Rolling Rainforest Programs
Program Choices
I.
Global Getaway (PreK - 6th grade)
10-30 minutes, depending on the number of students at the school
This introductory tour is offered to all students, teachers, and administrators
at the school. It typically takes place on the first day of the
Rolling
Rainforest's visit. Sharpening all the senses, this eco-adventure introduces
"travelers" to the lush tropical wilds of the rainforest and prepares them for
examination of their own ecosystem. The tour includes an overview of many
everyday products that come from the rainforest.
II.
Scientific Investigations (Recommended for 3rd - 6th grade)
1 1/2 hours to 2 1/2 hours
Students take on the roles of scientists participating in an expedition to the rainforest.
They check the health of a section of forest and monitor the effect of environmental pressures,
such as nearby deforestation. Students break into small teams representing four areas of science:
ichthyology, entomology, soil science, and water quality. They compare their experimental data to that
collected from a hypothetical expedition that took place ten years earlier. At the conclusion, the teams present
their findings to their classmates.
III.
Staying Alive: Predators and Prey (Recommended for 2nd - 4th grade)
1 to 2 1/2 hours
Through a variety of group activities, students learn about the different animals and plants that live in a tropical rainforest.
They examine the interaction between these unique species and the essential roles that each plays. As students become pieces of
the rainforest web of life, they fully grasp the concept of interconnectedness in nature. Students realize that they, as humans,
are also an important part of this delicate web.
IV.
Mission: Migration (Recommended for 5th - 6th grade)
1 to 2 1/2 hours
Tropical rainforests are winter homes to migratory birds that travel between the United
States and the tropics each year. With a bird's-eye view, students investigate their schoolyard habitat and that of the
rainforest, searching for food, water, and shelter - the basic needs for survival. They end the lesson with an understanding
of why migration is necessary for so many different animals.
V.
The Mundo Maya (Recommended for 4th - 6th grade)
1 to 2 1/2 hours
Students explore and investigate the rainforest from the perspective of the ancient Maya people, whose
civilization thrived in the neotropical rainforests of Central America thousands of years ago.
Students learn about the traditional number system and the rich cultural history of the Maya,
including their deep connection to the rainforest landscape that surrounded them. This investigation challenges students to
find out if they could survive in the wilds of the rainforest, encouraging them to take a few tips from the Maya along the way.
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