This document outlines a 5-day unit plan about the Amazon Rainforest for a 4th grade class. The unit aims to teach students to locate the Amazon Rainforest on a map, identify the different strata of the rainforest, and list endangered animals and reasons for deforestation. Each day focuses on a different learning activity like virtual tours, reading a story, creating diagrams and graphs, and building dioramas of the forest strata in groups. Technology like YouTube, virtual tours and computer research will enhance the lessons.

1. The Amazon
Rainforest
Unit Plan
Brandi Groves

2. Analyze The Learner
There are 18 fourth grade students.
10 students are male and 8 are female.
13 of the students are white and 5 are
African-American.

3. Main Objective
The fourth grade students will locate the
Amazon Rainforest on a map with 90%
accuracy by the end of the unit. Students will
identify the strata of the rainforest with 85%
accuracy by the end of the unit. Students will
list animals that live in the rainforest and are
endangered with 70% accuracy, as well as list
the top reasons the forest is being depleted.

4. Day By Day Breakdown
Day 1: Introduction to the Amazon Rainforest. Students will listen to sounds of the rain forest and will be
introduced to the rain forest strata. Students will go on a virtual tour of the Amazon Rainforest.
Day 2: Students will go on a “field trip” to the Amazon using a PBS website. The Great Kapok Tree will be
read aloud to the students to introduce them to rainforest depletion. The class will discuss endangered Amazon species
and reasons for depletion of the rain forest.
Day 3: Students will draw and label a picture of the rainforest and include endangered animals. Students will
be asked to locate and color in the area the Amazon is located on a world map. Students will create an acrostic poem
using rainforest related words.

5. Breakdown Continued
Day 4: Students will research the average rainfall of the Amazon and compare it
to the average rainfall in 6 other places by creating a bar graph. Students will then be put
in groups that are associated with a specific layer of the strata and they will research that
layer to prepare for the next day’s project.
Day 5: Students will get into their groups and construct dioramas of their assigned
strata and then present it to the class.

6. Use of Technology
Youtube video to play
rainforest sounds
Virtual tours
Computer lab for research

7. Works Cited
 http://lessonplanspage.com/ScienceRainfores
tTerrariums4.htm/
 http://www.manatee.k12.fl.us/sites/elementar
y/samoset/Resources/s2lp2.htm
 http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/t
dc02.sci.life.oate.rainforest/amazon-rainforest/
 http://www.manatee.k12.fl.us/sites/elementar
y/samoset/Resources/s2lp2.htm
 http://rainforestheroes.com/teachers-and-
families/rainforest-lesson-plan-ideas/