TEACHER’S GUI DE
TEACHER’S GUI DE
• Working in groups, have students create a tropical rainforest adventure
game. Using a blank game board, have students fill in the spaces with
rainforest facts, animals, locations and plants found in a tropical rainforest.
Encourage students to complete a set of rules, consequence cards and
other game features.
Suggested Internet Resources
Periodically, Internet Resources are updated on our web site at
www.LibraryVideo.com.
• www.eduweb.com/amazon.html
Students can participate in the award-winning Educational Web
Adventures’ site that provides an interactive look at the Amazon basin.
• rainforest-alliance.org/programs/education/index.html
Students can learn about rainforests through this site sponsored by the
Rainforest Alliance, an international nonprofit organization dedicated to
the conservation of this biome.
• www.rainforestweb.org/Rainforest_Information/Plants/
The Rainforest Action Network sponsors information as well as a portal to
resource sites regarding the rainforest.
Animals of the Rainforest
Suggested Print Resources
• Castaldo, Nancy F. Rainforests:An Activity Guide for Ages 6–9. Chicago
Review Press, Chicago, IL; 2003.
• Cole, Joanna. The Magic School Bus in the Rain Forest. Scholastic, New
York, NY; 1998.
• Levine, Stuart P. Life in a Rainforest. Kidhaven Press, San Diego, CA; 2003.
• Radley, Gail. Forests and Jungles. Carolrhoda Books, Minneapolis, MN;
2001.
TEACHER’S GUIDE
Kimberly Grieco, M.Ed.
Curriculum Specialist, Schlessinger Media
COMPLETE LIST OF TITLES
• ANIMALS OF THE RAINFOREST
• PEOPLE OF THE RAINFOREST
• PLANTS OF THE RAINFOREST
Teacher’s Guides Included
and Available Online at:
800-843-3620
Teacher’s Guide Copyright 2006 by Schlessinger Media,
a division of Library Video Company
P.O. Box 580, Wynnewood, PA 19096 • 800-843-3620
Executive Producer:Andrew Schlessinger
Programs produced and directed by ERI Communications
All rights reserved.
K6646
V6726
Grades 3–6
T
ropical ra i n fo rests are an essential link to life on
Earth. Rainfo rests provide va l u able resources such as
ox y ge n , medicines and materials that can be made into
h u n d reds of household pro d u c t s . The ra i n fo re s t s ’ location, ge o graphy and climate provide a home and support
system to an immense va riety of animals, plants and
indigenous peoples.This series provides scenic fo o t age
i l l u s t rating the biodiversity, interdependence, beauty and
harmony between the plants, animals and indigenous
peoples of the tropical rainforest and the potential disastrous effects of deforestation upon Earth’ s most treasured
and valuable resource.
Program Overview
The location and climate of tropical ra i n fo rests make an ideal home for a
wide va riety of animals and plants.All types of species, from leaf-cutter ants
to sloths, live and grow in unique areas of the rainforest. Each species also has
a niche within the laye rs of the ra i n fo rest and specific roles to play in the
entire infra s t ru c t u re and life cycle of the ra i n fo rest.Animals have developed
adaptations that assist in their surv i va l . Camouflage and cryptic coloring
a l l ow many animals and insects to live undetected by pre d a t o rs.Animals are
able to communicate through their colori n g , b e h avior and sound. M a ny
animals, l i ke cattle and egre t s , l i ve in symbiotic relationships. Deforestation
has had a serious effect on the lives and homes of the animals in this rich and
valuable resource.
Vocabulary
tropical rainforest — An ecosystem that is hot and wet with dense
forests, located in tropical areas around the world.These forests contain the
greatest number of different species of plants and animals of all the Earth’s
ecosystems.
equator — An imaginary circle around the Earth, equidistant from all
points from the north and south poles. It divides the Earth into two halves:
the northern and southern hemispheres.
biome — An area of the world usually named for a dominant feature, such
as its climate of plant life.A biome comtains many smaller specialized
ecosystems.
biodiversity — The variety of plant and animal species in an ecosystem;
an indicator of the richness of the environment.
species — A group of animals that share characteristics and are capable of
reproducing.
endemic — Belonging or native to a particular region.
ecosystem — A community in which living things (plants and animals)
and nonliving things (air, soil and water) form a working environment that
helps the living things survive.
predators — Animals that hunt and kill other animals for food.
adapt — To modify according to changing circumstances.
emergent level — The highest plant level in a tropical rainforest. Like
open umbrellas, the plants of the emergent level stick out above the “roof” of
the forest to 76 meters (200 ft).
canopy — The “roof” of a forest, created by the dense layer of tree
branches and leaves, and located some 30–100 feet into the air above the
forest floor.
understory — The layer of the forest below the canopy that contains
young trees and plants, which can live in areas with a lot of shade.
shrub layer — The layer of the forest above the forest floor.This level
contains shrubs and plants which can live with very little sunlight.
forest floor — The ground level of a forest.This level receives very little
sunlight so few plants can grow here.
(Continued)
niche — The job of a plant or animal, or its place within the habitat.
camouflage — An adaptation that helps creatures to blend in with
surroundings so that they appear less obvious to their predators.
cryptic coloration — A type of adaptation where creatures’ coloring and
markings match their surroundings.
symbiotic relationships — Close associations between organisms of
different species, in which at least one organism benefits from the
association.
herbivores — Animals that eat only plants.
Pre-viewing Discussion
• Assess students’ interests and knowledge of tropical rainforests with a KWL
chart. Label three columns on a large sheet of paper with a K for “What we
KNOW about animals of the rainforest,” a W for “What we WANT to know
about animals of the rainforest” and an L for “What we LEARNED about
animals of the rainforests.” Students can discuss and brainstorm facts,
concepts and questions for the first two columns. Have students fill in the
last column about what they learned as a culminating activity.
• Ask students to discuss the importance of a rainforest biome. Stimulate
discussion with questions such as,“Why are rainforest animals important
to us, even if we don’t live near them?”and,“What do you think would
happen if all rainforest animals were destroyed?”
Follow-up Discussion & Activities
• Many South American countries are involved in conserving and protecting
the environment and wildlife of the Amazon basin. Children will enjoy
learning about these endangered animals and their habitats through an oral
reading of Helen Cowcher’s Jaguar (Scholastic, 1997).After the story, have
students draw a picture and write a paragraph about their favorite
rainforest animal and the effect of deforestation upon its life.
• No discussion of the rainforest would be complete without Lynne Cherry’s
classic, The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest
(Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1990).After sharing with the class, assign a
rainforest animal to each student. Students can then write a dialogue
between his or her animal and the human as if the animal was given the
power of human speech.Ask students to think about what a rainforest
animal would want to ask or tell a human.
• Camouflage is an important adaptation for the survival of many rainforest
creatures. Using research aids and art supplies, have students locate
pictures and information about insects, birds, reptiles and animals that use
cryptic coloring. Have students draw and color one creature hidden in its
natural environment due to its body shape or markings. Collect the
drawings and place them in a classroom camouflage book that can
resemble a Where’s Waldo or I Spy book!
(Continued)