Welcome!
Dear Teacher:
Thank you for planning a field study to Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden. The program you have selected,
Tropical Rainforest Exploration, is designed to teach students about adaptations, biodiversity, and
conservation in these amazing ecosytems and how explorers study plants.
Your visit will include a guided walking tour through the Garden during which students will participate in
many hands-on investigations, including a visit to our tropical butterfly conservatory, Wings of the Tropics.
Lunch will be followed by a plant propagation lesson. Each student will take a little piece of the rainforest
home.
This packet of activities contains pre- and post-visit resource materials to support the learning experience.
We strongly encourage you to review and use these materials to make the most of your students’ field study
at Fairchild. The activities correlate to state academic standards for kindergarten to second grade. Please
be sure that each teacher attending the field study has an activity packet. Feel free to make additional
copies of this packet as needed or visit www.fairchildgarden.org/education to view the activities online.
The word list provided is especially important for students to study prior to their visit. An understanding
of the vocabulary will be a great asset in comprehending the concepts discussed during the field study.
We look forward to your visit to Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden and hope that you and your students
will have an exciting and educational adventure.
Kind Regards,
The Explorer Team
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
305.663.8094
All visitors to Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden and participants in Fairchild programs or events consent to the
unrestricted use of any photographs or audio/visual recordings in which they appear. Fairchild must be notified in
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writing of any exceptions.
Table of Contents
Introduction............................................................................................................................................ 3
Words for a Day at Fairchild................................................................................................................... 4
Pre-visit Activities:
Life in the Layers.......................................................................................................................... 5
Life in the Layers story............................................................................................................. 6
Rainstorm Brainstorm.................................................................................................................. 9
Brainstorm Handout.............................................................................................................. 10
Post-visit Activity:
Butterfly Effect........................................................................................................................... 11
Butterfly Handout................................................................................................................. 12
Plants at Work........................................................................................................................... 13
Plant Parts Handout............................................................................................................... 14
Websites for More Information............................................................................................................. 15
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Introduction
This unit has been prepared to help you and your students learn about tropical rainforest ecosystems,
and to optimize the learning experience during your field study at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden.
These multidisciplinary activities were designed for students in kindergarten to second grade and
are aligned with state academic standards. At the end of the unit, you will find useful websites for
further information on tropical rainforests.
Rainforests are warm, wet and full of life. Tropical rainforests are located around the Earth between the
Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. There are several different types of tropical rainforests (often defined
by altitude and latitude) but they are all marked by year-round warm temperatures and high amounts of
annual rainfall. In tropical rainforests, the temperature remains stable at around 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and
rainfall is about 200 centimeters (80 inches) per year! This climate supports an abundance of life. There are
more species per acre of tropical rainforest than any other habitat in the world. In fact, although rainforests
cover less than 5% of the Earth’s surface, they contain over half of all the plant and animal species living
in the world today. Sadly, over half of the world’s rainforests have been lost, and more are disappearing
at an incredible rate.
There are many things students, teachers and parents can do to help conserve the rainforest. As we learn
more about this extraordinary environment, and the importance it has to all living things on Earth, we
realize the need to take action and be part of the solution. Please refer to the websites listed at the end of
the unit to get involved!
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Words for a Day at Fairchild
Adaptation - unique features of plants and animals that enable them to live in a particular environment.
Biodiversity - many different kinds of life in one area.
Canopy - a thick, overhead layer of the rainforest formed by the branches and leaves of the tall trees.
Conservation - protection of natural resources from waste, loss or harm.
Decomposer - organisms, such as bacteria, fungi and insects, that break down dead plant and animal
materials to be recycled and reused.
Drip tip - the end of a leaf that comes to a point, allowing rainwater to drip off.
Ecosystem - a community of animals, plants, and microscopic life that interact together in the
environment.
Emergent - the tallest layer of trees in a rainforest, they typically break through the canopy.
Epiphyte - a plant that lives on the surface of another plant, especially the trunk and branches. It does
not typically harm its host plant.
Forest floor - the ground layer of the rainforest, made up of tree roots, soil, decaying matter and
decomposers.
Humidity - the amount of water vapor in the air.
Sustainable - using resources in a way that does not permanently destroy them, so that people in the
future can also use them.
Tropics - hot, humid zone between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.
