Lessons and Activities

 

 

Introduction to the Rainforest

Life Cycle Moth/butterfly
 

Specialist or Generalist?

 

Food Web/Trophic Cascade
 

Rainforest Ecology - Rainforest Products
 

 


Guanacaste tree at Nosara, Costa Rica, by Karen Retford

Introduction to the Rainforest

Objective:  Students will learn basic information about the rainforest.  They will be able to identify and illustrate the different levels of plant life in a rainforest and locate on a world map the location of the world's rainforests.

Grade Level: 3rd - 8th

Prerequisite knowledge:  Students must be able to locate and read basic maps.

Standards: 

California Science Standards 4th grade - Life Science

3.0 Students know that living organisms depend on one another for survival.  As a basis for understanding this concept:

  1. Students know that ecosystems can be characterized by their living and non-living components.
  2. Students know that in a particular environment, some kinds of plants and animals survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.
  3. Students know many plants depend on animals for pollination and seed dispersal, and animals depend on plants for food and shelter.

California History and Social Science Standards 4th grade

4.1 Students demonstrate an understanding of the physical and human geographic features that define places and regions in California.
  1. Explain and use the coordinate grid system of latitude and longitude to determine the absolute locations of places in California and on Earth.
  2. Distinguish between the North and South Poles; the equator and the prime meridian; the tropics; and the hemispheres, using coordinates to plot locations.

California English-Language Arts Standards 4th grade

2.0 Students write compositions that describe and explain familiar objects, events, and experiences.  Student writing demonstrates a command of standard American English and the drafting, research, and organizational strategies.

 2.4 Write summaries that contain main ideas of the reading selection and the most significant details.

Materials:

Pictures of rainforests, a collection of pictures or links to pictures and animals in the rainforest, drawing paper, blank map of the world (1 for each student), unlabeled picture of rainforest canopy (copies for each student, plus one overhead for teacher), rulers, colored pencils, watercolors, lined paper, and paint brushes. Also: an overhead or access to Power Point.

Time:  1 to 2 hours

Teacher Models:

Teacher introduces the rainforest.  The students are given the definition of the rainforest and shown on a world map where rainforests are located.  Students are then instructed on the different layers of the rainforest either through Power Point or an overhead illustrating the canopy layers. Below is a graphic representation of the different layers of the rainforest.  Used by permission www.mongabay.com.

Following presentation the teacher will lead the class in the composition of a paragraph summarizing the information learned about a rainforest.

Guided Practice:

  1. Students are placed in groups of four.
  2. Students color a map showing where the rainforests of the world are located.  To label their unlabeled copy of the rainforest layers. 
  3. Students must be able to explain their choices and give a brief presentation in the form of a complete paragraph.
  4. Teacher circulates and assists where needed.
  5. Students present their work.

Independent Practice:

  1. Each student must create an illustration of the layers of the rainforest. The illustration must include labels for the different levels and the heights of the plants at that level.
  2. Each student will create a map of the world showing the location of the world's rainforests.  The map shall include labels for the equator, the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.
  3. Students must complete a complete paragraph describing a rainforest.

 

 

Saturniidae, Automeris brick red patches. Dyer, L.A. and G.L. Gentry. 2002. Caterpillars and parasitoids of a tropical lowland wet forest. http://www.caterpillars.org. Accessed: (June 27,2005).

 

Life Cycle of Butterflies and Moths

Objective:

Students will learn about the life cycle of butterflies and moths.  They will be able to define metamorphosis, instar, caterpillar, pupa, and adult. Students will be able to illustrate and label an illustration of the life cycle.

Grade Level: 3rd - 8th

Prerequisite Knowledge: this lesson should precede the less on the food web/trophic cascade

Standards: 

California Science Standards 4th grade - Life Science

2.  All organisms need energy and matter to live and grow.  As a basis for understanding this concept:

a.  Students know plants are the primary source of matter and energy entering most food chains.

b.  Students know that producers and consumers are related in food chains and food webs and may compete with each other for resources in an ecosystem.

Materials:

Power point illustrating the different stages of the lifecycle or a post with similar illustrations. Access to internet. Bookmark: www.caterpillars.org  

Time:  1 to 2 hours

Teacher Models:

Teacher teaches the lifecycle of the butterfly or moth using the Power Point Life Cycle of the Butterfly or Moth Life Cycle of the Butterfly or Moth

Guided Practice:

Students in groups of four illustrate a life cycle of a butterfly or moth.  The group needs to be prepared to share their quick illustration with the class.  Each member of the group must contribute one illustration to the picture.

Independent Practice:

Students are to create their own illustration of a butterfly/moth lifecycle. Students may utilize pictures from the resources they’ve used in their research.

