California Academy of Science
Tropical Belt
Where in the world is the equator? Explore a world map with your class, coloring in oceans, continents, and rainforests while locating the three major lines of latitude: the equator, Tropic of Cancer, and Tropic of Capricorn. Discuss how...
Curated OER
The Rain Forest of Costa Rica
Fifth graders examine and discuss the topography, climate, natural resources and artwork of Costa Rica. They develop a diagram of the layers of the rain forest, and design a tourist brochure or advertisement promoting Costa Rica's...
Living Rainforest
Finding the Rainforests
From Brazil to Indonesia, young scientists investigate the geography and climate of the world's tropical rain forests with this collection of worksheets.
Curated OER
Tropical Rainforests
Students create their own rainforest environment. This tropical rainforest instructional activity, introduces where rainforests are located, their real world connections, and their structural make up. It includes further resources online.
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Going...going...gone? Tropical Rainforests-How They Work, What They Do for Us, What's Being Done to Them...
Sixth graders explore the Tropical Rainforest and come to understand what it is and how it affects the ecosystem. In this rainforests instructional activity, 6th graders write about the Tropical Rainforest, imagine they are in the...
Curated OER
Rainforests
Students research and identify locations of the rainforest. In this rainforest lesson, students view a world map and identify the locations of the rainforest. Students use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast the similarities between...
Curated OER
Fruits of the Rain Forest
Sixth graders research rain forests and complete activities for the topic. In this rain forest lesson, 6th graders learn vocabulary about rain forests and research online for rain forest facts. Students research the layers of the rain...
Curated OER
Rain Forests: A Disappearing Act?
Students examine and locate rainforests on maps, and research the patterns of their destruction. They develop a bar graph of rainfall and temperature data, write a journal entry, and research the people, animals, and plants/products of...
Curated OER
Welcome to the Rain Forest
Fourth graders become aware of the worlds rain forest and study the plants of the rain forest and the adaptations they have made to survive in the environment.
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Global Warming and Rainforests
Students examine the connections between global warming and the condition of the rainforests. In this geography lesson, students read an article about the 2 topics and then write summaries of the information they read.
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An Emerald Place
Students discover four layers of the rain forest and identify the life of animals at each level.
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How can my breakfast help the birds?
Sixth graders design farms with a bird's habitat in mind. In this farm lesson plan, 6th graders research how sun grown coffee destroys a bird habitat, and then they make their own farm with a bird's habitat being preserved. They then...
Curated OER
What Makes a Tropical Rainforest Special?
Students examine the characteristics of the tropical rainforest. Using a map, they locate the rainforests found around the world, continents and the equator. Using the internet, they research the various layers of the rainforest and...
Curated OER
Vanishing Rainforests: How can We Save Them?
Students focus in on the Amazon Rain forest. They research about various plants and animals that exist in our rain forests. Students develop knowledge of resources that come from our rain forests. They analyze the cause/effect of rain...
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies
Schoolyard Biodiversity Investigation Educator Guide
In 1980, in the tropical rainforests of Panama, scientists discovered 1,200 species of beetles living in and around just 19 trees, with most of the species new to science—that's biodiversity! In the activity, learners work in teams to...
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Rainforests
Fourth graders explore the rainforests. They research and identify the four levels of the rainforests. Students locate and research animals that are found in each level of the rainforest. They write a descriptive story about the rainforest.
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It's A Jungle in Here!
Fifth graders research rainforest destruction. In this geography and ecology lesson, 5th graders work as a group to research the effects of logging, farming, and mining on the rainforest. Students gather and display data and information...
Curated OER
Rain Forest Reporters
Students work as magazine reporters to produce a print or multimedia magazine about rain forests.
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Re: Forest Station
Students read an online article to explore rainforests of the world starting with the Barro Colorado reserve in the Panama Canal. They participate in a mock international summit about rainforest conservation issues.
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Enduring Understanding
Fourth graders explore indigenous people of rainforest and examine their customs and ways of life. They discuss how rainforests should be protected not only for their plants and animals, but also for indigenous people who live in them,...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
BiomeViewer
Which holds more influence, the environment over humans or humans over the environment? Young scientists explore an online interactive that addresses this discussion. They observe changes in the natural world over time and see which...
Curated OER
Using Venn Diagrams to Compare Two Ecosystems
Young scholars explore the distribution of two ecosystems on a global scale; and map the distribution of tropical and temperate rain forests throughout the world. They use a Venn Diagram to describe these ecosystems and the differences...
Curated OER
Hyperlink Habitats
Young scholars explore an online Hyperlink Habitat to illustrate the interconnectedness of a tropical rainforest ecosystem. They create a map of the Hyperlink Habitat and research a local ecosystem and create their own print or Web...
Curated OER
Rainforest Layers Illustration
In this science and geography worksheet, students learn about the emergent layer, canopy, understory and undergrowth layers of the rain forest by studying this labeled color picture.