rain forest lesson plans - 3-5yrs

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3-5 Years (Early Years Foundation Stage) Quest 1: "Down in the Rainforest" Rhyme & Discussion Process: Group size: Small Group/Whole Class The children are sat in a circle and the teacher explains to them that they are going to become explorers in the rainforest. The teacher talks briefly with the children about woodlands which they may have visited and what they have seen there. Using this as a context the teacher then describes in simple terms the location of the rainforests and the similarities and differences between these and the woodland environment with which the children may already be familiar. The teacher then introduces the chorus of the "Down in the Rainforest" rhyme to the children . They repeat it so that they will be able to join in with the refrain when the rhyme is recited. The teacher has a large Storysack or box containing a model of a tree, a toy machine and soft toys/stick puppets produced from the templates below to represent all the creatures mentioned in the rhyme. Each object is taken out of the sack as the rhyme progresses and placed on a nearby table or small mat in the centre of the circle. The children are encouraged to join in with the appropriate animal noises at the end of each verse. During the last verse the tree will be cut down by a machine, then each animal returned to the sack as the rhyme reaches its conclusion. The teacher now begins a discussion with the children about the story. Has the story made them feel happy or sad? Do they think that it is a good thing that the rainforests are being chopped down? Explain in simple terms why this is happening, i.e: Topic Heading "Down in the Rainforest" Rhyme and Discussion Task: To gain an understanding of the nature of a rainforest and to understand in simple terms the issues of deforestation and conservation. Time: 20-30 minutes Materials: Model of a tree stood in a pot (made from a roll of paper with slits cut into the top then pulled out and opened up) A toy construction machine. A small table, rug or mat. A storysack/box containing soft toys or stick puppets made from the templates listed below: (Templates can be downloaded from the online quest page) 1. Jaguar 2. Blue and Yellow Macaw 3. Black Howler Monkey 4. Blue Orchid Bee 5. Giant Anteater 6. Strawberry, Golden and Green and Black Poison Dart Frogs 7. Hairy-nosed Bat 8. Striped Coral Pipesnake "Down In The Rainforest" rhyme (see below)

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Page 1: Rain Forest Lesson Plans - 3-5yrs

3-5 Years (Early Years Foundation Stage)

Quest 1: "Down in the Rainforest" Rhyme & Discussion

Process:Group size: Small Group/Whole Class

The children are sat in a circle and the teacher explains to them that they are going to become explorers in the rainforest. The teacher talks briefly with the children about woodlands which they may have visited and what they have seen there. Using this as a context the teacher then describes in simple terms the location of the rainforests and the similarities and differences between these and the woodland environment with which the children may already be familiar.

The teacher then introduces the chorus of the "Down in the Rainforest" rhyme to the children . They repeat it so that they will be able to join in with the refrain when the rhyme is recited.

The teacher has a large Storysack or box containing a model of a tree, a toy machine and soft toys/stick puppets produced from the templates below to represent all the creatures mentioned in the rhyme. Each object is taken out of the sack as the rhyme progresses and placed on a nearby table or small mat in the centre of the circle. The children are encouraged to join in with the appropriate animal noises at the end of each verse. During the last verse the tree will be cut down by a machine, then each animal returned to the sack as the rhyme reaches its conclusion.

The teacher now begins a discussion with the children about the story. Has the story made them feel happy or sad? Do they think that it is a good thing that the rainforests are being chopped down? Explain in simple terms why this is happening, i.e:

Topic Heading "Down in the Rainforest" Rhyme and Discussion

Task: To gain an understanding of the nature of a rainforest and to understand in simple terms the issues of deforestation and conservation.

Time: 20-30 minutes

Materials: • Model of a tree stood in a pot (made from a roll of paper with slits cut into the top then pulled out and opened up)

• A toy construction machine. • A small table, rug or mat. • A storysack/box containing soft toys or stick puppets made from the

templates listed below:

(Templates can be downloaded from the online quest page)

1. Jaguar 2. Blue and Yellow Macaw 3. Black Howler Monkey 4. Blue Orchid Bee 5. Giant Anteater 6. Strawberry, Golden and Green and Black Poison Dart Frogs 7. Hairy-nosed Bat 8. Striped Coral Pipesnake

• "Down In The Rainforest" rhyme (see below)

Page 2: Rain Forest Lesson Plans - 3-5yrs

• Trees are being cut down to make furniture. • Land is being cleared for grazing cattle to make beef products such as burgers. • Animals are being hunted for their horns, fur, skins or tusks. • Animals such as snakes, chimps and parrots are being hunted to be sold as pets.

