1. Students will
be able to work together cooperatively in a group setting.
2. Students will
be able to set up and clean up a variety of materials while incorporating
safe and clean practices.
Science
1. Students will
be able to observe that soil erosion occurs when the water washes the soil
away from the trays.
2. Students will
be able to record data taken while conducting a scientific experiment on
soil erosion.
3. Students will
be able to construct a general scientific understanding that plants hold
soils in place via roots, and they help prevent soil erosion by water.
Integrated
1. Language Arts
- Students will be able to conclude, through a written response, that soil
erosion by water increases with the destruction of rain forests.
2. Language Arts
– Students will be able to contribute to class discussions and offer explanations
for occurrences.
3. Visual Arts –
Students will be able to draw visual representations of their scientific
experiment.
Pennsylvania State Standards
Unifying Themes 3.1.4
C. Illustrate patterns
that regularly occur and reoccur in nature.
Inquiry and Design
3.2.4
C. Recognize and
use the elements of scientific inquiry to solve problems.
· Design
an investigation.
· Conduct
an experiment.
· State a
conclusion that is consistent with the information.
Earth Sciences 3.5.4
A. Know basic landforms
and earth history.
· Describe
earth processes (e.g., rusting, weathering, and erosion) that have affected
selected physical environments.
Renewable and Nonrenewable
Resources 4.2.4
C. Know that some
natural resources have limited life spans.
Ecosystems and Their
Interactions 4.6.4
A. Understand that
living things are dependent on nonliving things in the environment for
survival.
· Identify
environmental variables that affect plant growth.
Humans and the Environment
4.8.4
C. Explain how human
activities may change the environment.
· Explain
examples of how human activities within a community affect the natural
environment.
Types of Writing
1.4.3
B. Write informational
pieces (e.g., descriptions, letters, reports, and instructions) using illustrations
when relevant.
C. Write an opinion
and support it with facts.
Quality of Writing
1.5.3
A. Write with a
sharp, distinct focus identifying topic, task, and audience.
Speaking and Listening
1.6.3
D. Contribute to
discussions.
· Ask relevant
questions.
· Respond
with appropriate information or opinions to questions asked.
· Listen
to and acknowledge contributions made by others.
· Display
appropriate turn-taking behaviors.
Production, Performing,
and Exhibition of Dance, Music, Theatre, and Visual Art 9.1.4
D. Demonstrate the
ability to define objects, express emotion, illustrate an action, or relate
an expression through creation of works of art.
Benchmarks For Science Literacy
BY THE END OF 5th GRADE, STUDENTS SHOULD KNOW THAT:
The Nature of Science
– Scientific Inquiry
· Scientific
investigations may take many different forms, including observing what
things are like or what is happening somewhere, collecting specimens for
analysis, and doing experiments. Investigations can focus on physical,
biological, and social questions.
The Physical Setting
– Processes that Shape the Earth
· Waves,
wind, water, and ice shape and reshape earth’s land surface by eroding
rock and soil in some areas and depositing them in other areas, sometimes
in seasonal layers.
Common Themes – Constancy
and Change
· Things
change in steady, repetitive, or irregular ways – or sometimes in more
than one way at the same time. Often the best way to tell which kinds
of change are happening is to make a table or graph of measurements.
Habits of Mind –
Values and Attitudes
· Keep records
of their investigations and observations and not change the records later.
· Offer reasons
for their findings and consider reasons suggested by others.
Habits of Mind –
Manipulation and Observation
· Measure
and mix dry and liquid material (in kitchen, garage, or laboratory) in
prescribed amounts, exercising reasonable safety.
· Keep a
notebook that describes observations made, carefully distinguishes actual
observations from ideas and speculations about what was observed, and is
understandable weeks or months later.
Teaching Strategies
Materials:
tray with grass
growing in soil
tray with just soil
two empty trays
rubber bands
paper towels
ruler
wood props or textbooks
graduated cylinders
data sheet (SEE
APPENDIX Y)
overhead projector
transparency (SEE
APPENDIX Z)
markers
pencils
journal
chalkboard
chalk
Implementation:
1. The class will
be divided up into groups of four.
a. Students will
be given the question: “Which container (the container with grass and soil
or the container with just soil) will displace the greatest amount of soil
when the same amount of water is poured on to each one?”
b. Students will
first individually draw and describe in their journals what they think
will happen.
i. The students
are participating in the scientific process.
ii. They are making
a hypothesis.
c. Then the students
will share their hypotheses with their groups and the rest of the class.
d. The class will
chart on the chalkboard their hypotheses.
