How To Write a Rainforest Animal Lesson Plan

Instructional method: Cooperative Learning
Objectives:
Students will be able to describe the appearance of a selected animal from the rainforest (size and color).
Students will present their research to their classmates.
Students will be able to identify the animal's main food source and its predators.
Students will be able to list three interesting facts about the animal.

Lesson:
Supplies:
Animal model (one per two students), construction paper
Research material
Select enough animals from the rainforest to have one animal per 2 to 3 students. Put packet together per animal. Provide students with information about their assigned animal or have library books available per bird. Suggested animals: Toucans, Gorillas, Monkeys

Prepared research handout:

Name of Animal
Attach a picture of the animal:

Where animal lives
Layer of Rainforest
Description: color and size
What does it eat?
Name its predators
List three interesting facts

Focus: Have a bulletin board prepared for the rainforest layers. Hide a animal in the rainforest and let children try to guess what the new animal is that we are studying today. Give them a few minutes and then take guesses.

Objectives: Students are researching animals of the rainforest. In groups they will research a selected animal and fill out the research handout. Then as a group they will create a animal model. They must look at the animal and make its head shape, tail and/or wings using construction paper of the animals colors. When everyone is finished, the groups will present their animals to the class and display models.

Guided Practice: Select a partner from the students. Walk through how you and your partner would find the answers for your animal. Then assign cooperative groups.

Activity: Give each group a animal packet to complete. Once research is completed, students will be givenappropriate colored construction paper. The students work as a group constructing their animal or if time permits, they can each do their own.

Students create their model.

Presentation: One member presents research and one member describes the appearance of their animal and how they made their model.

Closure: After all groups have presented, animal are placed in the room with students names on it. This serves as a great way to visually show the students learning in the classroom.