Journey into the Rainforest Unit Plan - Julie · PDF fileJourney into the Rainforest Unit Plan...

Journey into the RainforestUnit Plan

by

Cara D’Innocenzo

Integrated Social Studies in the Elementary Classroom

EEDUC 5136

Lesley University

Summer 2008

Overview of Unit

Rainforests are responsible for hosting most of the world’s plant and animal life as well

as contributing countless other resources consumed by the industrialized world. Far from any

rainforests it is a difficult area to cover in schools since teachers are not able to provide fieldtrips

or extensive hands on experiences for the students. Despite this challenge, the diversity of plant,

animal, and human life with which the rainforests biome encompasses lends itself to a great deal

of student investigation. I chose the rainforest for two reasons: the first is my passion for

wildlife and unique places, and secondly because I feel that this topic can be explored through

most, if not all-curricular disciplines over an extended period of time, which ultimately presents

a more holistic vision and understanding for the students.

Though this unit does not mesh precisely with any of the social studies frameworks, it

does tap into the sixth grade world geography standards, which is where I directed this unit.

Some basic skills that students will be expected to demonstrate include reading and interpreting

different types of maps and graphs, using correct geographical terms, and exploring different

kinds of geographical information provided in atlases. This unit also expects students to have

some primary knowledge of general ELA standards such as giving oral presentations, learning

new vocabulary, using dramatic reading and performance skills, and analyzing varying media.

Lastly this unit can be connected very closely with the life sciences (biology) standards within

science and technology frameworks. The combination of these frameworks provide the ability

for teachers to conduct a curriculum unit about the rainforest that utilizes different instructional

techniques and strategies that can extend to all students in the classroom.

Summary of Research

Teaching Diversity in Elementary School

The United States is perceived as the land of opportunity and success for many

international people who have come here and in turn created a melting pot full of diversity and

unique cultural differences. Each year the field of education announces and implements the

newest advances in many curricular areas with the hopes to better the future of our children.

Social studies in general has received the short end of the stick, more often than not, especially

since the 2002 No Child Left Behind Act redirected teachers’ focus to math and reading to

prepare students for the standardized tests (McCall, 2004). This unfortunate occurrence has

limited the amount of time dedicated to social studies during the school day and with an

expanding diverse population of students there is more demand for students to understand

diversity and multiculturalism. Finding ways to fit multiculturalism and diversity in the

academic school day has become a challenge for educators and the following paper will examine

the ways in which teachers can best educate students in this multifaceted area.

The reality about students understanding of diversity and multiculturalism is that the

majority of their perceptions and beliefs stem from the smallest cultural unit, the family

(Vuckovic, 2008). An individual’s cultural identity, which encompasses thoughts on diversity

and multiculturalism, begins at a very early age and continues on throughout one’s lifetime. The

primary socialization period beginning as early as 2 years old is essential to children

development and understanding of their surroundings. As children get older they form vertical

relationships with parents, teachers, and other adults as well as horizontal relationships with

peers and other children and begin to make links between behaviors and cultures and voice

opinions (Vuckovic, 2008). While teachers can’t control all aspects of students’ perception of

diversity and multiculturalism there are many ways that teachers can equip themselves with ways

to make their classroom environment a welcoming and accepting place for all students.

The predominant factor in effective multicultural and diversity education is that the

instructor has a solid grasp on his or her own cultural identity and be comfortable expressing

feelings pertaining to their identity (Vuckovic, 2008). In Banks (2001), extensive professional

development programs dedicated to diversity and multiculturalism were suggested as a way for

teachers to explore and discover their own attitudes on diversity, better understand history and

culture of diversity in their classrooms as well as perspectives from those cultures, know how

institutions can perpetuate stereotypes, and finally how to create a classroom of equity.

As important as it is for a teacher accept his or her own cultural identity, he or she can

best support the students in the class by having in depth knowledge of the cultural identities and

backgrounds of all the students in the class (Vuckovic, 2008). The more invested a teacher is in

learning about the students in the class both academically and personally, the better the student-

teacher relationship and the ability for the teacher to educate the student to his or her needs

(Vuckovic, 2008). In general, however, the more teachers know about different cultures and

belief systems the more equipped to answer student questions and assist in conflict resolution

pertaining to diversity issues should that problem arise (Banks, 2001 & Vuckovic, 2008).

