Tiki, Tiki Rainforest

How It Works:  Students will explore the fascinating world of the rainforest in this exciting unit. The students will participate in activities such as adopt-an-acre-of-the- rainforest, adopt -a-rainforest-animal, sequencing, comparing and contrasting, word processing and searching the Internet. Students will also use online resources to create word searches and puzzles using vocabulary words, create spreadsheets and graphs from class surveys, complete grammar and word usage, and learn how to write a haiku and diamonte poem.

Standards: 

  • The students will be able to read for comprehension.
  • The students will increase vocabulary.
  • The students will put events in sequential order.
  • The students will compare/contrast one rainforest animal to another.
  • The students will use technology to enhance creativity.
  • The students will use technology tools to process data and report results.

Estimated Class Periods To Complete: 10 or more.

Software Materials Used:  Bookmark Internet web sites, word processing and spreadsheets

Keywords:  rainforest, Great Kapok Tree, animals, layers of the rainforest, ground, understory, canopy, emergent, equator

Students:  The project is designed for third grade students, but can be easily adapted for higher and lower grade levels. Average and ESOL (English as a Second Language) students will find success.

Overall:  The best feature of this unit is the integration of rainforest web sites and their information with cooperative learning grouping of the students in the classroom. Students gain knowledge of the rainforest and the habitats of the rainforest animals through the use of computers, the Internet, books, reading and writing.

Tips:  Bookmark web sites in advance and have materials (handouts and supplies) already for students.

About the Teacher: Beatriz Vazquez has a Bachelor's of Science in Elementary Education and has worked at Charles R. Hadley Elementary for the last seven years. She teaches a third grade TEAM class and is also a participant in the Citibank FamilyTech Program.

Subjects:  Science and Social Studies

Grade Levels:  2 through 4

 

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