Thursday, May 3, 2007

Rainforest Unit Plan

This is a unit plan I am very excited to teach because it is something that I am passionate about. I really believe that students will be interested to learn about the rainforest and can be promoters of deforestation awareness. The unit plan focuses on the topics of the different rainforests of the world, its layers and life within, indigenous peoples, economic value of its resources and deforestation and conservation. Feel free to take or modify this unit plan to fit your curriculum or time frame. The main topics that I focused on throughout the unit are the concepts that I believe are most accessible for students. I've also included a couple of images from my visit to the Rainforest Biosphere at Vanderburg ES.


Unit Plan


I. Descriptive Characteristics
Unit Title: Rainforests
Grade Level: 5
Number of Days Required: 5
Time of Year Presented: April


II. Rationale/Overview

  • Primary Unit Goal:
    Students will compare the rainforest biome with their own desert biome. Throughout the unit, the students will examine concepts of interdependence within a rainforest ecosystem, coverage at a global perspective, and protection/ preservation issues and contributions.
  • Justification for Time of Year:
    April is the month that Earth Day is celebrated. A unit on rainforests during this month can incorporate this celebration and bring both topics into a same context.
  • Importance for Unit from Child’s Perspective:
    Students will know how they can make positive influences toward preservation and can use the information they learn as a sharing tool and awareness lesson. In addition, they will have the opportunity to go on a field trip where they can witness a rain forest biosphere.
  • NCSS Standards Addressed:
    (I) Culture
    a. explore and describe similarities and differences in the ways groups, societies, and cultures address similar human needs and concerns
    d. compare ways in which people from different cultures think about and
    deal with their physical environment and social conditions
    e. give examples and describe the importance of cultural unity and
    diversity within and across groups
    (II) Time, Continuity, & Change
    d. identify and use various sources for reconstructing the past, such as
    documents, letters, diaries, maps, textbooks, photos, and others
    (III) People, Places, & Environments
    a. construct and use mental maps of locales, regions, and the world that
    demonstrate understanding of relative location, direction, size, and shape
    b. interpret, use, and distinguish various representations of the earth, such
    as maps, globes, and photographs
    c. use appropriate resources, data sources, and geographic tools such as
    atlases, data bases, grid systems, charts, graphs, and maps to generate,
    manipulate, and interpret information
    h. examine the interaction of human beings and their physical
    environment, the use of land, building of cities, and ecosystem changes in
    selected locales and regions
    (IV) Individual Development & Identity
    d. show how learning and physical development affect behavior
    h. work independently and cooperatively to accomplish goals
    (VII) Production, Distribution, & Consumption
    a. give examples that show how scarcity and choice govern our economic
    decisions
    i. use economic concepts such as supply, demand, and price to help
    explain events in the community and nation
    j. apply knowledge of economic concepts in developing a response to a
    current local economic issue, such as how to reduce the flow of trash into
    a rapidly filling landfill
    (VIII) Science, Technology, & Society
    b. identify and describe examples in which science and technology have
    led to changes in the physical environment, such as the building of dams
    and levees, offshore oil drilling, medicine from rain forests, and loss of
    rain forests due to extraction of resources or alternative uses
    c. describe instances in which changes in values, beliefs, and attitudes
    have resulted from new scientific and technological knowledge, such as
    conservation of resources and awareness of chemicals harmful to life and
    the environment
    d. identify examples of laws and policies that govern scientific and
    technological applications, such as the Endangered Species Act and
    environmental protection policies
    (IX) Global Connections
    b. give examples of conflict, cooperation, and interdependence among
    individuals, groups, and nations
    d. explore causes, consequences, and possible solutions to persistent,
    contemporary, and emerging global issues, such as pollution and
    endangered species
    e. examine the relationships and tensions between personal wants and
    needs and various global concerns, such as use of imported oil, land use,
    and environmental protection
    (X) Civic Ideals & Practices
    e. explain actions citizens can take to influence public policy decisions


III. Scope and Sequence

  • Day 1 Theme: Rainforests of the World
    Objectives:
    (5)3.15 identify the criteria used to define different types of regions [NS 2.5.7]
    (5)3.1 use maps and map features, including directional orientation, map symbols, and grid system, to identify and locate major geographical features in Nevada and the United States [NS 1.5.1]
    (5)3.2 identify the characteristics and purposes of different maps and
    globes [NS 1.5.2]
    (5)3.4 construct maps, charts, tables, and graphs to display information
    about human and physical features in the United States [NS 1.5.4]
    (5)3.40 locate and gather geographic information from a variety of sources
    [NS 7.5.2]
    (5)3.41 create complex maps, graphs, tables, or charts to display
    geographic information [NS 7.5.3]
    (5)3.42 investigate and interpret information from a variety of geographic
    sources [NS 7.5.4]
    Activities:
    Anticipatory set: As students enter the classroom rainforest themed music will be playing. The class will be surrounded with images of rainforest plant and animal life. Students will examine a climate map and make predictions and develop questions about tropical areas. A transparency of the world’s rainforests will be placed on top of a transparency of the climate map. Using their textbooks, students will identify the continents that house rainforests and ponder the relevance of rainforest regions relative to the equator. Rainforests around the world will be introduced and discussed. Characteristics that define a rainforest, temperature and rainfall, will be explored. Students will analyze varieties of charts to create a rainfall and temperature line graph (math skills).