Research shows that the most common emotion associated with race and cultural interactions are

fear and when people, especially students, are fearful they typically react negatively by ridiculing

others or making unfair judgments or forming stereotypes (Vuckovic, 2008). Well prepared

teachers able to answer questions or concerns about unfamiliar races prove that the school

environment has the potential to make a significant difference in students lives (Banks et. al.,

2001).

Teachers can use the wealth of knowledge they have to create a culturally responsive

classroom that incorporates diversity and multiculturalism into the curriculum (Banks et. al.,

2001). Starting at the beginning of the year the classroom environment should be safe and

accepting of all and the curriculum should reflect the fact that knowledge is socially constructed

and each and every student plays a role in making sense of the knowledge they acquire. Since

classrooms can be full of diversity, the formative and summative assessments that are used to

evaluate the students must be just as diverse so every student has an equal opportunity to

demonstrate what they have learned. Banks et.al, (2001), stated that providing more

extracurricular and co-curricular activities for students is another way to enhance their exposure

to different races and cultures while also providing more opportunity for student to practice

interpersonal skills. Diversity and multiculturalism can also be explored cross-curricularly

which in today’s educational world is essential with less time being allotted for subject areas

such as science and social studies.

One way to incorporate diversity and multiculturalism cross-curricularly is tying it into to

reading and writing time. McCall’s (2004) article discusses how poetry is a very effective and

engaging way to address diversity and multiculturalism. Poems are useful tools as they evoke

many opportunities for class discussion and can often times provide real world connections

relevant to the classroom. Reading poetry takes up much less time that reading books and the

varied formats can be very engaging while also meeting the national social studies standard and

ELA standard. Since poems frequently require some prior knowledge base social studies time

can be dedicated to learning background information about the time period as well as key

vocabulary so that when the poems are read the students have a solid knowledge base to refer to

when discussing meaning and interpretations (McCall, 2004).

Diversity and multiculturalism are becoming more relevant topics in schools across the

United States and though the necessity for more education in this area exists, the time for social

studies is slowly diminishing. This paper was able to investigate this issue and seek out methods

and strategies for making time for this essential topic. Whether it be more professional

development, extracurricular activities, or cross-curricular activities this research has proved that

while it may not be as easy task, dedicated teachers who have a strong knowledge base of their

own cultural identity as well as their students, and are willing to put in the effort, diversity and

multiculturalism can be strongly promoted in schools today.

Activities

Introduction Lesson

Lesson Topic: This activity will serve as the introduction lesson to the rainforest. It is assumed

that most children in New England, as well as the rest of the United States are unfamiliar with all

aspects of the world’s rainforests. By creating a 3-D foldable check sheet, the students will be

able to get an initial sense of what aspects of the rainforest they will learn about in the unit as

well as have the opportunity to use prior knowledge to express what they already may know.

MA Curriculum Frameworks:

Africa: A.3 (G, E)

Southeast Asia and Oceania: SEAO.3 (G, E)

South America: SAM.3 (G, E)

Student Objectives:

SWBA to recognize the important components of the rainforest that will be the focus of the unit.

SWBA to apply pre-existing knowledge about the rainforest to their foldable.

SWBA to identify different ways to study the rainforest without having the ability to visit one

first-hand.

Materials and Resources:

• http://www.sblceastconn.org/foldables/LayeredLookBook.pdf

• Multicolored construction paper

• Pre-typed tab labels (copied for each student)

• Glue

• Stapler

• Colored pencils

• Scissors

• Markers

Methods:

1. Have a large poster of the rainforest hung up where it is noticeably visible to the

students for the start of this lesson.

2. Present a brief film clip from united streaming about the rainforests

3. Explain to the students that for the next several weeks in social studies they will

be learning all about the rainforest by engaging in various activities.

4. To begin the unit they will create a layered foldable to outline the major areas of

study in this unit.