The teacher then asks the children what they think they can do to help. Some suggestions might be:

• Find out more about the rainforest through the rainforest quests. • Try not to use too much paper. • Recycle paper and card. • Ask our parents and carers to give help to the people who live in the rainforest so that they can look

after the trees and animals for the future.

Down in the Rainforest

Chorus: Down in the Rainforest,1,2,3,We are the explorers, What can we see?

Uh-Oh – trees!A giant canopy of trees!Stretching high into the sky,And making air to breathe.(Deep breaths in and out)

CHORUS

Uh-Oh – a jaguar!A spotty, furry jaguar!Hunting for his breakfast,Crouching in the trees.(Growl, growl)

CHORUS

Uh-Oh – a macaw!A blue and yellow macaw!With figs and nuts in his hooked bill,Swooping through the air.(Caw, caw)

CHORUS

Uh-Oh – a monkey!A big black Howler Monkey!Hanging upside down,And eating fruits and leaves.(Howl, howl)

CHORUS

Uh-Oh – bees!Blue perfumed orchid bees!Buzzing around the brazil nut flowers,To make more seeds and trees.(Buzz, buzz)

CHORUS

Uh-Oh – an anteater!A giant long-nosed anteater!Sniffing and scooping up the ants,And scoffing them greedily.(Sniff, sniff)

CHORUS

Uh-Oh – frogs!Poison-dart frogs!Strawberry, Golden, Green and Black,In a star-lit canopy.(Croak, croak)

CHORUS

Uh-Oh – bats!Hairy-nosed bats!Listening with big ears in the night,To catch ants and spiders for tea!(High- pitched click, click,click)

CHORUS

Uh-Oh – a snake!A stripy coral pipesnake!Slithering downwards to hide in his burrow,But leaving his tail poking out!(Hiss, hiss)

CHORUS

Oh No! Machines!Men with big machines!Slashing and burning down the trees,No more food or air to breathe...

No more jaguars!No more macaws!No more monkeys!No more bees!No more anteaters!No more frogs!No more bats!No more snakes!

Down in the Rainforest,1,2,3,We are the explorers…..But there’s nothing left to see!

Page 3: Rain Forest Lesson Plans - 3-5yrs

3-5 Years (Early Years Foundation Stage)

Quest 2: Rainforest Animal Chain of Sounds

Process:Group size: Small Group or Whole ClassThe children are sat in a circle on the carpet. The teacher explains that they will be producing a soundtrack of rainforest animal noises to be played in the Rainforest Role Play area. The teacher withdraws the creatures from the storysack/box one by one, revisiting their names and sounds with the children. As each creature is introduced it is placed in a line on the mat in the middle of the circle. When all the creatures have been introduced to the line, the teacher uses a long stick to point to each animal in turn. The children make the associated noises, thus creating a “chain of sound”. The children are then challenged to hold the stick and make the chain of sound individually with the rest of the class as audience. Group or individual chains may be recorded as desired.

Product:

The children will produce a recording of a chain of rainforest animal noises to be used as a soundtrack in the Rainforest Role Play area.

Other Activities:

Play 'Guess the Rainforest Sound' using rainforest audio clips fromwww.rainforestSOS.org/schools/free-resources/rainforest-multimedia/rainforest-sounds

Listen to and learn the pop song 'Breathe', written by Australian singer Luc Floreani - www.rainforestSOSorg/schools/free-resources/rainforest-multimedia/music

Topic Heading: Rainforest Animal Chain of Sounds

Task: To name some of the creatures of the rainforest and to make a chain of sound incorporating their calls which can be used as a soundtrack in the Rainforest Role Play area.

Time: 30 minutes

Materials: The storysack/box containing the collection of soft toys/stick puppets used to illustrate the rhyme in Rainforest Quest 1

A long stick or ruler

A recording facility

A small mat or rug

Page 4: Rain Forest Lesson Plans - 3-5yrs

3-5 Years (Early Years Foundation Stage)

Quest 3: “Down in the Rainforest” Musical Composition

Process: Group Size: Whole class

The children are sat in a circle with a small mat or rug laid out in the centre. The teacher explains to the children that they will be composing their own piece of music based on the sounds of rainforest creatures. Their recording will be played in the Rainforest Role Play Area which they will be helping to create.

The teacher takes 1 of each type of instrument out of the box at a time, naming it with the children and demonstrating its sound before placing it on the mat in the centre of the circle. Now the teacher explains to the children that they will be matching the sounds of the instruments to the sounds made by the rainforest creatures. Ground rules are laid down for the use of the instruments – when a child collects an instrument from the mat they are to lay it down on the carpet in the space in front of them and are not to touch it until the teacher asks them to play:

"If you play before I say,You will find I take it away!"