2. Each group will
then be given four trays (one with grass and soil, one with soil, and two
empty ones).
3. They will have
to put a piece of paper towel around the two empty trays, and tighten them
securely with a rubber band.
4. They will tilt
each of the trays using wood props or textbooks so that one end is higher
than the other.
a. Both of the trays
need to be tilted the same.
b. The empty trays
with paper towels need to be placed at the bottom of the other two containers.
c. They will filter
the water from the dirt as it is displaced.
5. Students will
measure the same amount of water to be poured on both of the filled trays.
6. They will then
pour the water on each of the trays and let the soil displace.
7. After the water
has filtered out and just left the dirt on the paper towels, the students
should make new drawings in their journals depicting what occurred.
8. The students
will then fill in their data sheet and answer the questions that follow.
9. After students
have had sufficient time to complete the data sheet, the class will reconvene.
10. We will discuss
what the results of the experiment were.
11. We will then
compare them to the hypotheses on the chalkboard.
12. Teacher will
inform the students that the term used to describe what happened to the
soil is erosion.
13. Teacher will
then ask, “How does erosion occur?”
a. The water pushes
unstable soil.
b. Soil erosion
occurs when unprotected soil is washed away by rainfall.
14. Teacher will
then ask, “Why was there less soil eroded from the container with the grass?”
a. Plants prevent
soil erosion by stabilizing the soil with their root systems.
b. The roots grab
a hold of the soil.
15. Then the teacher
will show the transparency and explain how this experiment relates to the
rain forest.
16. Then, the students
will write a statement of general understanding on the back of their data
sheets.
a. The data sheets
with the statement of understanding will be included in the final portfolios.
b. The statements
of understanding will serve as the formative assessment for the teacher
to see if the students met the performance objectives.
17. The experiments
will be cleaned up.
Methods:
This lesson
incorporates a variety of methods in delivering the intended message.
First of all, the students all make predictions prior to conducting the
experiments. This is an important step in the scientific process,
and it also engages the students in active problem solving. Secondly,
the children have an extensive opportunity to explore with cooperative
learning. They have to work together to set up their experiment,
record data, make interpretations, and clean up their work area.
Also, the teacher then elaborates on the experiment with soil erosion to
apply it to the rain forest biome. Students can then apply their
gained knowledge to another area. Finally, the students are individually
held accountable for writing a statement of general understanding on the
backs of their data sheets. This gives the teacher an overall idea
if the students internalized the concept that was stressed.
Activity Sources
Ask Eric
http://www.askeric.org/
Benchmarks For Science
Literacy http://www.project2061.org/
Pennsylvania Academic
Standards http://www.pde.psu.edu/standard/stan.html
Return
to Table Of Content (top page)
Buttress roots: develop to support heavy tree trunks and help keep the tall trees of the rain forest upright
Camouflage: the method by which the surface of certain creatures is covered in patterns to hide them from predators, an example would be a chameleon who can change its body color according to the background it walks against
Canopy: the umbrellalike layer of the rain forest
Carbon dioxide: gas that is absorbed from the air by plants and produced when humans and other animals exhale
Communal houses: homes in which many families live in together
Conservation: the preservation of natural species and environments that have been exploited by humans, it involves help from governments and scientists
Cultivate: to promote the growth of plants
Drip-tip: the long tip on most leaves in the rain forest that sheds rain from the leaf’s waxy surface
Emergent Layer: the top layer of the rain forest
Environment: the surroundings in which a person, plant, or animal lives
Epiphytes: plants that grow on another plant without damaging it
Foodstuffs: the raw materials of food before or after processing
Ground Layer: the bottom layer of the rain forest
Hardwoods: trees whose wood is excellent for making strong furniture, and this is one cause of the destruction of large parts of the rain forest
Oxygen: the gas that humans and other animals breathe in, it is required for life to exist
Raw materials: basic materials that can be converted by manufacturing, by processing, or by combining them to form new and useful products
River basin: all the land that is drained by a river and by the streams that feed the river
Scavenge: to feed on the refuse left by others, for instance, on another animal’s kill
Slash-and-burn farming: a practice of poor farmers who clear areas of the rain forest for soil on which to grow their crops, these farmers move on every few seasons, because the soil holds little value once the trees have gone
Topsoil: the soil that lies above stony ground beneath the rain forest floor, this rich earth is held in place by the trees, but it is rapidly washed away by rain when the trees are cut down
Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn: imaginary lines at about 23° 27” north and south of the equator, and the area between these two lines is known as the tropics (most rain forests are found in this region
Understory: the middle layer of the rain forest
Venomous snake: a snake that injects poison when it bites
Return
to Table Of Content (top page)
Banks, James. Regions
Near and Far. New York, New York: Macmillan / McGraw –
Hill School Division,
1993.