Understory - the layer growing under the canopy, made up mostly of young trees and shrubs.
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Pre-visit Activity:
Life in the Layers
Objective
Students will identify the four plant layers found in tropical rainforest ecosystems. Students will color and
label a drawing of the rainforest with the living things that can be found in each layer.
STANDARDS: SC.K.L.14.1, SC.K.N.1.4, SC.2.N.1.2, LAFS.K.RI.1.1, LAFS.K.RI.1.2, LAFS.K.RL.4.10. LAFS.K.SL.1.1,
LAFS.K.SL.1.2, LAFS.K.SL.2.5, LAFS.K.W.3.8, LAFS.1.RI.1.1, LAFS.1.RL.4.10. LAFS.1.SL.1.1, LAFS.1.SL.1.2,
LAFS.1.SL.2.5, LAFS.1.W.3.8, LAFS.2.RI.1.1, LAFS.2.RL.4.10. LAFS.2.SL.1.1, LAFS.2.SL.1.2, LAFS.2.SL.2.5,
LAFS.2.W.3.8, VA.K.C.1.1, VA.K.S.3.2, VA.1.S.3.1, VA.2.S.3.1
Vocabulary
Emergent
Epiphyte
Decompose
Canopy
Understory
Materials
“Words for a Day at Fairchild” (page 4)
“Life in the Layers” story (page 6)
Rainforest coloring pages (page 7 and 8)
Procedure
Life in the rainforest exists at
different levels or layers, with plants
and animals having specialized physical
adaptations to live in a particular layer. The
conditions are different at each level:
1. As a class, read and discuss the story about
Pedro on page 6.
2. Give each student a rainforest coloring page
and a page of animal shapes. Have students
Emergent - bright sun, hot, windy, least moisture
color the animals and the rainforest, then cut
Canopy - hot and windy at the top, much darker
out the animals.
underneath, less moisture
3. Have students guess where they think each
animal would live in the rainforest, and tape
Understory - little wind, low light, more
or glue to animals to the page. There is no one
moisture, cooler
right answer, the point is to get students to think
about how different animals live in different parts
Forest floor - dark, most moisture,
of the forest. Note: While we do have Blue Morpho
little wind, cool
butterflies in the Wings of the Tropics conservatory, we
do not have any of the other animals in our rainforest at
the Garden.
4. Ask the students to pick one of the animals and think about what
it would be like to be that animal. What does the animal see? What might it eat? What does the
rainforest feel like?
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Life in the Layers
Pedro, who is 9 years old, loves where he lives in the rainforest in South America. There are millions of
different kinds of plants and animals living in the forest, and everything he and his family needs, they get
from the forest around them. Today, Pedro is going hunting with his father, but he has a little free time
before his father is ready to go. He walks a short distance from the village and stands very still, looking all
around him. There is much to see, and the more he looks up, the more everything changes. In the rainforest,
life exists in different levels, or layers.
Now he is standing quietly beside an enormous old tree, and next to that is a palm tree that has roots like
stilts coming out of the trunk of the tree. Pedro bends down to look at a red fungus growing on the forest
floor. It is dark and cool down on the forest floor, as the trees keep out most of the light. Pedro also notices
that there are few plants living at this level and wonders why this is so. Under his feet, the ground feels
soft with damp rotting leaves, and underneath the leaves, ants and termites do their work of helping to
decompose the leaves, turning them into soil.
On his right, Pedro can see fresh tracks from a peccary. These pig-like animals dig into the ground with
their snouts, searching for roots and underground stems to eat. Pedro hopes to see a jaguar, tapir or any
other large animal that lives on the forest floor where the thin vegetation allows them to move freely.
Pedro looks up and notices a plant with leaves as big as an umbrella. He thinks to himself, “If it starts to
rain, I should come back here and stay dry under one of these leaves.” Many of the plants in the understory,
have big leaves to catch what little light there is. There are also some small trees nearby that are as tall as
a house. As Pedro silently looks around, a butterfly flutters past him, and he notices a frog and a lizard on
the tree.
Pedro looks up even higher, peering into the canopy over 100 feet high, as tall as an eight-story building.
