Lesson Planning
Lower Key Stage 2 Rainforests - NEW LOOK
Plants and Animals in the Rainforest
Understand the four main layers of a rainforest. Find out about the plants and the creatures that grow in the different layers and how they are adapted to live there. Create a classroom display of ‘Rainforest Layers’ and write miniature factual books. Construct group dioramas illustrating the different layers that make up a rainforest.
Session 1 What are the layers in a tropical rainforest and which plants grow where?
Objectives
Geography
- To understand and use geographical vocabulary to describe features of the rainforest.
- To identify plants growing in the different layers of the rainforest.
- To design and create a rainforest diorama, using a range of tools and materials. Locate the world’s countries concentrating on their environmental regions, key physical characteristics.
Enquiry question
What makes the rainforest unique?
Outcomes
Children will:
- Identify features of each layer of the rainforest.
- Develop scientific understanding of plants living in different layers of the rainforest.
- Design and create a rainforest diorama using a range of tools and materials.
Provided Resources
You Will Also Need
Non-fiction books about the rainforest and internet access
For making rainforest dioramas: shoebox or similar-sized box' small box,
A4 card, brown paper, green crepe/tissue paper, green acrylic or poster paint, crayons or coloured pencils, scissors, PVA glue, paint brush, pencil, hot glue gun, small rocks and twigs (optional)
Weblinks
This short video clip provides an explanation of the different layers of the rainforest
Some useful information about rainforests from the School Learning Zone
Tropical rainforest information for children from Mongabay
This video clip from the Eden Project provides some useful information about plant adaptation
Session 2 Animals living in the upper layers of the rainforest
Objectives
Geography
- To listen to the noises of the rainforest and create a soundscape to represent this.
- To research an animal living in the upper layers of the rainforest and identify some ways in which it is adapted for life in this environment.
- To present information about a rainforest animal by using a net to build a simple 3-D shape.
Enquiry question
What animals live in the upper layers of the rainforest?
Outcomes
Children will:
- Investigate animals living in the upper layers of the rainforest and describe ways in which they are adapted for life in this environment.
- Construct 3-D fact files about rainforest animals.
Lesson Planning
Provided Resources
You Will Also Need
Selection of instruments: tambourines; scrapers, triangles, shakers, drums and xylophones, etc
Non-fiction books and access to the internet
White card, scissors, rulers, glue, coloured pencils and pens
Weblinks
Sound clip of the rainforest
Some useful facts about the emergent layer and canopy of the rainforest
Session 3 Animals living in the lower layers of the rainforest
Objectives
Geography
- To research an animal living in the lower layers of the rainforest and identify some ways in which it is adapted for life in this environment.
- To select and organise information about rainforest animals by making a class ‘I Spy’ book.
- To use play dough or modelling clay to create a model of a rainforest animal.
Enquiry question
What animals live in the lower layers of the rainforest?
Outcomes
Children will:
- Investigate animals living in the lower layers of the rainforest and describe ways in which they are adapted for life in this environment.
- Create a class ‘I Spy’ book of animals living in the lower layers of the rainforest to accompany our dioramas.
- Make models of animals living in the rainforest.
Lesson Planning
Provided Resources
You Will Also Need
Lego characters
Non-fiction books and access to the internet.
Coloured pencils and pens
Coloured play dough or modelling clay, cutting and shaping tools
Dioramas from session 1
I-Spy type books (not essential)
Weblinks
This video clip has some useful information about some of the animals living in the different layers of the rainforest
Short video clips explaining how to make a play dough frog and spider monkey
Session 4 Exploring rainforest art
Objectives
Art
- To study the layering and detail of Henri Rousseau’s rainforest art.
- To record observations about the paintings of Amazonian artist NIxiwaka Yawanawá and British artist John Dyer.
- To develop pastel techniques to create artwork featuring plants and animals living in the rainforest.
Enquiry question
How have artists represented life in the rainforest?
Outcomes
Children will:
- Use our observations and knowledge about the rainforest to extend a painting by Henri Rosseau.
- Investigate the paintings of two contemporary artists, NIxiwaka Yawanawá and John Dyer.
- Use pastels to create our own rainforest art.
Lesson Planning
Provided Resources
You Will Also Need
A4 or A3 sheets of paper, sketch books or drawing paper, glue sticks, sketch and coloured pencils, oil pastels
Access to the internet, printed photographs of rainforest plants and animals, non-fiction books with photographs of the rainforest
Optional: house plants (of species that are native to the rainforest)
Session 5 The power of plants
Objectives
Geography
- To list some foods that come from rainforest plants.
- To explain what an ethnobotanist is and name some rainforest plants that are used in medicine.
- To investigate and make notes about the medicinal use of a plant that grows wild in the UK.
Enquiry question
Why are the plants of the rainforest so important?
Outcomes
Children will:
- Create a menu containing foods that come from rainforest plants.
- Name some rainforest plants that have medicinal uses.
- Research and makes notes on the medicinal uses of a plant growing wild in the UK.
Lesson Planning
Provided Resources
You Will Also Need
Selection of supermarket food items that come from plants that are native to the rainforest, such as bananas, chocolate, coffee, vanilla ice cream container, black pepper and cashew nuts
Access to the internet
Dandelion (optional)
Non-fiction books about the medicinal uses of wild plants growing in the UK
Coloured pencils
Weblinks
Useful information from WWF about some products and ingredients that come from tropical forests
This video clip from Learn at Chester Zoo provides some examples of products that come from rainforests