5. Each tab contains a word(s) that have significant meaning to the rainforest and as

the unit progresses students are able to add pictures or words to each tab to help

explain its meaning and relevance.

6. Students will follow the layered foldable directions distributed to make the

foldable.

7. Students will cut out the tab labels and glue them in order on each tab of the

foldable.

8. Under the first tab have the students write one question they have about the

rainforest that they would like answered by the end of the unit.

Assessment/Evaluation:

Students will be evaluated based upon the completion of their layered foldable and their ability

to follow directions.

Adaptation:

For ESL or special education students they may need to have the foldable directions read to them

as they put it together. For fine motor issues the sheet of tab labels could be precut for the

students so that they only have to apply glue. If possible, have a pre-made example readily

available to show the students.

Primary Source Lesson

Lesson Topic:

When studying the world’s rainforests it is essential to know where they are located since so

much of its living organisms thrive because of its location. This lesson will introduce students to

the rainforests of the world and give students a chance to use maps to locate them.

Curriculum Frameworks Addressed:

Students will utilize their concept and skill knowledge from the history and geography discipline,

specifically concepts 1-3 and 5 of the grade 6 learning standards. Specific standards include:

Africa: A.1 (G), A.2 (G, E), A.3 (G, E)

Southeast Asia and Oceania: SEAO.1 (G), SEAO.2 (G, E), SEAO.3 (G, E)

South America: SAM.1 (G), SAM.2 (G, E), SAM.3 (G, E)

Primary Sources Used: This lesson will utilize two primary resources, a video on the rainforests

from unitedstreaming.com followed by world maps for the students to pinpoint the exact

locations of the rainforests.

Student Objectives:

SWBA to identify the locations of the rainforests in the world.

SWBA to classify the types of rainforests that exist.

SWBA to explain some characteristics of the different rainforests such as the location, climate,

and basic plant and animal life.


• Computer/smart board (one or both) with which to show the short films

• Globe

• Wall maps

• Atlas

• Blank maps (large and small)

• Biomes: Our Earth's Major Life Zones [Temperate Rain Forests]. United Learning

(1998). Retrieved July 21, 2008, from

unitedstreaming: http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/

• Struggling to Survive: Tropical Rain Forests [How the location of tropical rainforests

affects their traits]. Rainbow Educational Media



Method:

1. Begin the class by asking the students what they know about the rainforest and filling out

a KWL chart.

2. Show united streaming videos on the rainforests.

3. Allow some discussion time to reflect upon the films.

4. Have the class come together as a group and using a wall map pinpoint the general area

of the rainforests identified in the films.

5. Break the students up into groups of 4-5 students and distribute student atlases and other

world maps (assuming you have class computers allow some students to utilize them for

finding information). Each group will be assigned one of the major rainforests to

specialize in.

6. Each group has to locate and color in the area where their rainforest is found and research

5 facts about the location of that rainforest to present to the class.

7. Have a blown up blank map secured on the board so when each group presents their

findings, they can color in the location of their rainforest so that the rest of the class can

copy that on to their individual maps.

8. The students can glue their individual maps to the layered look book foldable the created

at the beginning of the unit as well as any other facts they learned that they can add to

one or more of the tabs.


Students will be evaluated based upon their group’s work and participation as well as the

information their research produces. The following class the students will be given a blank map

and will have to locate and identify the rainforests presented the previous class period.

Adaptations:

Make sure that any students that may have some difficulty be spread out evenly between the

groups so that stronger students can help them out. Within those groups ensure that struggling

students get to have equal participation time either by partnering that individual up with a

stronger student to do research, or be the illustrator who colors in the location of the rainforest

his or her group is researching.

KWL Chart

WHAT I KNOW WHAT I WANT TOKNOW

WHAT I LEARNED

_________________________ Rainforest

1. What continent is your rainforest located on?

2. What is the weather like in that rainforest?

3. Are there any important landforms near or surrounding the rainforest that contribute to

the climate?