This is his favorite level, as this is home to most of the organisms found in the rainforest. The canopy layer
forms a thick green roof of branches and leaves that shades the forest floor. Up here, where there is more
sunlight and rainfall, there are dense vines, and many plants growing on the branches of the trees. These
plants are epiphytes and include orchids, ferns, mosses and bromeliads. Many insects and animals such
as monkeys, birds, snakes and sloths also live here.
High above the canopy, taller trees grow, like the one that Pedro is standing beside. These trees make up
the emergent layer and they have smaller leaves than the other trees because they are in full sun. On the
top of this tree perches a harpy eagle, but Pedro cannot see it through the canopy. The eagle looks down
for something to eat, perhaps a sloth or monkey.
In the rainforest, the web of life is spinning, and Pedro waits patiently for his father.
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From http://www.teachervision.com
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From http://www.coloringpages4kidz.com
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Objective
Pre-visit Activity:
Rainstorm Brainstorm
Students will review what they know about the rainforest and its importance in our lives.
STANDARDS: SC.K.L.14.1, SC.K.N.1.3, SC.K.N.1.4, SC.1.N.1.1, SC.1.N.1.2, SC.1.N.1.3, SC.1.N.1.4, SS.K.G.3.3, PE.K.C.2.6,
LAFS.K.L.1.1, LAFS.K.L.3.6, LAFS.K.SL.2.5, LAFS.K.W.1.1, LAFS.K.W.1.12, LAFS.K.W.3.8, LAFS.1.L.1.1, LAFS.1.L.3.6,
LAFS.1.SL.2.5, LAFS.1.W.1.1, LAFS.1.W.1.12, LAFS.1.W.3.8, LAFS.2.L.1.1, LAFS.2.L.3.6, LAFS.2.SL.2.5, LAFS.2.W.1.1,
LAFS.2.W.1.12, LAFS.2.W.3.8, VA.K.H.3.1, VA.K.O.2.1, VA.1.O.2.1, VA.2.O.2.1
Vocabulary
Tropical rainforest
Materials
Conservation
Weather
Ecosystem
Blackboard or whiteboard
Chalk/Marker
Rainstorm Brainstorm handouts (Page 10)
Procedure
• The point of this activity is to get students to start thinking about important questions about the
rainforest and recalling what they already know. Students can record their answers with words or
pictures. It is fine if students do not come up with every important concept about the rainforest now,
they will revisit and expand their answers after the trip to the Garden.
• Tell the class that as a group they are going to create a rainstorm, with your hands, feet, and a little
imagination. Students will follow what your hands and feet are doing. Start by having everyone rub
their palms together. After a few seconds, transition to snapping your fingers. Transition to clapping
with two fingers to your palm. Transition to clapping, slowly then more quickly. As the storm
reaches its peaks, slap your lap and stamp your feet. The rain is starting to slack off and the wind
is dying down. Slow down to just clapping, then two fingers clapping, then snapping, and finally
rubbing your palms. Remain silent for a few moments.
• Tell your students they are going to see a place that gets LOTS of rain...a rainforest. As a group,
braintstorm what they know about rainforests. Once you have some ideas on the board, prompt
students to think about temperature, weather, and colors. What do they think a rainforest feels like?
Sound like? Smell like? Have students fill in the first block of the worksheet using pictures and words.
• After coming to the Garden, have your students revisit their answers. Did they learn anything on the
trip that surprised them about the rainforest? Fill in the second box.
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Name Date Tropical Rainforest Exploration
Rainstorm Brainstorm
What I think about rainforests:
What I learned about rainforests:
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Post-visit Activity:
Butterfly Effect
Objective
Students will review what they learned on their field trip and make a promise to help protect our rainforests.
STANDARDS: SC.K.N.1.1, SS.K.C.2.1, SS.1.C.2.2, SS.1.S.2.3, SS.1.C.2.4, SS.2.C.2.2, SS.2.C.2.4, LAFS.K.L.3.6,
LAFS.K.SL.1.1, LAFS.K.W.3.8, LAFS.1.L.3.6, LAFS.1.SL.1.1, LAFS.1.W.3.8, LAFS.2.L.3.8, LAFS.2.SL.1.1, LAFS.2.W.3.8,
VA.K.F.3.1, VA.1.S.3.1, VA.2.S.3.1
Vocabulary
Conservation
Pledge
Environment
Materials
Butterfly outlines (page 12)
Crayons and markers
Procedure
1. Recap the field trip, ending with the prompting questions “Is nature important?” and “How can we help
the rainforest?” Go over different things students can do to help the planet. Remind students that if we
all make small changes, we can have a big impact on helping our planet.
