Lesson Title/Focus: Social
Studies: Biome Activity
Input: The
students are learning about the different kinds of rainforests, why they are
important and how we can help save them.
Instructional
Materials Needed:
ž A picture of the two different kinds of rainforests: temperate and tropical
ž Small animal figurines, stuffed animals, or pictures of animals that reside in both kinds of rainforests. (squirrels, dear, otters, bears / monkeys, snakes, elephant, frogs)
ž A map and information on the temperate rainforest in Washington.
ž Books: The Temperate Forest: A Web of Life & The Tropical Rain Forest: A Web of Life (World of Biomes) both by Phillip Johansson and Rainforests: An Activity Guide for Ages 6-9 by Nancy F. Castaldo
Lesson Objectives:
ž The
student will be able to identify the two different kinds of rainforest
(temperate and tropical) and what kinds of animals live in each
NETS-S - Research and Information Fluency
ž
Identify, research, and collect data on an
environmental issue using the Internet.
ž
In a collaborative work group, use the Internet to
produce a product related to the intended topic (Rainforest animals)
Engage
ž Ask the students what comes to mind when they think about a rainforest.
ž Show
the students a map and pictures of Olympic National Park, the temperate
rainforest.
ž Discuss
how this rainforest is different from rainforest they have already learned
about or know about.
ž Explain
to the students that there are two different types of rainforests and that
within each type, there are different kinds of animals and that they are going
to try to differentiate between animals that live in tropical rainforest and
animals that live in temperate rainforests.
Explore
ž The
students will get into pairs and the teacher will hand out a set of animals
from both kinds of rainforests and the pictures of both rainforests.
ž Students
will then discuss with their partners and try to decide which animals belong to
each different rainforest and sort them.
ž Once
the students have sorted all the animals they will be required to get on the
Internet (with the assistance of a para-educator) and find an animal or food
that is found in each rainforest that they don’t already have and print it out.
ž The
pair will then get together with another pair and compare their answers or
share animals that they might have that the other pair does not.
ž The
group of four students will then do some research and look through the books
about the two different rainforests and identify whether their animals are in
the right rainforest.
(NETS-S 3 & 2 are being met by allowing the students to work
collaboratively by using the Internet as a resource to find and identify an
animal found in each biome)
Explain
ž The
group will then discuss what they found out amongst themselves. After all
groups have done this, they will share their experience with the class (did
they guess right, what was interesting that they learned, etc.) –The teacher
should guide conversation as necessary.
Elaborate
ž The
teacher will then read the book, Rainforests: An Activity Guide for Ages 6-9
which explains the two different kinds of rainforest and the animals that live
within each of those and also discusses the Olympic National Park in
Washington.
ž The
students will then reflect in their journal about any part of what they have
learned, whether it be the most interesting thing they learned, their favorite
kind of rainforest, etc.
Evaluate
ž The students will be evaluated through observation, as the teacher walks around the room and observes children working together, trying to sort the animals into their appropriate biome, and researching through books and the Internet.
ž The students will also be evaluated on what they wrote about in their journals based on if what they wrote pertained to the lesson.
Checking for
Understanding/Questioning
ž There will be a checklist the teacher uses, while observing, to identify if the students met the objectives.