Unit Plan Template

Unit Plan :Rainforest

Unit Author
First and Last Name / Tera Young
Author's E-mail Address /
Course Name(s) / CECS
Course Number(s) / 4100
Course Section(s) / 008
School City, State, Zip / Denton, TX 76201
Instructor Name(s): / Rhonda Christensen

Intel® Teach to the Future 2

© 2001 Intel. All rights reserved.

Intel® Teach to the Future 2

© 2001 Intel. All rights reserved.

Unit Overview
Unit Plan Title / Take a walk in the Rainforest!
Curriculum-Framing Questions
Essential Question / Why protect the environment?
Unit Questions / 1. How do rainforest affect the world?
2. What are the characteristics of rainforests?
3. How do animals live in the rainforest?
Unit Summary
This unit will be a fun and educational unit over the Rainforest. It will include areas such as how and what lives in the rainforest, as well as the general questions of what are rainforest. The students will participate in in-class group work along with home based instruction. This unit will take approximately 4 weeks to complete.

Intel® Teach to the Future 2

© 2001 Intel. All rights reserved.

Subject Area(s): (List all subjects that apply)
1) Science
2) English Language Arts and Reading
3) Computers

Intel® Teach to the Future 2

© 2001 Intel. All rights reserved.

Grade Level (Click boxes of all grade levels that apply)
K-2
6-8
ESL
Gifted and Talented / 3-5
9-12
Resource
Other:

Intel® Teach to the Future 2

© 2001 Intel. All rights reserved.

UQ #

Student Objective/Learning Outcome

/ Targeted State Standard/Benchmark / Procedures/Activities
How do animals live in the rainforest? / The student will be able to name at least ten animals that live in the rainforest.
The student will then be able to type a two page report on one specific animal they choose. / 112.5. B-8-A
110.5. B-18-F / Activity 1:
The students will go to the computer lab and use the internet to search for different animals that survive in the rainforest. They will then make a list of five animals that find interesting. The students will share their animal list with the class to generate a giant list. They will then pick an animal to do a one and a half page report on.
What are the characteristic of rainforest? / The student will be able to list and describe the layers of the rainforest. As well as be able to finish a word search puzzle dealing with the layers and different life and plant forms of the rainforest with 100 percent accuracy / 112.5. B-8-A / Activity 1:
The class room will be decorated with rainforest paraphernalia and there will be music of rainforest sounds in the background. The students will have four minutes to walk around the room and explore what they find. They will then be asked to sit in a circle and ask questions about their findings for three minutes. Here is where we will discuss the different type of rainforest layers. They students will then be broken up into groups of four and asked to use the Internet and websites that deal with the rainforest to further their understanding of the layers of the rainforest. When all computer instruction is over, the students will complete a word search puzzle that covers all areas of the rainforest with emphasis on the layers.
What are the characteristics of the rainforest? / The student will be able to list and describe many aspects of the rainforest including but not limited to what lives in the rainforest, the layers of the rainforest and why they are such an important ecosystem to our environment. / 126.2. B-2-A
112.5. B-8-A
110.5. B-18-F / Activity 1:
As a class we will go to the website http://www.field-trips.org/sci/rainforest/index.htm we will take this online field trip and then have an open discussion as a class about what was learned. The students will then be responsible for creating there own ecosystem by constructing up an imaginary habitat and presenting to the class why their habitat is the most important. They will have to describe what lives in their habitat as well as how they live, why it is important and how it affects the environment.
How do rainforest affect the world? / The students will have an understanding of the world wide value of tropical rain forest and how important they are to our daily lives. / 112.5. B-8-A
110.5. B-10-B
110.5. B-18-E
126.2. B-2-A / Activity 1:
As a class we will read as well as listen to a book on tape. “The Great Kapok Tree” by Lynne Cherry. This book will help provide a broader understanding of the relationship between humans, animals and plants in the rainforest. After the story the students will be required to rewrite the ending of the story from the view of an animal that lived in the trees. They will tell what would have happened if the all the trees would have been cut down and what would have happened to the animals and their homes. Using publisher the students will then create brochures that say “Save Our Homes.” They need to use color pictures as well as any information that they may find from different websites. Their objective is to try to create a convincing ad for saving the Kapok tree.