 


Dyer, L.A. and G.L. Gentry. 2002. Caterpillars and parasitoids of a tropical lowland wet forest. http://www.caterpillars.org. Accessed: (June 27,2005).

 

Specialist or Generalist: Who will Survive?

Objective:

Students will use the inquiry method to determine who has a greater chance of survival if there is a change in the environment: a specialist or a generalist.

Grade Level: 3rd - 8th

Prerequisite Knowledge:  Some background knowledge about caterpillars and their lifecycle.

Standards:

California Science Standards 4th grade - Life Science

3.Living organisms depend on one another for survival.  As a basis for understanding this concept:

  1. Students know ecosystems can be characterized by their living and non living components.
  2. Students know that in a particular environment, some kinds of plants and animals survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.
  3. Students know many plants depend on animals for pollination and seed dispersal, and animals depend on plants for food and shelter.

Materials:

Pictures or charts of specialist caterpillars i.e. silk worm (mulberry), monarch caterpillar (milkweed), California Dogface (false indigo), California Sister (leaves of oaks) etc. and generalist caterpillars: i.e. Painted Lady, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Luna Moth, etc. This website has information on caterpillar food: www.butterflywings.com/species.html or butterfly identification cards at: http://www.reimangardens.iastate.edu/en/butterflies/butterfly_identification_cards.cfm

Time:  1 to 2 hours

Teacher Models:

There are two categories that caterpillars can be put into, generalists and specialists. A generalist will eat a wide variety of plants while a specialist will only eat one plant variety.  An example of a generalist is a Painted Lady.  An example of a specialist is a Monarch larvae; they only eat one kind of food- milkweed. Who do you think is going to survive if there is a change in the habitat?

Situation:  In the central valley farmers are using herbicides to keep weeds out of their orchards. Herbicides kill weeds and other plants if not used carefully.  Milkweed,, in the eyes of the farmer or gardener, is a weed, therefore they try to get rid of it.  Monarch larvae are designed to only eat milkthistle, if the milkthistle is "weeded out" there is no food for the monarch larvae.  The Painted Lady can feast on 100 different host plants thistles, hollyhock, mallow, and many legumes.  So if one plant is killed by herbicide it can find another that it likes.  Currently the habitat for Monarch's is dwindling, there aren't as many milkthistles as there once were, resulting in less Monarchs. 

Task:  Create a poster illustrating both a generalist and a specialist caterpillar. Include in the poster an illustration of the larvae stage as well as the adult stage of the butterfly and their food source.

 

Guided Practice:

Whole group pick out a generalist caterpillar (West Coast Lady) and a specialist (Queen) and each student must create an illustration as in the task above.

Independent Practice:

Student must select their own specialist and generalist and create and illustration as in the task above.

 

 

Food Webs and Trophic Cascades

Objective: Students will be able to describe the elements of a food chain.  They will then be able to describe and illustrate a trophic cascade as a component of the food web.

Prerequisite Knowledge:  Students know how to classify animals and differentiate them from plants.

Standards:

California Science Standards 4th grade - Life Science

2.  All organisms need energy and matter to live and grow.  As a basis for understanding this concept:

  1. Students know plants are the primary source of matter and energy entering most food chains.
  2. Students know producers and consumers (herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, and decomposers) are related in food chains and food webs and may compete with each other for resources in an ecosystem.
  3. Students know decomposers including many fungi, insects, and microorganisms, recycle matter from dead plants and animals.

3.Living organisms depend on one another for survival.  As a basis for understanding this concept:

  1. Students know ecosystems can be characterized by their living and non living components.
  2. Students know that in a particular environment, some kinds of plants and animals survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.
  3. Students know many plants depend on animals for pollination and seed dispersal, and animals depend on plants for food and shelter.

Materials: Power Point or posters illustrating food webs and trophic cascades.  Drawing paper, access to the internet, glue, and scissors.

Time:1 to 2 class periods

Teacher Models:

Teacher discusses the interdependence of animals involved in a food web. This discussion can be specific to a particular biome such as the rainforest, tundra, etc.  Using Power Point or Posters illustrate some food webs including the following terms:  Producers, consumers, decomposers, energy source, herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores.

Introduce the term tropic cascade.  This is a system where a predator causes a change in the plant biomass by controlling the herbivore population.  In other words a predator, affects an herbivore, which affects the plant biomass.  An example would be a mountain lion eating deer, the less deer the more plant biomass, more deer more plant biomass.

Below are two illustrations of food webs.

 

 

Guided Practice: 

With teacher acting as a secretary the students create a food web.  Teacher can illustrate on the board or on an overhead.  Encourage students to explain their choices and if there are errors help to clarify. Encourage students to come up with trophic cascades.

