Key Question
Using the Brazil Nut tree
as an example, how would
you explain the importance
of protecting the trees in
the rain forest?
Learning Goal
Students will:
model the complex
biodiversity, energy levels,
and interdependence in a
rain forest by role-playing
the plants and animals in a
rain forest food web.
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© 2012 AIMS Education Foundation
CONCERNING CRITTERS: Adaptations
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© 2012 AIMS Education Foundation
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1. What do you see when you look
at the connections?
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2. What plant or animal do you
represent? What are you eating?
What is eating you?
3. What we have represented is for one
tree. What do you think it might look
like if all the trees in a single acre of
rain forest were represented?
4. How do all these organisms live on one
Brazil Nut tree?
5. Why do you think chopping one Brazil
Nut tree can be so devastating to so
many species in the rain forest?
6. Why do you think someone would want
to cut down a Brazil Nut tree?
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7. Why do you think different
colors are used on the labels?
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8. Explain the energy losses as
you move from the producer
to the consumers to the top
level predator. Look at the
drop in numbers.
9. The harpy eagle soars above many
trees and eats consumers on those trees.
Explain how the harpy eagle adds to the
complexity of the rain forest food web.
10. Because this pattern of netting
represents only ONE way in which the
interrelationships can be shown, describe
other paths to connect the yarn.
11. What are you wondering now?
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© 2012 AIMS Education Foundation