2. Tell the students they are all going to make a pledge to help the environment. A pledge is a promise
that we make to help out. Students can pick any action that will help with conservation, but it has to
be something that they are willing to do. For example, they can promise to turn off the water when
they’re brushing their teeth, recycle more, use reusable water bottles, donate old toys to charity (instead
of throwing them away), planting a plant, bringing cloth bags to the grocery store, turning off the lights
when they leave the room, etc. Allow students to use their creativity to come up with their pledges.
3. Pass out a butterfly shape to each student. They can decorate their butterfly (perhaps as their favorite from
the Wings of the Tropics conservatory!), then write their pledge on the butterfly. Cut out the pledges.
4. Let students share their conservation pledges, then put your butterflies on display.
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Name Date Tropical Rainforest Exploration
Butterfly Effect
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Post-visit Activity:
Plants at Work
Objective
Students will recall what they learned about plant parts and functions, and design a well adaptated plant
of their own.
STANDARDS: SC.K.N.1.4, SC.1.L.14.2, LAFS.K.L.3.6, LAFS.K.SL.1.1, LAFS.K.SL.2.5, LAFS.1.L.3.6, LAFS.1.SL.1.1,
LAFS.1.SL.2.5, LAFS.2.L.3.6, LAFS.2.SL.1.1, LAFS.2.SL.2.5, VA.K.C.1.1, VA.1.F.1.2, VA.2.S.3.1
Vocabulary
Root
Stem
Leaf
Flower
Seed
Adaptation
Materials
Blackboard or whiteboard
Chalk/Marker
Plants at Work handouts (Page 14)
Procedure
• Review that each part of the plant has a specific job to help the plant survive. Help students recall
what each part of the plant does.
• Did all the plants they saw look the same? No! What is one plant that they remember from the field
trip? What makes it special? Have each student draw and label a plant with names of each part
(roots, stem, leaves, flower, fruit) Where does their plant live? Is there anything special about their
plant that helps it live there? (ex. can hold water because it lives in a dry place) Think about the job
of each plant part, and make adaptations to help your plant do its job...survive!
• Share your plant with the class. Do all the plants look the same? What is similar? What is different?
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Name Date Plants at Work
Directions: Draw a plant, and label all of the parts. What is the job of each plant part?
Where does your plant live?
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Websites for More Information
Rainforest Alliance
http://rainforestalliance.com/kids
Learn about current ecological issues in rainforest conservation and products from the rainforest, such as
Smart-Wood, and ECO-OK coffee. Site contains statistics, facts sheets, information for kids on what we
all can do to save the rainforest, and many links to resources on materials and organizations that promote
sustainable rainforest products.
Rainforest Action Network
http://ran.org/
Very proactive organization provides a lot of information, and is involved with current rainforest issues.
Site contains “hot” (and sometimes controversial) rainforest news, fact sheets, ideas for students to help
the rainforest and a 72-page curriculum packet designed for grades 3-6.
Mongabay.com
http://kids.mongabay.com/
This site has extensive information on rainforests, their locations, and how people live in tropical
environments. Each section is accompanied by photos and the information presented is appropriate for
young children. The “teacher resources” section has lesson plans and additional materials to enhance your
classroom curriculum.
Plant Explorers
http://www.plantexplorers.com/
Contains information and biographies on many famous plant explorers, including David Fairchild.
Passport to the Rainforest
http://passporttoknowledge.com/rainforest/intro.html
Contains information, maps and links to researchers working in the rainforest.
“Zoom” Rainforests
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/rainforests/
Kid-friendly site with basic information and quizzes.
Amazon Interactive
http://eduweb.com/amazon.html
Explore the geography of the Ecuadorian Amazon and the Quinchua people who call it home. Plan and
manage a locally-controlled ecotourism project with an on-line simulation game.
The Kids Ecology Corps
http://kidsecologycorps.org/
A non-profit organization providing educational, cultural and leadership experience to young people who
want make positive environmental action.
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