Independent Practice:

Students create a food web with a trophic cascade.  They need to illustrate and write a paragraph describing their web.

Rainforest Ecology – Rainforest Products

Objectives:

Students will be able to describe the use and origin of a product that has its origin in the tropical or subtropical rainforest.

Prerequisite Knowledge:

Students must have knowledge of the geographical location of tropical and subtropical rainforests.  Online research skills and the ability to gather information from a variety of sources.  Students must have a working knowledge of the writing domains for the given grade level.

Standards

This lesson is written using the California Standards for 4th grade it can easily be adapted up or down the grade spans.

Life Sciences

  1. All organisms need energy and matter to live and grow. As a basis for understanding this concept:
    1. Students know plants are the primary source of matter and energy entering most food chains.
    2. Students know producers and consumers (herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, and decomposers) are related in food chains and food webs and may compete with each other for resources in an ecosystem.
    3. Students know decomposers, including many fungi, insects, and microorganisms, recycle matter from dead plants and animals.
  2. Living organisms depend on one another and on their environment for survival. As a basis for understanding this concept:
    1. Students know ecosystems can be characterized by their living and nonliving components.
    2. Students know that in any particular environment, some kinds of plants and animals survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.
    3. Students know many plants depend on animals for pollination and seed dispersal, and animals depend on plants for food and shelter.
    4. Students know that most microorganisms do not cause disease and that many are beneficial.

 Language Arts

Reading

1.0 Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary Development

Students understand the basic features of reading. They select letter patterns and know how to translate them into spoken language by using phonics, syllabication, and word parts. They apply this knowledge to achieve fluent oral and silent reading.

Word Recognition
1.1 Read narrative and expository text aloud with grade-appropriate fluency and accuracy and with appropriate pacing, intonation, and expression.

Vocabulary and Concept Development
1.2 Apply knowledge of word origins, derivations, synonyms, antonyms, and idioms to determine the meaning of words and phrases.
1.3 Use knowledge of root words to determine the meaning of unknown words within a passage.
1.4 Know common roots and affixes derived from Greek and Latin and use this knowledge to analyze the meaning of complex words (e.g., international).
1.5 Use a thesaurus to determine related words and concepts.
1.6 Distinguish and interpret words with multiple meanings.

2.0 Reading Comprehension

Students read and understand grade-level-appropriate material. They draw upon a variety of comprehension strategies as needed (e.g., generating and responding to essential questions, making predictions, comparing information from several sources). The selections in Recommended Literature, Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve illustrate the quality and complexity of the materials to be read by students. In addition to their regular school reading, students read one-half million words annually, including a good representation of grade-level-appropriate narrative and expository text (e.g., classic and contemporary literature, magazines, newspapers, online information).

Structural Features of Informational Materials
2.1 Identify structural patterns found in informational text (e.g., compare and contrast, cause and effect, sequential or chronological order, proposition and support) to strengthen comprehension.

Comprehension and Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text
2.2 Use appropriate strategies when reading for different purposes (e.g., full comprehension, location of information, personal enjoyment).
2.3 Make and confirm predictions about text by using prior knowledge and ideas presented in the text itself, including illustrations, titles, topic sentences, important words, and foreshadowing clues.
2.4 Evaluate new information and hypotheses by testing them against known information and ideas.
2.5 Compare and contrast information on the same topic after reading several passages or articles.
2.6 Distinguish between cause and effect and between fact and opinion in expository text.
2.7 Follow multiple-step instructions in a basic technical manual (e.g., how to use computer commands or video games).

3.0 Literary Response and Analysis

Students read and respond to a wide variety of significant works of children's literature. They distinguish between the structural features of the text and the literary terms or elements (e.g., theme, plot, setting, characters). The selections in Recommended Literature, Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve illustrate the quality and complexity of the materials to be read by students.

Structural Features of Literature
3.1 Describe the structural differences of various imaginative forms of literature, including fantasies, fables, myths, legends, and fairy tales.

Narrative Analysis of Grade-Level-Appropriate Text
3.2 Identify the main events of the plot, their causes, and the influence of each event on future actions.
3.3 Use knowledge of the situation and setting and of a character's traits and motivations to determine the causes for that character's actions.
3.4 Compare and contrast tales from different cultures by tracing the exploits of one character type and develop theories to account for similar tales in diverse cultures (e.g., trickster tales).
3.5 Define figurative language (e.g., simile, metaphor, hyperbole, personification) and identify its use in literary works.

Writing

1.0 Writing Strategies

Students write clear, coherent sentences and paragraphs that develop a central idea. Their writing shows they consider the audience and purpose. Students progress through the stages of the writing process (e.g., prewriting, drafting, revising, editing successive versions).