4. Name 3 types of animals that like in that rainforest.

5. Name at least 2 plant types that like in that rainforest.

6. Think of at least 2 other interesting or unique facts about that rainforest to share.

Educational Technology Lesson

Lesson Topic:

Students will create a slideshow with pictures and fun facts about the specific rainforest they are

researching in small groups. This assignment will introduce students to educational technology

that can help them organize their findings to present to an audience.


This activity fulfills strands in both the 6th grade science and social studies curriculum

frameworks. In the science and technology/engineering frameworks:

3.2 Identify and explain the appropriate tools, machines, and electronic devices (e.g., drawing

tools, computer-aided design, and cameras) used to produce and/or reproduce design solutions

(e.g., engineering drawings, prototypes, and reports).

In the social studies frameworks:

Africa: A.3 (G, E)



Technology Objective:

Students will use Microsoft PowerPoint to create a slideshow presentation of their specific

rainforest region. Students will already have the majority of information they need and the goal

is to create an organized and interesting presentation while using new pieces of software.

Student Objectives:

SWBA to recognize that information can be presented in many ways.

SWBA to organize research into an unfamiliar piece of software.

SWBA to explore an unfamiliar application using pre-collected information.


• Layered foldable

• Maps created in primary source lesson

• Access to computer lab containing Microsoft publisher

• KWL chart

• PowerPoint check sheet

• http://guest.portaportal.com/urpologrl06 (contains all the websites for students to find

images and facts about their rainforest)

Methods:

1. Begin the class in the classroom by breaking the students into their specialized rainforest

groups.

2. Have the students, as a class, generate a list of the different ways they can think of

presenting information to others in an informational yet interesting way.

3. All group members will pull together all the research they have collected up to this point

in an organized way.

4. The class will move to the computer lab and each group will be assigned to 2-3

computers (if possible).

5. Using the check sheet provided by the teacher specifying what needs to be in the

PowerPoint, students will create a PowerPoint presentation as a group to show to the

class.

6. When all the groups have finished creating their presentation (hopefully within 1-2 class

periods) one class period will be dedicated for the students to present their creation and

information to the class.

Assessment/Evaluation

Evaluation will be based on the organization and quality of group work as well as the final

PowerPoint presentation

Adaptations:

Since this is group work, ESL and special education students should already be evenly

distributed into groups with students who can help them. For this activity, students with

difficulty can be responsible for reading and checking requirements off the list, they can help

pick out the pictures for the presentation.

PowerPoint Check Sheet

o An introduction slide with groups member names, and at least one image from your

specific rainforest

o At least 5 slides (location, weather, human life, plants, animals) of your rainforest

o 2-3 interesting facts about each slide item

o At least 5-7 pictures from the link provided by the teacher in the presentation

o Concluding slide 2-3 sentences summarizing what your group learned about PowerPoint

and your rainforest and at least one picture of your rainforest

o Additional slides can be added with other interesting facts and pictures

Websites to use for images and extra information can be located at

http://guest.portaportal.com/urpologrl06

Cross Curricular Lesson

Lesson Topic:

Students have spent a lot of time in this unit learning about the rainforest and how important this

biome is to its immediate location as well as the rest of the world. This lesson will raise

awareness about what deforestation is and how it is devastating the rainforests on a daily basis.

This exploration will also examine the short and long term affects for the rainforests and the rest

of the world.

Curriculum Frameworks:

Africa: A.3 (G, E)



MA Framework Strand Addressed from ELA:

Standard 3 Oral Presentation:

3.8: Give oral presentations for various purposes, showing appropriate changes in delivery

(gestures, vocabulary, pace, visuals) and using language for dramatic effect.

3.9: Use teacher-developed assessment criteria to prepare their presentations.

Standard 4 Vocabulary and Concept Development:

4.17: Determine the meaning of unfamiliar words using context clues.

Standard 5 Formal and Informal English:

6.6: Identify differences between oral and written language patterns.

Standard 18 Dramatic Reading and Performance

18.3: Develop characters through the use of basic acting skills (memorization, sensory recall,

concentration, diction, body alignment, expressive detail) and self-assess using teacher-

developed criteria before performing.

Student Objectives:

SWBA to extrapolate information from a non-fiction text and apply it to factual information

about the rainforests.

