Lesson: A Day in the Life

Contributor: Passport to knowledge
Teacher Background
Tropical rainforests possess an astonishing array of flora and fauna. While covering less than 10% of the of the land area of the Earth, they are home to between 50 and 90% of the world’s species—40% of all birds of prey, over 60% of all known plants, 80% of the world’s known insects and 90% of non-human primates.

Candidate Creatures: this is a small selection of plants and animals found in the Amazon rainforest.

Animals
(this category includes birds and insects)

Plants
Brazil nut trees
Cecropia tree
Tank bromeliad
Forest cucumber
Fig tree (Ficus insipida)
Cocoa tree
Gongora orchid
Parkia tree

Objective(s)
Students will use appropriate research skills to investigate in depth the behavior, physical characteristics, and ecological niche inhabited by a particular rainforest life form. Students will create a diary entry (“A Day in the Life of. . .”) illustrating the habits and life style of their rainforest plant or animal, written from its perspective.

Materials

• library research materials (see Multimedia Resources)
• online access (if available), including the LFRF website.

Vocabulary

• Ecological
• Niche
• Diurnal
• Habitat
• Nocturnal
• Parasitic
• Range
• Mutualistic

Engage
Read together or assign as an independent reading assignment, Claude Gascon’s Journal. Allow time to discuss this scientist’s field work in the rainforest. What is the purpose of his field research? What portion of the year is spent in the lab and which portion in the rainforest? Which might students enjoy most?

Explore/Explain: Procedure

1. Ask student teams to brainstorm and list animals and plants of the rainforest. Compile master list on the chalkboard. Explain that tropical rainforests (such as the Amazon Rainforest that will be featured on the Live From the Rainforest broadcasts) while covering less than 10% of the land area of the Earth, are home to between 50 and 90 %of the world’s species.
2. Review appropriate multimedia research skills; encourage accessing online information. Challenge students to research and create a comprehensive list of rainforest life.
3. Have students choose a rainforest animal to research. At minimum, research should include
• Common name
• Kingdom/Phylum/Class/Order/Family/Genus/Species
• Physical Characteristics
• Habitat
• Range
• Food
• Predator/Prey relationships
• Place the organism in a typical food chain
• Unique abilities or distinguishing habits
• Effect and/or relationship of the organism to humans
4. At conclusion of research, students should create a Journal or diary, written from the perspective of their organism that reflects at least one complete day of its life and that synthesizes the student’s research.

Expand/Adapt/Connect
Work with the Art teacher to develop multi-dimensional versions of their plants and animals. Plan how the creatures researched here can be integrated into Activity 2.4, The Food Web Game. Bound and illustrated Journals might be shared with younger students in the school district, displayed as part of a Rainforest Expo (see Activity Z.3), used for assessment, reviewed with parents during conferences, excerpted for school newspapers and PTA bulletins. Creative writing may be shared online (see Classroom Connection in the Educator’s section).

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Sample Curriculum

The Brazilian Amazon
Animals of the Amazon
Amazon Word Search 4th-12th
Amazon Word Search K-3rd
Lesson: Animal Alphabet
Lesson: A Day in the Life
Lesson: BIOME: Rainforests
Lesson: Broom Forest: A Tall Tree Simulation
Lesson: Catalog Brain Teasers
Lesson: Is the Amazon rainforest being developed or destroyed?
Lesson: Jungle Story & Crafts
Lesson: Primate Lesson Plans
Lesson: Structural Versus Pigment Color
Lesson: Rivers, Maps, and Math
Lesson: Soil in the Amazon
Lesson: The Amazon Rain Forest: The Play
Lesson: Vanishing Rainforests: How can we save them?
2009 – 2010 Protect-An-Acre Song


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