teacherpage

Rainforest
Ecosystem
A WebQuest for Third Grade
Designed by J.Dodson Drever

Student Page
Top
Introduction
Task and Process
Evaluation/Assessment
Conclusion
Resources
Teaching Page
Teaching Guide

Introduction

A spell has been cast over you from a powerful medicine man in the Efe tribe located in the rainforest of the African Congo. You have been turned into a seed in the rainforest. Your job will be to grow up and transform from a silent observer to protector of the rainforest. You will observe your habitat, the inhabiting creatures, as well as any threats to your new habitat.

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Task and Process
*Before beginning your quest you will watch a slideshow of the rainforest.

Week 1

You and your fellow seedlings have been selected to work individually and in a small group, using the Internet, to investigate one of the four layers of the rainforest ecosystem. Use the Resource list of web site links to gather information about your rainforest layer. You will record your information on a graphic organizer. Finally, you will create and present a mural of your rainforest layer.

Task 1	As you grow from a seed to seedling to adult decide how tall your tree will grow. Will you grow small, living on the forest floor? Will you grow very tall, swaying with the wind of the emergent layer? Will you grow to the bright sunshine of the canopy? Will you grow to the dark, moist understory?
Task 2	Using the resources listed to research your rainforest layer. You may use the Rainforest Layer Organizer to help you take notes by first printing it out.
Task 3	Write a descriptive paragraph about your habitat. You may write your paragraph on the Rainforest Paper by first printing it out.
Task 4	Join your research with the other trees in your layer. The class will be creating a wall mural for the classroom. Each layer will be responsible for adding the appropriate plants/trees and rainforest creatures to their layer.
Task 5	Each member of your layer group will be responsible for putting themselves (a tree) AND a rainforest creature (insect, reptile, fish, bird, amphibian, mammal) from your layer on the mural.
Task 6	You will present your layer of the rainforest mural as a group. You may label important parts on the mural.

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Week 2

Last week you noticed some creatures in your environment. This week one of those creatures settles close to you. You are going to take this opportunity to make closer observations of it. You will observe your creature as well as how they interact with other creatures in their environment.

Task 1	Using the Resources, record observations about your creature.
Task 2	You may print out and use the Rainforest Creature Organizer to help you keep notes on your rainforest creature. You may take notes using the Rainforest Creature Outline if you prefer.
Task 3	Keep your leaves open for observing your creature's; habitat, physical description, meal plan, and other interesting facts.
Task 4	Create a Forest Creature Report in class. See teacher's model.

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Week 3

Task 1	With your fellow trees, share the information about your forest creature to create a food chain. First complete the Rainforest Food Chain on your rainforest creature by printing it out.
Task 2	Next, create a large scale food chain on the classroom Rainforest Mural. Using a piece of string, show the relationship between the creatures. Who eats whom? Who uses whom? Use the string to draw lines between the predator and prey.
Task 3	Use one of your branches with graphite (otherwise known as a pencil) to record your observations.

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Week 4

As you scratch your crown with your branch you think about how everything in your ecosystem is interdependent, needing each other to survive. This week you will imagine the consequences of one of rainforest creatures disappearing, maybe even the trees!!!
Thinking about what might happen to the remaining rainforest creatures if all the trees or all the insects were to disappear causes you to return to human form. Now that you're human you have your voice back. You will work hard to educate others about the need for protecting this ecosystem. You will need to persuade others that the rainforest is worth protecting and how they can protect it.

Task 1	Imagine all of the trees or plants or insects or jaguars or people disappeared from the rainforest ecosystem. Predict: What would be some of the consequences if a specific rainforest creature like the trees or insects or jaguars disappeared? What would happen to your food chain?
Task 2	Using the Resources and all of your prior knowledge start exploring some of the consequences and current concerns surrounding the destruction of the rainforest ecosystem.
Task 3	Print out the Preserving the Rainforest Page. Use this to record concerns and research solutions to the rainforest's destruction.
Task 4	In a letter, write a paragraph to inform someone about the importance of the rainforest and its interdependence.
Task 5	In another paragraph write about your current concerns surrounding the rainforest ecosystem.
Task 6	Finally, persuade that person to take a specific action to help preserve the rainforest ecosystem.
Task 7	Share or mail your letter.

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Evaluation

Environment	Creature	Action
You will be graded on researching ability contributions to the mural descriptive paragraph presentation understanding of the four layers Rubrics	You will be graded on researching ability comprehensive notes or outline forest creature report completed food chain page understanding of where creatures live in the rainforest Rubrics	You will be graded on researching ability persuasive letter understanding of the rainforest's resources understanding threats against the rainforest understanding action you can take to make a difference Rubrics

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Conclusion

Your teacher is delighted to have you back in human form and very proud of the work you accomplished!!! In your attempt to better understand the rainforest ecosystem and do your part to help protect and preserve that ecosystem you have made the world a better place.:)

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