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Saving the Rainforest Objective Students will be able to: 1. Tell at least one thing that they have learned about the rainforest. 2. Give the name of an organization that is dedicated to saving the forests. 3. Name three endangered animals and three plants that produce foods that we can eat. 4. Donate money, earned by students, to Earth's Birthday Project's BIG GIFT or other similar organization. 5. Complete their rainforest journal. Optional Follow-up Activity The class will choose a project to raise funds to donate to an organization that is dedicated to conserving rainforests. This can be either in lieu of the donations at the party or in addition to. Here are some fundraising ideas, including an easy and fun penny drive. Materials 1. Construction paper, scissors, paste, and other art supplies needed to finish the journal or to complete a mask for the party 2. Teacher and/or room mother can bring punch made out of tropical fruit and cookies made with Brazil nuts or peanuts, rainforest candy, or other foods as desired Unit Background Information 1. Review of Lessons 1 through 4. The rainforests of the world are found in the tropics. There are three large areas of the world where rainforests are located. These areas are in Africa, Central and South America and Southeast Asia. Because rain falls in these forests almost every day, they are called rainforests They contain about half of the plants and animals in the world. The largest rainforest is in Brazil, which is over half as big as the United States. The people, animals, and plants of the rainforest depend on what can be found in the rainforest to be eaten as food and used to build their homes. The rainforests are being destroyed at an alarming rate by slash and burn methods for farming and cattle raising on the land. Loggers cut trees for wood to sell. Animals and plants are removed to be sold in other parts of the world. The earth will suffer from the continued losses of tropical forests. 2. Ways to Save the Rainforest. What can be done to save the rainforest? There are many groups of people all around the world that are dedicated to saving the rainforests. They believe that losing the rainforests would have many bad effects on everyone, everywhere. These groups of people raise money, make other people aware of these problems, and try to educate others to help. Some laws will have to be changed in order for these forests to be more carefully protected. There are park reserves that provide tropical forests where they can be watched over. Many people like to visit these parks so they can see many of the things that live in the forest. Some people give money or their time to save the forests. Children in schools can learn more about rainforests and they can plan projects to raise money. There are many ways to raise money. Earth's Birthday Project's BIG GIFT helps children buy rainforest, one acre at a time, so that it can be protected forever in a rainforest reserve. An acre costs $50. Earth's Birthday Project gives each class an honorary certificate for the land. Procedure: Ask: For each student to wear their mask and share the booklet they have compiled about the rainforest. Tell them: I am sure that we have all enjoyed getting to know so many things about the rainforest and learning some ways that we can help save it. Now we are ready for our RAINFOREST PARTY! Party Refreshments Serve refreshments made from rainforest foods. Look in cookbooks for recipes featuring these ingredients. Fruits: bananas, grapefruit, guava, lemons, limes, mangos, oranges, papaya, passion fruit, pineapple Other foods: yams, Brazil nuts, cashews, coconut, cocoa, chocolate, coffee Spices: allspice, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, mace, nutmeg, vanilla Tropical Popcorn Crunch Mix together 2 ounces flaked coconut 4 ounces dried pineapple cut into small pieces 2 ounces dried dates or raisins, diced 2 quarts air popped popcorn Jungle Punch Combine the following in a large punch bowl. 1 quart orange juice 1 quart pineapple juice 1 quart lemon soda Before serving add: 1 quart vanilla ice cream or lemon sherbet Rainforest Treat 1. Peel 16 bananas and cut in half. 2. Insert a popsicle stick in the cut end 3. Dip into melted chocolate chips and then roll in flaked coconut. 4. Chill the bananas before serving. Chocolate Chip Banana Bread 1 1/2 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 3/4 stick of unsalted butter, softened 1 cup sugar 1 1/2 cups ripe bananas, mashed (about 4 bananas) 2 eggs, beaten 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 cup chocolate chips 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. Grease and flour a 9" x 5" loaf pan 3. Mix together flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl, set aside 4. In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add the mashed bananas and the vanilla. 5. Stir the dry ingredients into the banana mixture. Add chips and mix by hand. 6. Pour batter into the loaf pan 7. Bake for 55-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool in pan for 1/2 hour and then remove from pan to cool completely. |
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