  • Day 2 Theme: Forest structure and life within
    Objectives:
    (5)3.18 identify the parts of different ecosystems, including soil, climate, plant life, and animal life [NS 3.5.3]
    (5)3.19 describe the biodiversity of different ecosystems on Earth [NS
    3.5.4]
    Activities:
    As a class, the students will construct a mural of the rainforest layers(strata) with labels and short descriptions. They will understand the categories of animals as herbivores, carnivores or omnivores and make connections about how the inhabitants of a rainforest rely on one another for support and survival; especially relationships between plants and animals and insects. The ABC picturebook (trade book), A Walk in the Rainforest by Kristin Joy Pratt will be read aloud, noting the subtexts that provide information. Students will really explore this concept of interdependence through examination and discussion.

  • Day 3 Theme: Indigenous Peoples
    Objectives:
    (5)3.9 describe physical and human features and cultural characteristics of
    places and regions in the United States [NS 2.5.1]
    Activities:
    Students will study the indigenous peoples of the Rainforest. They will develop understandings of slash-and-burn agriculture, survival, and knowledge obtained by the rainforest’s human inhabitants. The topic of colonists migrating to the region and the effect on the rainforest and its indigenous peoples will be discussed. Students will form into groups and begin reading The Vanishing Rainforest (trade book) by Richard Platt. They will keep a reading journal (language arts).

  • Day 4 Theme: Economic Value
    Objectives:
    (5)3.3 read and derive geographic information from photographs, maps,
    graphs, and computer resources [NS 1.5.3]
    (5)2.9 demonstrate an understanding of supply and demand in a market [NS 3.5.2]
    (5)2.17 identify the resources needed for production in households,
    schools, and community groups [NS 6.5.1]
    (5)2.20 recognize the three types of productive resources: natural (e.g., minerals) human(e.g., educated workers) and capital (e.g., machinery) [NS 6.5.3]
    (5)3.37 discuss a geographic issue from more than one point of view [NS 6.5.3]
    Activities:
    The students will view slideshows as groups on the computers in the great
    room (advanced technology) of images depicting uses of rainforest
    contents (furniture wood, exotic pets, farmland, medicine). They will be asked what they suppose is the common thread between these images. The students will come together and discuss their findings and hypotheses. The concept of economic value will be introduced. A pro and con chart will be constructed and students will write a short opinion paper on their stance on the topic (language arts). Students will continue reading The Vanishing Rainforest in their groups and writing in their journals.

  • Day 5 Theme: Deforestation/Rain Forest Conservation
    Objectives:
    (5)3.26 investigate an economic issue by asking and answering geographic
    questions about location [NS 4.5.6]
    (5)3.31 describe places in the United States where the physical environment has been altered by technology [NS 5.5.3]
    (5)3.32 explore the impact of human modification of the physical
    environment on the people who live in that location [NS 5.5.4]
    (5)3.38 describe a geographic issue and the possible impact it could have in the future [NS 6.5.4]
    Activities:
    Student will review the economic valuables housed by the rainforest and
    investigate the impacts of deforestation. The students will examine the idea of extinction through articles and other educational texts. Next, the students will generate solutions to saving rain forest plants and animals and then discuss conservation tactics. We will begin the process of cultivating rainforest seeds from Costa Rica, collected by the local people as a source of income and an incentive to protect the rain forest (science). If students display an interest in contributing, we can, as a class, develop a method or activity that we can execute (writing letters for contributions, starting a rainforest fund raiser, etc.)

  • Day 6 Theme: Culminating experience
    Objectives:
    (5)3.18 identify the parts of different ecosystems, including soil, climate,
    plant life, and animal life [NS 3.5.3]
    (5)3.19 describe the biodiversity of different ecosystems on Earth [NS 3.5.4]
    Activities:
    Students will visit the John C. Vanderburg Rainforest Biosphere (primary
    source) in Henderson, NV. After the students receive the tour, they will
    choose an item either in the biosphere or in the museum which they find
    particularly interesting. The students will make a sketch and write a short
    connection paragraph of the item to the information they have been
    studying throughout the unit. Attempts at rain forest conservation will
    continue.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Perhaps you should help to make variations to your page identify for you to some thing attractive.

Initially when i first clicked on a pair of some other
results, although they have a far better title.
But whatever wanted I discovered here.
Also visit my web page ... public records

Anonymous said...

Superb advice through Tim. I favor the idea he made in relation to
for expert inside a unique location. It really is labored personally.
I’m at present unemployed, yet collecting a fair quantity of
long term contract perform. Appreciate your
posting interviews. Joost is one of the most effective with regards to SEO/Wordpress.
Also visit my web site - Genital Warts Cure

Anonymous said...

Wow, this post is nice, my sister is analyzing these things,
therefore I am going to let know her.

my page: plane games

Anonymous said...

Great article! That is the kind of info that are meant to be shared across the
web. Disgrace on the seek engines for now not positioning this submit upper!
Come on over and seek advice from my website . Thanks =)

Also visit my homepage - http://www.wikileakdes.org/%E5%88%A9%E7%94%A8%E8%80%85:MeredithD

Anonymous said...

Good rеѕpоnse in return of thіѕ matter wіth genuine
argumentѕ and explaіning the whole thing on the tоρіc οf that.


My blog ... Get the facts

Anonymous said...

I am regular reader, how are you everybody? This article posted at this site is in fact pleasant.


my site http://www.labceo.com.br/ensino2/blog/index.php?postid=99139

Anonymous said...

Fastidious answers in return of this difficulty with real
arguments and describing all regarding that.

Check out my homepage - Newport Beach catering

Anonymous said...

, reservations are needed at least one week prior
to scheduled concerts. If a timepiece is built from expensive materials, you could expect to spend on it.
Men do need to choose their wristwatches with care, simply because they will definitely
reflect a little bit of their style and even their personality,
but there's no need to overpay to get a great timepiece with numerous great alternatives available.

Look at my blog - Professionrated.com

Anonymous said...

Hey very nice blog!

My web blog; website ()