Organization and Focus
1.1 Select a focus, an organizational structure, and a point of view based upon purpose, audience, length, and format requirements.

1.2 Create multiple-paragraph compositions:

  1. Provide an introductory paragraph.
  2. Establish and support a central idea with a topic sentence at or near the beginning of the first paragraph.
  3. Include supporting paragraphs with simple facts, details, and explanations.
  4. Conclude with a paragraph that summarizes the points.
  5. Use correct indention.

Research and Technology
1.5 Quote or paraphrase information sources, citing them appropriately.
1.6 Locate information in reference texts by using organizational features (e.g., prefaces, appendixes).
1.7 Use various reference materials (e.g., dictionary, thesaurus, card catalog, encyclopedia, online information) as an aid to writing.
1.8 Understand the organization of almanacs, newspapers, and periodicals and how to use those print materials.
1.9 Demonstrate basic keyboarding skills and familiarity with computer terminology (e.g., cursor, software, memory, disk drive, hard drive).

Evaluation and Revision
1.10 Edit and revise selected drafts to improve coherence and progression by adding, deleting, consolidating, and rearranging text.

2.0 Writing Applications (Genres and Their Characteristics)

Students write compositions that describe and explain familiar objects, events, and experiences. Student writing demonstrates a command of standard American English and the drafting, research, and organizational strategies outlined in Writing Standard 1.0.

2.3 Write information reports:

  1. Frame a central question about an issue or situation.
  2. Include facts and details for focus.
  3. Draw from more than one source of information (e.g., speakers, books, newspapers, other media sources).

2.4 Write summaries that contain the main ideas of the reading selection and the most significant details.

History and Social Studies

4.1 Students demonstrate an understanding of the physical and human geographic features that define places and regions in California.
  1. Explain and use the coordinate grid system of latitude and longitude to determine the absolute locations of places in California and on Earth.
  2. Distinguish between the North and South Poles; the equator and the prime meridian; the tropics; and the hemispheres, using coordinates to plot locations
4.2 Students describe the social, political, cultural, and economic life and interactions among people of California from the pre-Columbian societies to the Spanish mission and Mexican rancho periods.
  1. Discuss the major nations of California Indians, including their geographic distribution, economic activities, legends, and religious beliefs; and describe how they depended on, adapted to, and modified the physical environment by cultivation of land and use of sea resources.
  2. Identify the early land and sea routes to, and European settlements in, California with a focus on the exploration of the North Pacific (e.g., by Captain James Cook, Vitus Bering, Juan Cabrillo), noting especially the importance of mountains, deserts, ocean currents, and wind patterns.
  3. Describe the Spanish exploration and colonization of California, including the relationships among soldiers, missionaries, and Indians (e.g., Juan Crespi, Junipero Serra, Gaspar de Portola).

Materials: 

Internet Access, student world maps (8 for 8 groups), pictures of products from the tropical and subtropical rainforest (9 sets, 8 for students 1 for instructor),

Time: 

 2 weeks for entire lesson

Anticipatory Set:

Have you ever wondered where the food we eat comes from? Each group has a map of the world and a set of labeled pictures of plants. As a group I want you to put the picture of the plant where you think it originated (came from originally) in the world.  Be prepared as a group to tell why you think it came from that part of the world.  Allow students about 15 minutes to place the plants on their map and to develop a theory or explanation to support their choice.  Using pictures and information from Plant Origins.htm for pictures and origin there are links provided for research later.

Groups present their ideas.

Then the teacher uses a world map and the same set of pictures and lets the students know where the plants originate. After placing and explaining ask the students if they see a pattern.  All of the plants come from either tropical or subtropical areas.

Teacher Models:

Nearly 80% of what we eat today originates in tropical and subtropical areas.  Plants adapt to their environments and so certain plants are only found in certain climates.  Review the Tropic of Cancer, the Tropic of Capricorn, and the Equator.  We are going to research plants or foods that originally came from the tropics.  Then we will use internet and library resources to write a report of information about our chosen plant.   Teacher chooses one of the plants from the Plant Origins.htm and the links provided to illustrate how to do the research.  Teacher models connecting to the link, reading the information, taking notes, and creating a report of information.  Using the overhead show on a world map the location of the plants origin.

Guided Practice:

Students and teacher choose another plant from Plant Orgins.htm and the teacher assists the students in researching, taking notes, and creating a report of information, indicate the origin of the plant on a map.

Independent Practice:

Students choose a plant from Plant Origins.htm and research, take notes, and create a report of information. Students may also include an illustration with their research and include a map showing the origin of the plant.