Baker, Lucy. Life in the Rain Forest. Princeton, New Jersey: Two-Can, 2000.
Cherry, Lynee. The Great Kapok Tree. New York, New York: Harcourt Brace, 1990.
Integrated Theme Units. New York, New York: Scholastic, 1994.
O’Mara, Anna. Rain Forests. Mankato, Minnesota: Bridgestone Books, 1996.
Teaching Resources
with Color Transparencies. Needham, Massachusetts: Prentice-Hall,
2000.
Wheeler, Ronald.
Creative
Resources for Elementary Classrooms and School-Age
Programs.
Albany, New York: Delmar Publishers, 1997.
Cherry, Lynne. The Great Kapok Tree. New York, New York: Harcourt Brace, 1990.
Goodman, Billy. The Rainforest. New York, New York: Tern Enterprise, 1991.
Lessem, Don.
Inside the Amazing Amazon. New York, New York: Random House,
1995.
Pratt, Kristen. A
Walk in the Rain Forest. Nevada City, California: Dawn
Publications, 1992.
Silver, Donald. Why
Save the Rain Forest?. New York, New York: Julian Messner,
1993.
Stone, Lynn. People
of the Rain Forest. Vero Beach, Florida: Rourke Corporation,
1994.
Stone, Lynn. Vanishing
Rain Forest. Vero Beach, Florida: Rourke Corporation, 1994.
Return
to Table Of Content (top page)
http://www.abcteach.com/RainforestFacts/RFtableofcontents.htm
http://www.educ.wsu.edu/esl/Amazon.html
http://www.rainbird.com/rainforest/
Return
to Table Of Content (top page)
Rain Forest Song
“Rain Forest” by Meish Goldish (Sung to I've Been Working on the Railroad)
I've been walking in the rain forest,
All among the trees.
I've been walking in the rain forest,
Where I saw the bats and bees.
Parrots, butterflies and toucans,
Monkeys and hummingbirds galore.
Frogs and snakes and spotted leopards,
On the rain forest floor!
I've been working in the rain forest,
All among the green.
I've been walking in the rain forest,
Where the plant life must be seen!
Ferns and mosses and lianas,
Orchids and honeysuckle, too.
Oh, how special is the rain forest,
A magic place come true!
APPENDIX C
Rain Forest Poem
“Rain Forest Animals” by Meish Goldish
Where can you find a toucan?
In the rain forest you can!
High on a limb is where it,
Can be seen with the monkey and parrot.
Squirrels leap from tree to tree,
While bats go flying free.
There's a bee, mosquito, and moth,
Look up, there's a hanging sloth!
Down on the rain forest floor,
Are big and small creatures galore:
The antelope, deer, and hog,
Plus termites and ants on a log.
Every day, hour by hour,
Butterflies float on a flower.
Lizards and snakes also play ,
In rain forest plants all day.
Ocelots, jaguars, leopards-
The rain forest is a popular address.
APPENDIX D
Recommended Reading List
At Home in the Rain Forest by Diane Willow
Destination: Rain Forest by Jonathan Grupper
Emily the Rain Forest Monkey by Nancy Skolnik
The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry
Here is the Tropical Rain Forest by Madeleine Dunphy
How Monkeys Make Chocolate by Adrian Forsyth
Inside the Amazing Amazon by Don Lessem
Journey of the Red Eyed Tree Frog by Tanis Jordan
Learning About Rain Forest Animals by Sy Barlowe
Life in the Rain Forest by Melvin Berge
Look Closer: Rain Forest by Barbara Taylor
People of the Rain Forest by Lynn Stone
The Rain Forest by Billy Goodman
Vanishing Rain Forest by Lynn Stone
A Walk in the Rainforest by Kristen Pratt
Welcome to the Green House by Jane Yolen
Why Save the Rain Forest? by Donald Silver
APPENDIX J
Rain Forest Treat
Make a rain forest treat. You will need chocolate chips, macadamia nuts,
cashews, banana chips, dried papaya, mango, and flaked coconut. Mix together
and enjoy!
APPENDIX Q
Endangered Rain Forest
The rain forests are being threatened every day. Research some of the factors that cause the destructions of the rain forest. Then read the statements below. Choose one of the statements to write an opinion paper. Support some of your own statements with data you have found.
Statement #1: Rain forests are important to all living things and should be protected.
Statement #2: Man needs more space to live and needs to clear rain forest land for progress.
MY RESPONSE: