Forest Friends Forever (Grades 1-2)

Master Teacher

Maxine M. Hyman

Time Allotment

Two 45-minute class periods

Overview

Can people survive without forests? Can forests survive without people? In this lesson, students will find the answers to these important questions. Students will listen to a giant, old oak explain to a little sapling how people and forests must co-exist in the wonderful video Forest Family Forever! With Ed Asner. Most rain forests are found near the equator around Africa, Asia, Australia and some islands in the Pacific. This lesson will focus on the rain forests in Central and South America. Students will identify the four layers of a tropical rainforest; identify rain forest animals and plants; explore how the indigenous people of the rain forest live; and also discover the importance of recycling forest products. Students will use literature, hands-on activities, and online multimedia activities.

Subject Matter

Science

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

South Carolina Standards

(These Standards are available online at http://www.sde.state.sc.us/offices/cso/.)

·        Standard 1-Process skills and inquiries are embedded throughout this lesson (observe, classify, measure, communicate, inquiry).

·        IB1b-Plan and conduct a simple investigation.

·        IA1-Investigate and explain that plants require air, water, nutrients, space, and light to survive and reproduce.

·        IIA2a-Identify the parts of a plant (seeds, roots, stems, leaves, flower, and fruit).

·        IIA1a-Identify the basic needs of animals, including shelter and living space.

·        IIA2a-Describe the relationship between animals and their habitats.

·        IIB1a-Observe and communicate the growth and development of a variety of plants from seed.

·        IIC2a-Explore and describe that living things can change the environment.

·        IIC2b-Investigate how natural resources can be reused and recycled to reduce consumption.

Media Components

Video

Forest Family Forever! With Ed Asner journeys into an enchanted rain forest where magical trees come to life and empower young people with ways to protect the last ancient rain forest on earth. This program can be found in the ITV Resource Catalog online at http://www.itv.scetv.org.

Web Sites

Rain Forest Live for Tropical Rainforests

(http://www.rainforestlive.org.uk)

This Web site has a short movie showing tropical rain forest animals and a "Play the layers interactive game." To get to that game, click on KIDZ. Then click Games and click the picture.

Enchanted Learning

(http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/rainforest) This Web site has rain forest information, animal printouts, a puzzle, and rain forest math games. It is used in the Culminating Activity.

Materials

Per student:

For the class:

Equipment

Prep for Teachers

Introductory Activity

Step 1: Distribute Activity Sheet 1: Rain Forest Webbing Activity and then show students a small potted plant. Ask them to describe the plant and write their responses on their word web.

Step 2: Tell students they are going on an adventure to a distant place that has many trees. (Note to Teacher: Don't tell them where they are going.)

Step 3: Then ask: "Where are we going?" List their suggestions on the board or chart paper. (Language Arts Integration)

Step 4: Say: "Have you ever visited a rain forest?" Let the students respond. (Explain to the children that the forests they normally see are woodland forests-not rain forests.) Tell them they are going on a "mysterious" and "exciting" adventure to a tropical rain forest.

Step 5: Say: "In this lesson, you will explore the rain forests of Central and South America." View the rain forest map at this time (see Activity Sheet 2) and then tell the students they will identify rain forest plants and animals and identify the basic needs of living things; and see how indigenous people, plants, and animals co-exist in the rain forest.

Step 6: At this point, explain that indigenous means something growing or existing naturally in a region or country. Continue by saying: "You will also name the four layers of a rain forest and find ways to conserve and recycle products from the rain forest."

Step 7: Read: the book entitled Welcome to the Green House by Jane Yolen to the class.

Learning Activities

Step 1: Insert the video Forest Family Forever! With Ed Asner into the VCR. Provide students with a Focus for Media Interaction by telling them to listen for the two different kinds of rain forests. START the tape at the beginning of the video. Students will observe the giant oak explain and give locations of the two types of rain forests.

