Systems ModuleSystems ModuleGeography Geography

LessonsLessons

Lesson 2 Rainforest Lesson 2 Rainforest EcosystemsEcosystems

Aim- Why is the rainforest Aim- Why is the rainforest the most productive the most productive

ecosystem on Earth?ecosystem on Earth?

StarterStarter Come up with a list of adjectives (descriptive Come up with a list of adjectives (descriptive

words) for a tropical rainforest, on words) for a tropical rainforest, on wordword worksheetworksheet

Things to think about…..Things to think about…..

What would you smell, see, hear, feel???What would you smell, see, hear, feel???

ADD LINK OF SOUNDS FROM FORESTADD LINK OF SOUNDS FROM FOREST

Tropical RainforestsTropical Rainforests

Using the information on the following Using the information on the following slide to complete TASK 1 – describing the slide to complete TASK 1 – describing the location of rainforests, the rainfall and location of rainforests, the rainfall and temperatures found there (temperatures found there (wordword))

TropicalRainforests

TropicalRainforests

Where is the Amazon?Where is the Amazon?

Amazon

Do you know a) which continent the Amazon is on? and

b) which hemisphere is it in?

Complete your answers in Word

River Amazon

Why does it rain so much in the rainforest?

Convectional rain

VegetationVegetation

After millions of years After millions of years of growth, the of growth, the vegetation in the vegetation in the rainforest forms four rainforest forms four main layersmain layers

Soil is poor, so plant Soil is poor, so plant roots grow close to roots grow close to surface to utilise the surface to utilise the nutrientsnutrients

Tallest trees have Tallest trees have buttress roots to stop buttress roots to stop them toppling overthem toppling over

Emergent trees

Canopy

Under Canopy

Shrubs

Undergrowth

50m

0m

Layers of the rainforestLayers of the rainforest

liana buttress roots

LITTERLITTERTHIN HUMUSTHIN HUMUS

RED SOILRED SOIL

BEDROCKBEDROCK

Rainforest Soil ProfileRainforest Soil ProfileRainforest Soil ProfileRainforest Soil Profile

Images from Malaysian Images from Malaysian RainforestRainforest

August 2004August 2004

Nutrient Cycle

Twigs and leaves fall to the ground and become ‘litter’

Decomposition (breaking down) of litter by termites, fungi and bacteria

Nutrients enter the soil

Soil is fertile

Dense vegetation

Leaching washesout soil nutrientsLeaching washesout soil nutrients

Less vegetation

Broken Nutrient Cycle

Deforestation

Fill in the gaps in word worksheet

Task 4Task 4

You have now learnt some You have now learnt some background information on background information on Rainforests.Rainforests.

It is now your turn to see how It is now your turn to see how knowledgeable you are!knowledgeable you are!

You will now create a pie chart You will now create a pie chart showing what a Rainforest consists showing what a Rainforest consists of.of.

Task 4Task 4 Look at the Pie Chart Look at the Pie Chart

shown.shown. You will use a Pie You will use a Pie

Chart similar to this to Chart similar to this to show what you think a show what you think a Rainforest consists of.Rainforest consists of.

You will look back at You will look back at your chart at the end your chart at the end of your lessons on of your lessons on Rainforests to see if Rainforests to see if you still agree with you still agree with your estimates.your estimates.

A Pie Chart to Show

what a Rainforest

Consists of.

HousesPlantsTreesAnimalsInsectsPeople

Task 4Task 4 You will use the Pie You will use the Pie

Chart on the previous Chart on the previous slide to show your slide to show your estimations of what a estimations of what a Rainforest consists of.Rainforest consists of.

You will then record You will then record your estimations on a your estimations on a worksheet provided worksheet provided for you. for you. Task 4Task 4

Simply return to the Simply return to the Pie Chart and 1) Right-Pie Chart and 1) Right-hand click on your hand click on your mouse; 2) Click on mouse; 2) Click on ‘Chart Object’; 3) Click ‘Chart Object’; 3) Click on ‘Edit’; 4) Change on ‘Edit’; 4) Change the percentages in the the percentages in the ‘Datasheet’ showing ‘Datasheet’ showing what percentage of what percentage of each matter you think each matter you think a Rainforest consists a Rainforest consists of.of.

Main ActivityMain Activity Now you will do some group work looking Now you will do some group work looking

more closely at Rainforests, where they are more closely at Rainforests, where they are located around the World and why they are located around the World and why they are so important to the Earth and our so important to the Earth and our Environment.Environment.

In groups you will be given a Rainforest to In groups you will be given a Rainforest to research and investigate.research and investigate.