The teacher also establishes an agreed stop signal such as a raised palm.

The teacher will have chosen 5 verses of the "Down in the Rainforest" rhyme giving 5 different animal sounds with which to work. The children begin by chanting the chorus of the rhyme with the teacher. The teacher then reads the first verse of the rhyme to the children whilst withdrawing the tree from the storysack. The group is asked to think about which instrument best matches the sound of the air blowing through the leaves of the tree. The teacher then chooses an individual child to come and play the instrument which they feel best matches this sound. If the rest of the class agree with the choice that has been made, the child returns to their place in the circle, placing the instrument down on the floor in front of them. The teacher proceeds in this way through the next five verses which have been selected until all 6 instruments have been chosen. The teacher now distributes the rest of the instruments so that there are 6 groups of matching instruments around the circle. The corresponding soft toy/puppet is laid down in front of each group as a visual reminder for teacher and children.

Topic Heading: "Down in the Rainforest" musical composition

Task: To compose a piece of music based on the "Down in the Rainforest" rhyme to be used in the Rainforest Role Play area.

Time: 30 minutes

Materials: • The storysack/box containing the collection of soft toys/stick puppets used to illustrate the rhyme in Rainforest Quest 1

• A long stick or ruler

• A recording facility

• A small mat or rug A copy of the "Down in the Rainforest" rhyme used in Quest 1

A box containing 6 different types of percussion instrument, enough for 1 for each child in the group

A small mat/rug A recording facility Soft toys/stick puppets as used in Quests 1 + 2

Page 5: Rain Forest Lesson Plans - 3-5yrs

The teacher explains that the children will first have a practice turn at playing their instruments at just the right time. The teacher reads through the rhyme and at the end of each verse points to the relevant group of children to pick up and play their instruments, stopping and putting them down again on the teachers signal. At the end of the last “machines” verse of the rhyme all the children will play their instruments together. They will put their instruments down to chant the end of the rhyme with the teacher. One child is then chosen to play a single suitably loud beat right at the end of the rhyme.

The class now repeat the whole process again to make their 'best' performance. If possible there should be at least one member of staff other than the teacher who can provide an audience for the 'performance' which is recorded for use in the role play area.

Product:

The children will have produced a recorded performance of their own composition entitled “Down in the Rainforest” to be used in the Rainforest Role Play Area.

Other Activities:

• Play 'Guess the Rainforest Sound' using rainforest audio clips fromhttp://schools.rainforestsos.org/free-resources/rainforest-multimedia/rainforest-sounds

• Listen to and learn the pop song 'Breathe', written by Australian singer Luc Floreani - http://schools.rainforestsos.org/free-resources/rainforest-multimedia/music

Page 6: Rain Forest Lesson Plans - 3-5yrs

3-5 Years (Early Years Foundation Stage)

Quest 4: Rainforest Insect Mobiles

Process: Group Size: 4

The teacher shows the children models or pictures of some of the insects found in the rainforest and talks about their individual characteristics. The teacher encourages the children to look carefully at colour and pattern. They are also shown a completed example of a mobile.

Children are working together in groups of four to produce a mobile. Each must contribute 1 or more insects for the mobile and these must be accurately coloured and patterned. The children should discuss together which insects they have chosen to make. They then select their own resources and where possible work independently to assemble their mobile.

Product:The children will have worked as a group to produce an accurately coloured and patterned Rainforest Insect Mobile which can then be displayed in the Rainforest Role Play area.

Topic Heading: Rainforest Insect Mobiles

Task: To produce a mobile featuring insects found in the rainforest to decorate the Rainforest Role Play area

Time: 40 minutes

Materials: All the resources below should be displayed in such a way as to encourage free and independent selection by the children:

• Scissors, glue, felt-tips, sticky tape, thread • Card and paper of various types • Decorative materials (recycled if possible) such as sequins, buttons,

sweet wrappers, corks, bottle tops etc • A selection of materials to make legs and feelers, such as pipe

cleaners, matchsticks and lolly sticks • Coat hangers or hoops for hanging the mobiles • Templates of the insects (see below) but encourage independent

work where at all possible • Soft toys, models or coloured pictures of a variety of insects found in

the rainforest. (see list below)

(Templates can be downloaded from the online quest page)

1. Postman Butterfly: Central and South America 2. Blue Morpho Butterfly: Mexico and Central and South America 3. Zebra Butterfly: Central and South America 4. Owl Butterfly: Mexico and Central and South America 5. Birdwing Butterfly: New Guinea 6. Tarantula Spider: Africa and South America 7. Brazilian Huntsman Spider: South America 8. Goliath Beetle: Africa 9. Blue Orchid Bee: Mexico and South America 10.Tiger Centipede: Mexico 11.Hercules Beetle: Central and South America