SWBA to explain what deforestation is and how it directly relates to rainforests.

SWBA to write an original piece of work about deforestation using information learned from

both fictional and non-fictional literature.


• White board or large easel paper

• Pencils/markers

• White lined paper

• White construction paper

• Cherry, L. (1990). The Great Kapok Tree: A tale of the Amazon rain forest. San Diego:

Harcourt Inc.

• Senior, K. (2005). Life in a Rain Forest. New York: Children’s Press.

• Sneeden, R. (2005). Tropical Rainforests: Habitats. Minnesota: Smart Apple Media.

Methods:

1. Begin the class by asking the students to reflect about why the rainforest biome is so

special, unique, and important to our environment.

2. Write the word DEFORESTATION on the white board or easel and scribe as the students

come up with synonyms and/or definitions of what the students think that word means.

3. Introduce the book, The Great Kapok Tree and gather all the students to the meeting/rug

area to listen to the story.

4. After the story, have the student’s brainstorm as many ways as they can think of about

the negative affects deforestation has had on the rainforest as well as the rest of the

world.

5. Share the information on (pg.28) of Habitats: Tropical rainforests, and (pg, 26) of Life in

a Rain Forest and allow students time to take notes if they desire.

6. Explain that their assignment is to use the information from the books as well as any

other information they may have from past lessons to create a breaking newscast about

deforestation. The students have to pretend that they are a representative from a

rainforest advocacy group wants to inform the public about the devastating affects of

deforestation.

7. The first step is for the students to fill out a planning sheet so that they can organize the

information they want to include in their broadcast.

8. The second step is for the students to write out the actual broadcast, which has to be brief

(2-3 paragraphs) and informative.

9. The third step is to draw a picture to go with their broadcast.

10. The last step is that the students will present their breaking newscast to the whole class

(the broadcasts will be presented during the 2-3 class period depending how much time is

spend on reading the books and creating the newscasts.

11. If students need extra time to practice presenting their newscasts have them take it home

and do it for homework.


Evaluation will be based upon the contents of the newscast as well as their visual aid.

Adaptations:

For ESL or special education students, the teacher can be their scribe and aid in the creation

process of the newscast. Also offer, if some students may be nervous or unable to present in

front of the class, for the teacher or a selected classmate to read their newscast.

Newscast Planning Sheet

Who (what people or groups of people are responsible for contributing to deforestation):

What (What is being destroyed plants, animals, trees etc.):

Where (location of deforestation):

When (in the past? In the present? In the future?):

How (what tools/machines, what people are allowing this?):

What can you (audience/viewers) do to help save the rainforests?

List 3-5 other interesting/essential facts that you want to include into your newscast to raiseawareness about deforestation.

1. ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

2. ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

3. ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

4. ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

5. ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Culminating Lesson Plan

Lesson Topic: This will be the final lesson in the unit about the rainforest and will help students

wrap up their final thoughts about the unit as well as be able to reflect, in an organized fashion,

about what they learned and can take away from this unit. Students will get back their layered

foldable books that they constructed in the introduction lesson and will have the opportunity to

complete them and add new details to tabs. They will also have the opportunity to answer the

question that they wrote to themselves on the first day about something they wanted to know

about the rainforest.


Africa: A.1 (G), A.2 (G, H), A.3 (G, E)

Southeast Asia and Oceania: SEAO.1 (G), SEAO.2 (G, H), SEAO.3 (G, E)

South America: SAM.1 (G), SAM.2 (G, H), SAM.3 (G, E)

Student Objectives:

SWBA to explore different mediums in search of information about the rainforest.

SWBA to specify what the important aspects of the rainforest are and how they relate to the rest

of the world.

SWBA to evaluate the content of material that they learned over the unit about the rainforest.


• Computer access (in classroom or computer lab)

• The Great Kapok Tree: A tale of the Amazon rain forest.

• Life in a Rain Forest.

• Tropical Rainforests: Habitats.