Step 2: STOP the tape immediately after the giant oak says, "And then there are tropical rain forests where it's warm and humid all year round. They're found near the equator in places like South America, Africa, and South East Asia." Now ask the students to name the two kinds of rain forests and the main characteristic of each. (temperate rain forests-cold and tropical rain forests-warm, humid)

Step 3: Provide students with a Focus for Media Interaction by asking them to name some of the animals in the rain forests. START the tape again and STOP the tape after the giant oak says, "Let's not jump ahead of the story son. I'll get to the cows later." Now tell students to state some of the animals found in the tropical rain forests.

Step 4: Provide a Focus for Media Interaction by asking students to listen for the special name that is given to people living in rain forests. START the tape again and STOP when the little sapling says, "How do we do that?" Now tell students to state the "special name" of the rain forest people.

Step 5: Provide a Focus for Media Interaction by asking students to listen for the many things that are given by the rain forest to help indigenous people live. START the tape and then STOP the tape when the sapling says, "Wow! Too bad I'm not human!" Now allow the students to state the many things rain forests give to indigenous people.

Step 6: Provide a Focus for Media Interaction by asking students to tell how trees help the Earth's environment. START the tape and STOP when the sapling says, "Wow Grandpa! I never knew we rain forests were so important." Now allow students to state how trees help the Earth's environment.

Step 7: Provide a Focus for Media Interaction by asking students to listen for the many ways people recycle in order to help the rain forests. FAST FORWARD the tape until you see a sign that says "Save the Rainforest." STOP at this point and then PLAY the tape until the old oak says, "Our survival depends on them and their survival depends on us." STOP the tape. Now allow students to give examples of how people recycle products to aid in the conservation of rain forests.

Step 8: Have the computer set to the Web site Rainforest Live for Tropical Rainforests

(http://www.rainforestlive.org.uk). Provide students with a Focus for Media Interaction by having them tell about the different kinds of animals they can see in the rain forest movie. Click on the video at the very bottom of the Rainforest Live opening page. Real Player will pop up on the left side. Click on the green triangle in the upper left corner. Allow students to view the short movie, then name the different animals they saw.

Culminating Activity

Step 1: Students will practice clapping and cheering the spelling of the words listed on the Rainforest Word Bank. (See Activity Sheet 3.) Pick no more than 6 to 8 animal or plant words that seem most difficult to students. (Note to Teacher: This activity is usually done during the Word Block of the Pat Cunningham Four Blocks Model)

(Language Arts Integration)

Step 2: Students will write rain forest information on the webbing Activity Sheets using the information from the Enchanted Learning Web site (http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/rainforest/classroom/index.html). Review with the students the links on this page which contain a rich amount of information on the rain forests.

Step 3: Students will write and illustrate a rain forest composition entitled "What Can I Do to Help the Rain Forest?" (Distribute Activity Sheet 4.) Students must use the details from the rain forest webbing sheets. (Language Arts Integration)

Step 4: Hand out the potting soil, seeds and cups. Students will place potting soil in their cups and plant the seeds. Students will conduct a simple investigation by observing and documenting their plant growth on a calendar for six weeks. Distribute Activity Sheet 5.

Step 5: Students (with your assistance) will create a rain forest collage utilizing the animal and plant illustration banks. (See Activity Sheet 6.) Write Tropical Rain Forest Plants and Animals at the top of the chart paper. Fold the paper into three equal parts. Draw the tallest tree on the far left of the chart. The medium tree is drawn on the first fold and the smallest tree is drawn on the second fold. Write Emergent on the tallest tree, Canopy on the medium tree, and Understory on the smallest tree. Forest Floor is written on the ground level. Students will color and cut out animal and plant illustrations and place them on the collage on the appropriate layer.

Cross-Curricular Extensions

Language Arts: Read: the book entitled Here is the Tropical Rain Forest by Madeleine Dunphy (Sagebrush Education Resources, 1997) and ask students to write about (and illustrate) their favorite plant in the story. Students must tell why the plant is their favorite. Students must include the basic needs (air, water, nutrients, space, and light) of a plant, tell where they will place the plant, and how they will nurture the plant.  (Language Arts Integration)

Math: Each student will create a math story problem utilizing their favorite plant or animal, requiring one- or two-step addition and subtraction operations. Make a class story problem book and share with other classes.

Community Connections

Student Materials