1. The Rainforest An Integrated Unit In Science and Literacy 3 rd Grade TEKS for Science: Plants and Animal Adaptations

2. Activities Throughout the Rainforest unit, students will be able to complete many different activities related to the Rainforest. o Locate, label, and color the five types of Rainforests on a world map. o Save the Rainforest poster. o Read aloud the Great Kapok Tree, by Lynne Cherry. o Self-Selected Reading (Individual and Group research). o Rainforest Poems. o Journal Writing. o Group Projects (3-D Animal and Poster of their layer of the Rainforest).

3. TEKS Objectives Science: 3.8 (A) Observe and describe the habitats of organisms within an ecosystem. (B) Observe and identify organisms with similar needs that compete with one another for resources such as oxygen, water, food, or space. 3.9 (A) Observe and identify characteristics among species that allow each to survive and reproduce. (B) Analyze how adaptive characteristics help individuals within a species to survive and reproduce. 3.10 (A) Identify some inherited traits of plants. (B) Identify some inherited traits of animals.

4. TEKS Objectives Language Arts: 3.1 (A) Determine the purpose(s) for listening such as to get information, to solve problems, and to enjoy and appreciate. (B) Listen critically to interpret and evaluate. 3.3 (B) Use verbal and nonverbal communication in effective ways such as making announcements, giving directions, or making introductions. (C) Ask and answer relevant questions and make contributions in small or large group discussions. 3.6 (E) Read silently for increasing periods of time 3.7 (C) Read to accomplish various purposes, both assigned and self-selected 3.14 (A) Write to record ideas and reflections (B) Write to discover, develop, and refine ideas

5. Unintended TEKS Objectives Social Studies: 3.4 (A) Describe and explain variations in the physical environment including climate, landforms, natural resources, and natural hazards. (B) Compare how people in different communities adapt to or modify the physical environment. (C) Describe the effects of physical and human processes in shaping the landscape. (D) Identify and compare the human characteristics of selected regions

6. Unintended TEKS Objectives Technology: 3.2 (A) Use a variety of input devices such as mouse, keyboard, disk drive, modem, voice/sound recorder, scanner, digital video, CD-ROM, or touch screen. 3.4 (A) Apply appropriate electronic search strategies in the gaining of information including keywords and search strategies. (B) Select appropriate strategies to navigate and access information on local area networks (LANs) and wide area networks (WANs), including the Internet for research and resource sharing. 3.5 (A) Acquire information including text, audio, video, and graphics

7. Initial Questions At the end of this unit, students will be able to answer some of the following questions: oWhy is it always raining? oAre any of the plants poisonous? oWhy are there four layers? oHow may types of animals live in the rainforest? oHow tall do the trees get? oHow many rainforests are there? oDoes anyone take care of the rainforest? oDo people live in the rainforest?

8. Teacher Resources: ohttp://www.lessonplanspage.com/RainForestU nitA.htmhttp://www.lessonplanspage.com/RainForestU nitA.htm ohttp://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/rainforest.h tmhttp://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/rainforest.h tm ohttp://www.rainforest- alliance.org/programs/education/index.htmlhttp://www.rainforest- alliance.org/programs/education/index.html ohttp://www.rainforestcafe.com/ILink.asphttp://www.rainforestcafe.com/ILink.asp oThe Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry oNature’s Green Umbrella by Gail Gibbons oProtecting Forests by Sharon Markle oExplore and Discover Rain Forest by Angela Wilkes