frogmoving.gif - 852 Bytes      Rain Forest Quest   

Rainforests provide us with oxygen, help maintain our climate, and give us essential foods and medicines. Rainforests have intense tropical sunlight, high temperatures, and almost constant rainfall.  7% of the world is covered in rainforest.  More than 50% of the world's plant and animal species inhabit rainforest areas. Dozens of animal species a day become extinct.

Niabi Zoo would like to design a rainforest exhibit and need to learn more about animals who live in the rainforest.  You will be an online scientist from Niabi Zoo and go to the large rainforests in South America, Africa, or Southeast Asia.  While there you will first make a list of 25 animals that live in the rainforest that you think Niabi Zoo needs in their rainforest exhibit.  From your list you will then narrow it down to 
5 animals to be in the exhibit.  You will research information about the 5 animals you chose. You will then design on paper a habitat for the animals at Niabi Zoo.  Thanks to a generous donation, money is no object. You will also design an educational sign for the exhibit that will tell visitors about the 5 animals you have selected.  The signs should be written in paragrah form.  The signs can be small index card plaques or 8 X 12 signs.

TASK 1 

1.  Go to each Internet site to find animals from the rainforest and begin making your list of 25 animals. 

2.  After making a list of 25 rainforest animals pick 5 of them. 

3.  Search for answers to the questions about the 5 animals you selected.

Here is some information to look for:

     1.  Common and scientific name of animal.

     2.  Which rainforest does the animal live in?

     3.  Describe the animals' habitat.

     4.  What does the animal eat?

     5.  Find pictures of the animal.

     6.  Is the animal an endangered species?

     7.  How does the animal protect itself?

     8.  Gestation period,  number of young

     9.  Interesting facts.

4.  Prepare the information in a chart to show the zoo administrators.


TASK 2

Using the sites below, your science reference book, and the library you will research and design a habitat for the 5 animals you have chosen.  Include trees, plants,  proper climate, and layers of the rainforest.  Think of the needs of living things.  Remember...money is no object!!  Use 12 X 18 paper.   COLOR!!!!!!


TASK 3

Using your information from Task 1, you will create an educational plaque for each of the 5 animals you have chosen for Niabi Zoo.  The plaque will be written in paragraph form on index cards or on 8 X 12 paper. These may also be created on your computer.

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Earth.gif - 6650 BytesWebsites

Defenders Of The Rainforest                         Rain Forests of the World

Journey Into Amozonia                                  Vanishing Rainforests

Kids' Action: Rainforest Animals                     Yahooligans: Rainforests

Kids Quest                                                     Zoom: All About Rainforests

PBS Science In The Rainforest                        ZooNet

Rainforest Action Network

Kent Smith©  2001