Page 7: Rain Forest Lesson Plans - 3-5yrs

3-5 Years (Early Years Foundation Stage)

Quest 5: Rainforest Rope Trail

Process:Group size: 4 childrenThe rope is stretched out preferably in the outdoor area or in a large indoor space. The rainforest materials are laid out at intervals along the rope. The teacher first walks the whole group of children along the trail helping them to observe closely and identify the objects. Children then walk the trail individually or in pairs, memorising as many of the objects as they can. At the end of the trail they must report back to the teacher the names of all the objects they can remember. They receive a Rainforest Rope Trail sticker marked with that number.

Don't forget to include the following rainforest items: Chocolate, Rubber Glove, Piece of Wood, Leaves, Empty medicine containers.

Topic Heading: Rainforest Rope Trail

Task: To observe carefully, recognize and name a variety of plants, fruits and animals found in the rainforest, and equipment needed to go on a "Rainforest Safari".

Time: 20 minutes

Materials: • A piece of rope at least 5m in length

• Soft toys, models or pictures of a variety of rainforest creatures or products (frogs, birds, monkeys, chocolate, rubber gloves, etc)

• "Rainforest Safari" equipment (sun hat, sun cream, clipboard, camera, boots, water bottle etc)

• Stickers marked "Rainforest Rope Trail, I remembered __objects"

Resources: • Rainforest picture gallery at http://schools.rainforestsos.org/free-resources/rainforest-multimedia/gallery

Page 8: Rain Forest Lesson Plans - 3-5yrs

3-5 Years (Early Years Foundation Stage)

Quest 6: Jaguar Trail

Process:Group size: 4 children

This quest begins in the role play area. The teacher explains to the children that they are going to be explorers on an expedition to go and see a jaguar in the rainforest. The teacher shows pictures of the jaguar to the children. They must look closely at his markings as his spotty fur camouflages him in the forest. The teacher explains that the jaguar may be hard to find because he can run very fast, swim in the river and climb trees. The children are going to follow clues to guide them into the rainforest.

The children now brainstorm the clothing which they might need to wear and equipment they should take with them into the rainforest.

The teacher and children now role play getting ready for the expedition and the teacher reads out the first clue. Teacher and children follow the trail to find the clues. The teacher will have placed some stickers under the jaguar at the end of the trail for each child who has taken part.

Topic Heading: Jaguar Trail

Task: To follow directional clues to complete the trail and find the jaguar.

Time: 30 minutes

Materials: Rainforest Role Play area. Ideally this should have been set up in consultation with the children and should be suitably decorated with leaves, vines etc.

• 10 laminated clues. These will have been laid out by the teacher in the outdoor area.

• Rainforest toys, puppets, (likewise, would rather they didn’t have to buy rainforest fruits) etc. under which clues can be concealed.

• A toy jaguar • Explorer’s equipment if desired (sun hats, clipboards, camera, boots

etc) • Rainforest stickers • Pictures of jaguars

Page 9: Rain Forest Lesson Plans - 3-5yrs

3-5 Years (Early Years Foundation Stage)

Quest 7: Magic Circle Role Play and Mask Making

Process:Group size: 6

The children are gathered in the role play area. The teacher explains that they are going to play a game in which they are explorers in the rainforest. Children and teacher role play getting ready for the expedition.

The teacher then explains to the children that they will be travelling to the rainforest by means of a magic spell. The children hold hands in a circle and close their eyes while the teacher makes a suitable magic spell. At the teacher’s signal the children open their eyes and the teacher describes to them what she can see, encouraging them to join in as they walk around the rainforest spotting plants and creatures. When it is time to travel back to the classroom the children gather in the circle for the reverse spell to be chanted.

On their return the children sit down in a circle with the teacher who has a large piece of paper with the word 'Rainforest' in a bubble in the centre. The children are encouraged to use the large marker pens to draw pictures of some of the creatures which they saw on their trip to the rainforest, thus creating a rainforest spider diagram.

Using the spider diagram as an ideas bank, the children then select one of the creatures they have seen to represent in the form of a mask. Children select their own resources to make a paper plate mask.

Product:

Children will produce a mask which must be an accurate representation of a rainforest creature, taking into account colour and markings. As an extension activity the masks could be used for a class Rainforest Parade using appropriate background music. This could also be photographed for display.

Topic Heading: Magic Circle Role Play and Mask Making

Task: To produce a mask based on a rainforest creature observed during role play.

