rainforest

"Big 6"© Research
Library Home

Rainforest painting by Luba Ivashenk

Tropical Rainforests
1st and 4th grades

Visit other "Big 6"© research units:
Washington National Parks
Animal/Endangered Species

In Mt. View's library the 1st and 4th graders come together to research Tropical Rainforests.

The structure for this unit is called The "Big 6"© Research Process: 6 steps to guide students

along a process of learning.

Week one:

In the first week, students are asked to focus on basic Tropical Rainforest information

1st and 4th grade peer-learning partnerships are formed.
They embark on a guided study with the older student assisting the younger each step of the way.
The end result of week one is a Rainforest packet done by 1st graders with their 4th grade buddies. It is filled with facts, photos, illustrations and sharing.
Each 1st grade student does an oral report on tropical rainforest.

Week two:

The 4th graders dive deeper, each team investigating one topic to explain to the rest of the class. ( Jigsaw strategy )

Using the Internet and other reference materials, students pair up to investigate reasons and consequences of Tropical Rainforest destruction.
The goal is to learn what has caused this ecological problem, and what humans can do to help.
Each 4th grade team does an oral report on their specific rainforest topic.

While discovering facts about Tropical Rainforests and using the "Big 6"© Research Process to do so, all the students learn something more close to home. They learn that sharing and helping each other in learning, builds empathy with others and a concern for our fragile planet.

Visit the websites below to learn more:

    Rainforestweb.org:
http://www.rainforestweb.org

    Rainforest Action Network:
http://www.ran.org

    Enchanted Learning: Rainforests:
http://www.zoomwhales.com/subjects/rainforest/Allabout.shtml

Return to top

Ferndale School District

Mt. View Library website is maintained by Sue McCaslin, Mt.View Library Media Teacher.
Contact: smccaslin@ferndale.wednet.edu
Revised: July, 2007

Copyright Notice: No materials on any of the Ferndale School Districts' WWW pages may be copied without express written permission unless permission is clearly stated on the page.
©2000 FSD #502