• Layered foldable

• Markers

• Pencils

• Scissors

• Any notes that students may have taken during any of the lessons

• Maps and facts from primary source lesson

• PowerPoint presentations (on the computer or printed out) from technology lesson

• Newscast presentation from the cross-curricular lesson

Methods:

1. This class period will give students the opportunity to reflect back upon the whole unit

and what they learned by completing their layered foldable books that they created in the

first lesson.

2. To keep students on track provide them with a small check sheet containing the

requirements that need to be included under each tab.

3. Students will have access to all classmates’ materials from the different activities since

this foldable book is not meant to be specific to the rainforests that students were

assigned to, but rather an overview of common characteristics.

4. Have the students sit in the groups that they worked together in for their specific

rainforest assignments so that while the students are putting together the information for

their foldable books they can float around the classroom and use their classmates as

references.

5. After the foldable books are complete have the students lay their finished products

around the room on tables and then have a walk around observation time to see what

other students did on their foldable books.


Evaluation will be based upon the outcome of the layered foldable books, specifically if all the

requirements were met.

Adaptations:

For ESL or special education students have them make their layered foldable book based upon

only the rainforest that he or she studied in the small group. If students need help with the

writing portion, offer to be their scribe and have the students do their own pictures or print them

off the Internet.

Layered Foldable Book Check Sheet

Rainforest

o One question (from first lesson) that you want answered

o Answer to that question

Map of World Rainforests

o Small map of world rainforests regions colored in

Weather

o At least one picture

o 3-5 facts about the weather

Layers

o At least one picture (either with layers labeled or draw in labels)

o Name of each layer with small description

Tribal Life

o At least two pictures

o Identify five known indigenous tribes located in the world’s rainforest

o At least two facts about each tribe

Plants and Animals

o At least four pictures (2 animal, 2 plant)

o 6-8 facts about plants and animals

World Resources

o At least three pictures

o 4-6 facts about world resources found in the rainforests

Deforestation

o At least 4 pictures

o 5-7 facts about deforestation and its impact on the world

Assessment/Evaluation

Evaluation Topic: As a final assessment for the students in this unit about the rainforest, they

will be asked to make a brochure about the particular rainforest their studied in their small group.

The goal is to convince the reader of the brochure to want to travel to that particular rainforest

more than the other tropical rainforests in the world. This assignment will challenge the students

to apply all the information about the rainforest they learned over the unit into an informational,

intriguing, and convincing piece of literature for any viewer to enjoy.

Curriculum Frameworks Addressed:

Africa: A.1 (G), A.2 (G, H), A.3 (G, E)

Southeast Asia and Oceania: SEAO.1 (G), SEAO.2 (G, H), SEAO.3 (G, E)

South America: SAM.1 (G), SAM.2 (G, H), SAM.3 (G, E)

Student Objectives:

SWBA to integrate the knowledge about the rainforest acquired over the unit to create an

informational brochure for any audience.

SWBA to present factual information about the rainforest in a creative and convincing way to an

audience.


• Cardstock paper either 8 _ x 11 or 11 x 17

• Word processed text and labels

• Internet pictures (portaportal.com links) and/or hand drawn pictures

• Markers/crayons/pencils

• Scissors

• Glue

• Any notes that students may have taken during any of the lessons

• Maps and facts from primary source lesson

• PowerPoint presentations (on the computer or printed out) from technology lesson

• Newscast presentation from the cross-curricular lesson

• Layered foldable books

• Assignment rubric designed by the teacher

• http://my.rcampus.com/urpologrl06 (regular and modified rubrics)

Methods:

1. This assessment/evalution will be completely primarily at home and an independent

project.

2. Students will have class time to gather the necessary information that they will need to

complete this project.

3. The teacher will provide the cardstock paper for the students as well as the rubric for

what the brochure must contain.

4. Students will have a week at home to complete the brochure.

5. They day the brochures are due the students present their brochure to the class.

Adaptations:

For ESL or special education students they will receive a slightly different rubric for the

brochure and they can have the option about presenting it in front of the class or just laying it out

for display.