Intel® Teach to the Future 2

Approximate Time Needed (Example: 45 minutes, 4 hours, 1 year, etc.)
Time needed for this unit is approximately 4 weeks.
Prerequisite Skills
Students are required to have basic knowledge of the rainforest. They must also have basic computer skills.

Intel® Teach to the Future 2

Materials and Resources Required For Unit

Intel® Teach to the Future 2

Technology – Hardware (Click boxes of all equipment needed.)

Intel® Teach to the Future 2

Camera
Computer(s)
Digital Camera
DVD Player
Internet Connection / Laser Disk
Printer
Projection System
Scanner
Television / VCR
Video Camera
Video Conferencing Equip.
Other:
Technology – Software (Click boxes of all software needed.)
Database/Spreadsheet
Desktop Publishing
E-mail Software
Encyclopedia on CD-ROM / Image Processing
Internet Web Browser
Multimedia / Web Page Development
Word Processing
Other:

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Printed Materials / The book “The Great Kapok Tree” by Lynne Cherry,
Supplies / Computer, internet, printer, printing paper, markers of different colors, access to library, and the most important Imagination!
Internet Resources / 1. http://its.gcsnc.com/webquests/rforest/rforest.htm This Rainforest Web Quest is a great and interactive way to learn all about the different plants, animals and insects that live in the rainforest. By taking a virtual interactive tour of the different rainforest the children will learn just how important they are to the many things that live in them. This is appropriate for 1st thru 3rd graders. Check this web quest out, I think you will find it most enjoyable
2. http://rivapprod2.riverdeep.net/portal/page?_pageid=353,154348,353_154364&_ dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL Imagination Express®, Destination: Rain Forest is a software that the whole school could enjoy and find most useful. It does have a hefty price tag attached to it $475.00, but it is intended for students from 1st to 8th grade. With this software you can adjust what the children do from easy to complex depending on their skill level. Students will learn about plants, animals, insects and waterfalls. They can create personalized storybooks, create their own rainforest with sounds and movements they can even create their own adventure online. This software is also a great way for younger children to learn about computers. I would strongly recommend this software to any school. You can purchase this software at the link below as well as review this product yourself.
3. http://www.field-trips.org/sci/rainforest/index.htm Tramline offers a great new and exciting online rainforest virtual field trip. The students will see first hand what a real rainforest is like. They will be able to discover what a rainforest is and why they are an important ecosystem. They will see animals and people of the rainforest as well as what types of rainforests there are. This online research has links for teachers as well to be able to provide worksheets and activities for the students to complete during the virtual field trip. This program is free and is a great and exciting new way for students in the 4th to 6th grade to see hands on what the rainforest is like. Here is the link below.
4. http://www.rainforesteducation.com/ The website of the Rainforest education includes many new and useful facts. It allows the children to participate in hands on activities as well as personal self paced readings. The students should enjoy this learning adventure while exploring all the different layers and types of rainforest. There are many links for teachers with cool new and exciting games and activities for your children to do.
5. http://www.rainforestheroes.com/kidscorner/teachers/lessonplans.html One of my favorite websites is from the rainforest action network. This website is geared for teachers of all different grade levels. It has many challenging yet fun activities for teacher to do with their class in all subject areas. It has activities in english, spelling, reading, science, math, music and art. This website also includes additional links for the students to look at fun facts about the rainforest as well as work thru fun crossword puzzles and exciting art projects. Take a look at the link below and you may find it very useful.
Others
Accommodations for Differentiated Instruction
Resource Student / I would have less home based learning and more one on one teacher instructed learning. I would also give the student more time to complete the assignments.
Gifted Student / I would substitute the less complicated work with more critical thinking and challenging work.
Student Assessment

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