The following project is currently under progress by Rhode Island teachers. Although in some activities, the teachers have borrowed and adapted ideas from other teachers and current programs and sources on the Internet, the work is their own. The activities are displayed here in their original form , unedited as they have submitted them. In most cases, these are ongoing projects. The names, school districts, and email addresses of the authors are included. Please feel free to contact the authors with any suggestions, comments, or even participation.Teaching and learning are cooperative efforts.
THE RAINFOREST
PROJECT OVERVIEW:
The following collection of bookmarks of internet sites was compiled to enhance a rainforest project that was first completed at the end of the school year '94-95. The project was completed by a full inclusion fifth grade class of thirty-six mainstream and special needs (learning disabled) students.
The students constructed a classroom rainforest that consisted of the following components:
- a rainforest simulation that contained live plants, live birds, paper mache animals, and sketched animals
- a habitat destruction exhibit
- a product display
- a software demonstration (Amazon trail)
- a drip tip demonstration
- maps and charts
- a wall-sized student drawn mural.
Some students were stationed at each component to give explanations. Other students were designated to give tours to other classes, parents and teachers. Students utilized CD Roms, books and magazines to research information needed to complete each component. Internet sites would greatly increase the amount of current information students could access as well as additional resources for teachers and contacts to relevant organizations for all interested parties.
I found comparatively few actual lesson plans or activities designed specifically for the rainforest. The potentional does exist in a variety of sites to build a collection of activites to use in the classroom.
Rainforest information
- Australian National Botanic Gardens Biodiversity Server
- This is the homepage for the Aus. Nat. Bot. Gardens. Contains info and pictures about some rainforest plants.
- Electronic Zoo/NetVet - Animal Image Collection Page
- Pictures of animals students can use in a variety of ways.
- Information Resources and Contacts
- Contains a list of organizations with email addresses kids and teachers can use to get information about the organization or the rainforest.
- RAN homepage
- Rainforest Action Network homepage. Students and teachers can access info about RAN, a kid's corner action alert on what's new, campaigns, how to join RAN, tribal links, and rainforest information.
- RAN Info Center
- Index of rainforest topics for research.
- Rainforest Workshop Home Page
- rainforest workshop home page --Very rich resource of information, pictures and lesson plans.
- Rates of Rainforest Destruction
- Contains info about rates of habitat loss and species extinction. Info can be used for math activities. Computations then can be integrated into rainforest destruction exhibit and presentation.
- Common Birds of the Australian National Botanic Gardens
- Contains information about tropical birds including rosellas (class pet).
- Kids' Action
- This is a homepage for kids about rainforest. It contains links to what kids can do and detailed info about rainforest animals and people.
- Kids' Action: Rainforests Are Full of Life!
- Graphics and text about tribes and animals in the rainforest.
- Rainforest Audio-Visuals for the Classroom
- List of videotapes, age level and purchasing info for use in classroom.
- Kids' Action: Rainforest Animals
- General information about animals and behaviors.
- The Tree of Life Home Page
- The Tree of Life is a system designed to contain information about phylogenetic relationships and to illustrate the diversity of life. Under construction, but worth investigating!
- Land Plants
- Tree of Life page that contains a list of sources that have information about certain land plants, including some rainforest plants.
- Protect An Acre Program Overview
- How to join the program and what it's about.
- Mad-Dog Expeditions: The Amazon'S RIO NEGRO in Depth
- Diving organization that is traveling to the Amazon in Aug. '95. Possible site for students to email questions.
Rainforest activities
- Levels of the Rainforest Activity
- Lesson plan for activity for construction of a wall model of rainforest.
- ANIMAL AWARENESS
- Lesson plan for activity where students research an animal and present their findings in various ways.
- This is the homepage for the Aus. Nat. Bot. Gardens. Contains info and pictures about some rainforest plants.
AUTHORS:
Kinsman, Kathleen kinsman@meol.mass.edu M.L. Donovan Elementary School - Randolph, Massachussetts grade 5.