Annotated Bibliography

Banks, J A, Cookson, P., Gay, G., Hawley, W D, Irvine, J. J., Nieto, S., Schofield, J. W., &

Stephan, W G (2001). Diversity within unity: Essential principles for teaching and learning

in a multicultural society. Phi Delta Kappan, 83(3), 196.

This article was used for the research paper on teaching diversity. It discussed the many

ways that a teacher can facilitate the daily environment in the classroom to learning about

multiculturalism and diversity since every classroom is bound to have some. Teachers,

most importantly, have to be confident in their own values and beliefs on diversity to best

help the students.

Biomes: Our Earth's Major Life Zones. United Learning



This short video serves as an brief primary source that not only provides an example of a primary

source, but also gives them a brief introduction to the tropical rainforests

Cherry, L. (1990). The Great Kapok Tree: A tale of the Amazon rain forest. San Diego:

Harcourt Inc.

This fictional book describes how the living beings of the Amazon rainforest are negatively

affected by deforestation. It provides detail pictures or the plants and animals that thrive in the

rainforest and proves to be a useful source in the education of deforestation.

Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks: Current curriculum frameworks. Retrieved August 3,

2008 from, http://www.doe.mass.edu/frameworks/current.html

I referred to this site to locate the standards and strands that each lesson of the unit met. In all, I

referenced the history and social studies, ELA, and Science and Technology frameworks in my

unit.

McCall, A,.L. (2004). Using poetry in social studies classes to teach about cultural diversity and

social justice. The Social Studies. 95(4), 172.

This resource I used for me research paper on teaching diversity. It demonstrated how to

incorporate the use of poetry to discuss point of view and the general understanding of personal

values.

Microsoft PowerPoint: mac (2004). Version 11.0.

I used this piece of software for my educational technology lesson on creating a PowerPoint

about the rainforest. Each group used this software to create unique presentations about their

specific rainforest. It is easy for students to use and be creative with.

Portaportal, (n.d.) Retrieved August 3, 2008 from.

http://guest.portaportal.com/urpologrl06

This website is a free way to bookmark specific links in one location. On my portaportal page I

have links to websites all about the plant, animal, and human life in the rainforests. These links

will help students when working on their PowerPoint project as well as all the other assignments

that require information about the rainforest. This site also cuts down on the amount of

unsupervised Internet surfing the students will do.

RCampus: Open tools for open minds (n.d.) Received August 3, 2008, from,

http://my.rcampus.com/urpologrl06

This site allowed me to create a rubric for free that I used for evaluating my students brochure.

This site also allows viewers to look for rubrics created by others and share rubrics they have

created.

Senior, K. (2005). Life in a Rain Forest. New York: Children’s Press.

This book provided important facts about the rainforest including the layers, animals, plants,

climate, and deforestation. It was used as an instructional text when teaching deforestation as

well as a student resource for the group projects.

Sneeden, R. (2005). Tropical Rainforests: Habitats. Minnesota: Smart Apple Media.

This book provided real photographs along with important facts about the tropical rainforest

including the layers, animals, plants, climate, and deforestation. It was used as an instructional

text when teaching deforestation as well as a student resource for the group presentations.

Standards Based Learning Center: The gateway to translating standards into meaningful learning

(n.d.) Retrieved August 3, 2008, from

http://www.sblceastconn.org/foldables/LayeredLookBook.pdf

This pdf file provided directions for the designing of the layered foldable books that students

created in the introductory lesson to bring about interest and then completed as the culminating

lesson as a way to reflect upon what was learned throughout the unit.

Struggling to Survive: Tropical Rainforests [How the location of tropical rainforests affect their

traits]. Rainbow Educational Media (1996), Retrieved July 21, 2008, from


This short film is a primary source used at the beginning of the lesson to emphasize the

importance of location and climate of the tropical rainforests.

Vuckovic, A. (2008). Making the multicultural learning environment flourish: the importance

of the child-teacher relationship in educating children about diversity. Australian Journal

of Early Childhood, 33(1), 9.

This article was used in the research paper about teaching diversity. It emphasized the

importance of teachers to create an open and accepting environment towards diversity within the

classroom. Research shows, however, that the belief and values that are taught at home often

overpower what is learned or talked about in school.

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