Rainforest Unit

RAIN FOREST UNIT

By: Karla Becker and Roberta Gray

Subject Matter and Grade Level:
After completing this unit, students will have a greater understanding of the rainforest including topics such as animals, plants, destruction, scientific discoveries, structure and location.

Brief Description:
Through an extensive Internet search in assigned sites and hands-on activities, students will acquire an understanding of the structure, plant and animal life, environmental problems, and location of the rainforests.

MAJOR LEARNING ACTIVITIES:
1. Internet search: Students will search predetermined Internet sites for information assigned to their team. Using the information they found each team is then required to develop a study guide covering all the major topics. Each team's study guide will be copied and distributed to each student in the class. The class will use these study guides to prepare for their final evaluation of the unit.

2. Microsoft Word PowerPoint Presentation: Using the information on the study guide, each team is to develop a PowerPoint Presentation on the computer. After the presentations have been developed and rehearsed, so each team member knows the information thoroughly, they will show and “teach” their information to the rest of the class using the LCD projector.

3. Layers of the Rainforest Activity: Students will construct a wall model of the layers in the rainforest. They will draw, color, etc. pictures of organisms found in the rainforest. These pictures must then be placed in the appropriate layer on the “wall model”.

4. Rainforest CD-ROM: After several interactive sessions using this program, students will gain a greater understanding concerning all aspects of the rainforest including plants and animals, structure, environmental concerns and scientific discoveries.

5. Final Evaluation: Using the study guides developed from the student internet searches, the teacher will develop a final evaluation.

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