At the end of your research, you will be At the end of your research, you will be asked to write a letter to the Government asked to write a letter to the Government explaining about your individual Rainforest explaining about your individual Rainforest and why it is so important to help in the and why it is so important to help in the conservation of it.conservation of it.

Main Activity Cont.Main Activity Cont.The grid below shows you what information you The grid below shows you what information you

need to research about your Rainforest.need to research about your Rainforest.

VegetationVegetationAnimals Animals that live that live there.there.

Type & Type & Location of Location of

your your RainforestRainforest

Climate of Climate of your your

RainforestRainforest

Any Any medical medical

remedies remedies grown grown there.there.

People that People that live there.live there.

Any Any endangereendangered species d species

living living there.there.

Zones of Zones of the the

Rainforest.Rainforest.(Canopy etc.)(Canopy etc.)

Why your Why your Rainforest Rainforest

is is important.important.

Dangers Dangers facing your facing your Rainforest.Rainforest.

Conservation Conservation groups linked groups linked

to your to your RainforestRainforest..

Any effects Any effects your your

Rainforest Rainforest has on the has on the

outside outside world.world.

Main Activity Cont.Main Activity Cont.Below are the Rainforests that are to be researched Below are the Rainforests that are to be researched

(one per group).(one per group).

The Amazon RainforestThe Amazon RainforestThe Congo RainforestThe Congo RainforestThe Borneo RainforestThe Borneo Rainforest

The Indonesian RainforestThe Indonesian RainforestThe Korup RainforestThe Korup Rainforest

Central American Rainforests (Belize/ Central American Rainforests (Belize/ Guatemala) Guatemala)

Helping Hand…Helping Hand…

www.ajkids.com/kids42.asp?ask=rainforests%3f&qSowww.ajkids.com/kids42.asp?ask=rainforests%3f&qSource=0&origin=0&metasearch=1urce=0&origin=0&metasearch=1www.kathimitchell.com/rainfor.htmlwww.kathimitchell.com/rainfor.htmlhttp://www.ahsd25.k12.il.us/Curriculum Info/http://www.ahsd25.k12.il.us/Curriculum Info/africa/rainforest.htmafrica/rainforest.htmhttp://http://library.nudgee.com/biomes.htmlibrary.nudgee.com/biomes.htmhttp://http://passporttoknowledge.com/rainforest/main.htmlpassporttoknowledge.com/rainforest/main.html

All of these web-pages either have information on them, All of these web-pages either have information on them, or link you to other web-pages that are packed with or link you to other web-pages that are packed with

information.information.

Main Activity Cont.Main Activity Cont. After you have finished researching your After you have finished researching your

individual Rainforest in your groups, you will individual Rainforest in your groups, you will then each write a letter to the Government then each write a letter to the Government campaigning for the conservation of your campaigning for the conservation of your Rainforest.Rainforest.

You will use the writing frame on Microsoft You will use the writing frame on Microsoft Word worksheet ‘My Rainforest Word worksheet ‘My Rainforest Conservation Letter’ to help you complete Conservation Letter’ to help you complete your letter individually.your letter individually.

After you have completed your letter, save After you have completed your letter, save it to your User Area for easy access to in the it to your User Area for easy access to in the futurefuture

PlenaryPlenary You should have by You should have by

now successfully now successfully completed your completed your research and letter to research and letter to the Government the Government campaigning for the campaigning for the conservation of your conservation of your Rainforest.Rainforest.

Now you will record Now you will record your knowledge using your knowledge using a bar-chart.a bar-chart.

Look back at your Look back at your ‘Rainforest Estimates’ ‘Rainforest Estimates’ from the beginning. from the beginning. You will use the same You will use the same matter that you used matter that you used to record percentages to record percentages on before (houses, on before (houses, plants, trees etc).plants, trees etc).

You will use your You will use your research to alter your research to alter your estimates to the estimates to the correct proportions correct proportions and record them on and record them on your bar chart.your bar chart.

Plenary Cont.Plenary Cont.Your bar-chart should be similar to the one below:Your bar-chart should be similar to the one below:

0 10 20 30 40 50

100%

A Chart to show what percentages of matter The ________ Rainforest consists of.

PeopleInsectsAnimalsTreesPlantsHouses

Plenary Cont.Plenary Cont.

You will then record your information on You will then record your information on Microsoft Word ‘My Rainforest Results’ Microsoft Word ‘My Rainforest Results’ worksheet. You can now compare your worksheet. You can now compare your results to your estimates, and see if your results to your estimates, and see if your results are similar (if they are it obviously results are similar (if they are it obviously shows that you were a Rainforest Genius shows that you were a Rainforest Genius from the start!)from the start!)