rainforestlesson2

LESSON 2

AIM: What are the layers of the rain forest?

MOTIVATION:
1. Compare the layers of the rain forest to an apartment building. The basement would be the forest floor, the first floor would be the understory, the second floor, the canopy, and the top floor would be the emergent level.
2. Explain that each layer has its own ecosystem, an area where plants and animals live together and provide food for one another.

PROCEDURE:
1. Introduce vocabulary relating to the layers of the rain forest- forest floor, understory, canopy, emergent level, ecosystem, microorganisms, decomposers, moss, algae, sloth, buttress roots. Have children fill in their meanings on a data sheet from information gathered from http://mbgnet.mobot.org/sets/rforest/index.htm and http://m-w.com

forest floor

understory

canopy

emergent level

ecosystem

microorganisms

decomposers

moss

algae

sloth

buttress roots

2. From researching the layers of the rain forest on the various web sites, children will fill-in a database with the following information:

LAYER PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS DOMINANT PLANT LIFE DOMINANT ANIMAL LIFE

FOREST FLOOR Weather conditions are hot and humid. Very little sunlight reaches the floor. The soil is very thin and poor in nutrients, and unable to hold large quantities of water. There is a wide variety of plants, including lichens, mushrooms, mosses, fruits, flowers and ferns. Large buttress roots support the tall trees at the ground. There is a lot of animal life above and beneath the forest floor. There are billions of microscopic organisms which act as decomposers. Beetles, termites, ants, centipedes, rabbits, tapirs, deer, frogs, and snakes live on the floor. (See picture)

UNDERSTORY Trees grow up to 30 feet in the understory. Little sunlight reaches here. It is damp and humid. There is plenty of vegetation- mosses and algae thrive. Plants have large, broad leaves to catch the sunlight. Flowers like bromeliads catch water in their funnel like stems. Many fruits grow here. Air plants, which grow on trees, grow here. Many animals in the understory survive through camouflage. The walking stick, leaf frog, butterflies, grasshoppers, snakes, geckos, birds, and sloths all use this camouflage as protection from enemies. (See picture)

CANOPY Trees in the canopy reach heights from 65 to 100 feet. Ninety-eight percent of the sunlight that strikes the rainforest is blocked by the canopy. The canopy forms a thick layer of vegetation. Hanging gardens with air plants overflow with an enormous variety of plant life. Liana are climbing vines that twist and droop from almost every tree in the canopy. The strangler fig is a plant that grows on another tree until it strangles it and then takes over. (See picture) Most rainforest animals make their home in the canopy layer. Some animals are born, give birth, and die without ever setting foot on the ground. Monkeys, birds, frogs, sloths, and snakes live in this layer. (See example)

EMERGENT LEVEL The tops of these trees can grow to 250 feet tall. There are only one or two emergent trees per acre of rainforest. Seeds from these trees are light enough to be carried great distances by the wind. The tall trees get plenty of light and water. The slender tree trunks are supported by buttresses. More than 20 percent of the world's bird population lives in the emergent level. Butterflies also make their home here. Birds of prey like eagles, and hawks make their nests here.

    3. Have students label a map of the rain forest with the appropriate levels (see example).
     4. Review the layers of the rain forest with summarizing questions like:
        a. What layer is the tallest?
        b. Where do most plants and animals live?
        c. How is each layer of the rain forest have its own ecosystem?

ACTIVITIES:
    1. Continue to observe the rainforest terrarium made in the first lesson. Observe an earthworm view farm and see how important earthworms are to the soil. You can also make a simple ant farm and observe ants at work.
    2. To show decomposition, you can make "Banana Bags"- Use a banana, 4 ziploc sandwich bags, yeast, and water. Put several slices of banana in bag A. In bag B, put banana and a packet of yeast; in bag C put banana and water; and in bag D put banana, yeast and water. Seal all the bags and place on a sunny windowsill. After 3-4 days you should notice the following: The banana in bag A will darken slightly; the yeast in bag B will grow slowly, but there will be little change in the banana. The banana in bag C will show some decay and mold, but the banana in bag D will show the most decay. The banana will be breaking down, the liquid will be bubbling; carbon dioxide gas will be forming inside the bag and the bag may even pop open, releasing a powerful odor into the room. Discuss why this is happening.
    3. To show how plants transport water from their roots to their leaves, use a piece of celery and food coloring. Place the celery in the colored water, and observe how the color travels up the celery. Cut the celery in half and using a magnifying glass, observe the coloring around the "tubes" in the celery.

FOLLOW-UP: This lesson will lead into the next lesson- "What is a rain forest food chain or web of life?"

forest floor
understory
canopy
emergent level
ecosystem
microorganisms
decomposers
moss
algae
sloth
buttress roots

LAYER	PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS	DOMINANT PLANT LIFE	DOMINANT ANIMAL LIFE
FOREST FLOOR	Weather conditions are hot and humid. Very little sunlight reaches the floor. The soil is very thin and poor in nutrients, and unable to hold large quantities of water.	There is a wide variety of plants, including lichens, mushrooms, mosses, fruits, flowers and ferns. Large buttress roots support the tall trees at the ground.	There is a lot of animal life above and beneath the forest floor. There are billions of microscopic organisms which act as decomposers. Beetles, termites, ants, centipedes, rabbits, tapirs, deer, frogs, and snakes live on the floor. (See picture)
UNDERSTORY	Trees grow up to 30 feet in the understory. Little sunlight reaches here. It is damp and humid.	There is plenty of vegetation- mosses and algae thrive. Plants have large, broad leaves to catch the sunlight. Flowers like bromeliads catch water in their funnel like stems. Many fruits grow here. Air plants, which grow on trees, grow here.	Many animals in the understory survive through camouflage. The walking stick, leaf frog, butterflies, grasshoppers, snakes, geckos, birds, and sloths all use this camouflage as protection from enemies. (See picture)
CANOPY	Trees in the canopy reach heights from 65 to 100 feet. Ninety-eight percent of the sunlight that strikes the rainforest is blocked by the canopy. The canopy forms a thick layer of vegetation.	Hanging gardens with air plants overflow with an enormous variety of plant life. Liana are climbing vines that twist and droop from almost every tree in the canopy. The strangler fig is a plant that grows on another tree until it strangles it and then takes over. (See picture)	Most rainforest animals make their home in the canopy layer. Some animals are born, give birth, and die without ever setting foot on the ground. Monkeys, birds, frogs, sloths, and snakes live in this layer. (See example)
EMERGENT LEVEL	The tops of these trees can grow to 250 feet tall. There are only one or two emergent trees per acre of rainforest.	Seeds from these trees are light enough to be carried great distances by the wind. The tall trees get plenty of light and water. The slender tree trunks are supported by buttresses.	More than 20 percent of the world's bird population lives in the emergent level. Butterflies also make their home here. Birds of prey like eagles, and hawks make their nests here.