Objective

By the end of this lesson, you will have learned about the rainforest ecosystem and created your own rainforest diorama.

Materials and Prep

• Shoebox or small cardboard box
• Green construction paper
• Scissors
• Markers or crayons
• Glue
• Toy animals or plastic figurines
• Optional: pictures of rainforest animals
• Prepare some fun rainforest facts to share

Activities

• Create the rainforest background by covering the inside of the box with green construction paper. Draw or cut out pictures of trees and plants to glue inside.
• Add toy animals or figurines to represent the wildlife in the rainforest. Arrange them in different layers to show the different levels of the rainforest.
• Research and add fun facts about rainforest animals to your diorama. You can write these on small cards and place them around the diorama.
• Pretend to be a scientist exploring the rainforest. Describe the different animals and plants in your diorama and explain how they interact with each other.

Talking Points

• Quotation: "The rainforest is a special place with lots of trees, plants, and animals living together."
• Quotation: "Did you know that some rainforest animals can fly, like colorful parrots and butterflies?"
• Quotation: "In the rainforest, there are animals that live in the treetops, some on the forest floor, and others in between."
• Quotation: "Rainforests are important because they help provide clean air and are home to many unique species."
• Quotation: "Let's imagine we are exploring the rainforest together. What animals do you see? What sounds do you hear?"