Time: One 40 minute or two 20 minute sessions

Materials: • Rainforest Role Play area as outlined in Quest 6

• A large sheet of paper and big marker pens

• Paper plates with ready cut out eye holes and a stick attached

• A variety of fabrics, papers and other recycled materials

• Scissors and glue

Page 10: Rain Forest Lesson Plans - 3-5yrs

3-5 Years (Early Years Foundation Stage)

Quest 8: “Down in the Rainforest” Dance

Process:Group size: Whole Class

Warm-up Activity: Explorers GameThe teacher models the following movements whilst playing the tambour and repeats as required:

• Slow steady beat = big careful steps. We are explorers walking carefully in the rainforest. • Rapid quiet beats = small steps on tiptoe. We are creeping up to see a sloth hanging in the tree. • Loud double beat = running. We are being chased by a jaguar!

Main Content:Taking one verse at a time of the "Down in the Rainforest" rhyme teacher and children decide upon and then practise movements appropriate for each rainforest creature.

For the penultimate verse one child is chosen to be the forest clearing machine. The remainder of the class form a circle and stretch their arms up high to represent a forest of trees. The “machine” travels round the outside of the circle cutting down the “trees” who fall down to the floor. The children then sit in the circle to chant and clap to the rhythm of the remainder of the rhyme.

Now repeat the whole rhyme again without pausing between verses to make a "performance" of the whole dance.

Cool Down: Sleeping JaguarsThe children lay down very quietly and still in the play space. The teacher taps individual children on the shoulder to tiptoe quietly to the class line.

Product:

The children will produce a Rainforest Dance which can be performed and recorded as required.

Topic Heading: Magic Circle Role Play and Mask Making

Task: To perform a dance based on the "Down in the Rainforest" rhyme.

Time: 30 minutes

Materials: • A copy of the "Down in the Rainforest" rhyme (see Quest 1)

• A tambour/tambourine

• Video camera if desired

Page 11: Rain Forest Lesson Plans - 3-5yrs

3-5 Years (Early Years Foundation Stage)

Quest 9: Shopping Feely Bag

Process:Group Size: Whole Class

The children are sat in a circle with the two hoops on the carpet in the centre. The teacher says that she has been shopping and has bought some foods which were grown close to home and were taken to the supermarket on a lorry, and some foods which have come on an airplane all the way from the rainforest. The teacher explains in simple terms about the issues of air miles and carbon footprint and encourages a discussion with the children. A discussion about what the 'Fairtrade' label means should also take place.

The feely bag is then passed around the circle .The children are to place their hands in the bag without peeping. They describe the texture and shape of the object and try to guess what it is. The object is then withdrawn from the bag and named. Is it labelled Fairtrade? The child then has a go at sorting it into the correct hoop.

When all the foods have been sorted the teacher asks the children for their ideas about what they could make using only the locally sourced ingredients.

Product:

• Food which has been sorted out into rainforest produce and locally sourced produce.

• Recipe ideas from the children for using locally sourced ingredients.

Extension:Chose one of the simple recipe ideas suggested by the children to produce in the classroom e.g a fruit salad using locally sourced fruits.

Topic Heading: Shopping Feely Bag

Time: 30 minutes

Materials: • A drawstring "feely bag" containing:

1. Food sourced from the rainforest (coffee, cane sugar, chocolate , bananas, pineapple, mango,curry powder, peppercorns etc.) As many as possible of these items should be rainforest friendly products and fair trade with labels displayed for the children to identify.

2. Locally sourced food including some fresh fruits.

• 2 hoops labelled 'Rainforest' and 'Close to Home'

Page 12: Rain Forest Lesson Plans - 3-5yrs

3-5 Years (Early Years Foundation Stage)

Quest 10: Rainforest Storybox Book

Process:Group Size: Pairs

The teacher introduces pairs of children to the Rainforest Storybox, allowing a short time for exploratory play. The teacher then shows the children the Big Book and asks them to tell a story about the people and animals in the storybox which she can write down in the Big Book and read to the whole class.

The children make up a story using the characters in the box which the teacher records, transcribes and then sticks in to the Big Book.

Product:

The children will tell an oral rainforest story which will be transcribed by the teacher into a Big Book to be shared with the whole class.

Topic Heading: Rainforest Storybox Book

Task: To produce a collection of class stories about the rainforest

Time: 20 minutes

Materials: • A Rainforest Storybox created from a shoe box. The outside of the box should be suitably labelled and decorated by the teacher. Inside the box should be a model rainforest plus a selection of small people and rainforest creatures.

• A recording facility

• A blank class 'Big Book' prepared by the teacher which will contain the children’s Rainforest stories.