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Tropical Rainforests EDUCATION DEPARTMENT CURRICULUM TROPICAL RAINFORESTS Written and Compiled by Kelly Drinnen Consulting with Gary Outenreath and Pat Sharkey Cover Design by Chris Lowe 3rd edition, 2000 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS MISSION STATEMENT ................................................................................................i EDUCATION DEPARTMENT MISSION STATEMENT & GOALS..........................i INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................................ii CHAPTER ONE: WHAT IS A TROPICAL RAINFOREST? Definitions............................................................................................................1 Climate.................................................................................................................1 Forest Layers........................................................................................................2 Activity: Rainforest Layers (K-5 ............................................................4 Activity: How Hot Is It? (6-8) ................................................................9 Activity: Elevation Situation (9-12)........................................................11 CHAPTER TWO: WHERE IN THE WORLD ARE TROPICAL RAINFORESTS? Global Distribution ..............................................................................................13 Geographic Locations ..........................................................................................14 World Map...........................................................................................................15 Activity: Pole To Pole (K-5)...................................................................16 Activity: Continents And Countries (6-8)...............................................18 Activity: Rainforest Coordinates (9-12) .................................................23 CHAPTER THREE: TROPICAL RAINFOREST PLANTS It’s Not A Jungle In There ...................................................................................25 Conditions For Growth ........................................................................................25 Leaves And Layers ..............................................................................................25 Tremendous Trees................................................................................................26 Tarzan Transport..................................................................................................27 Plants On Plants ...................................................................................................27 Plant Protection....................................................................................................28 Activity: Leafy Layers (K-5) ..................................................................29 Activity: Bromeliads (6-8)......................................................................31 Activity: Plant Puzzle (9-12) ..................................................................34 2 CHAPTER FOUR: TROPICAL RAINFOREST ANIMALS Living Zoos..........................................................................................................37 Animal Adaptations .............................................................................................37 Survival Skills......................................................................................................38 Feeding Strategies................................................................................................39 Unusual Animals..................................................................................................39 Mammals........................................................................................................39 Reptiles ..........................................................................................................40 Amphibians....................................................................................................40 Fish.................................................................................................................41 Birds...............................................................................................................41 Insects Galore.................................................................................................42 Activity: Leafcutter Ants (K-5) ..............................................................43 Activity: Create A Creature (6-8) ...........................................................46 Activity: What’s In A Name? (9-12) ......................................................48 CHAPTER FIVE: RAINFOREST RELATIONSHIPS Symbiosis.............................................................................................................53 Mutualism ......................................................................................................53 Commensalism...............................................................................................53 Parasitism.......................................................................................................53 Pollination Relations............................................................................................54 Seed Dispersal......................................................................................................55 Activity: Pollen Exchange (K-5) ............................................................57 Activity: Seed Journeys (6-8) .................................................................59 Activity: Flower Anatomy (9-12) ...........................................................60 CHAPTER SIX: TROPICAL RAINFOREST PEOPLE Indigenous People................................................................................................65 Rainforest Farmers...............................................................................................65 Rainforest Hunter-Gatherers................................................................................66 Cultural Trade ......................................................................................................67 Physically Fit .......................................................................................................67 Healing Traditions ...............................................................................................67 Rainforest People Today......................................................................................68 Activity: Hunting Tools (K-5) ................................................................69 Activity: Mola Magic (6-8).....................................................................71 Activity: Rainforest Rap (9-12) ..............................................................73 CHAPTER SEVEN: WHY ARE TROPICAL RAINFORESTS IMPORTANT? Biodiversity..........................................................................................................75 Knowledge ...........................................................................................................75 Food .....................................................................................................................76 Air ........................................................................................................................76 Water....................................................................................................................77 Health...................................................................................................................77 Activity: Tropical Products (K-5)...........................................................79 Activity: Rainforest In A Jar (6-8)..........................................................82 Activity: Medicinal Plants (9-12) ...........................................................84 CHAPTER EIGHT: PROTECTING AND PRESERVING TROPICAL RAINFORESTS Where To Begin...................................................................................................86 Purchasing Power.................................................................................................86 3 Ecotourism ...........................................................................................................87 Conservation Organizations.................................................................................87 Moody Gardens....................................................................................................88 The End? ..............................................................................................................89 Activity: Preserving Rainforests (K-5) ...................................................90 Activity: Informed Choices (6-8)............................................................92 Activity: Persuading The Public (9-12) ..................................................95 APPENDIX 1 Rainforest Conservation Organizations ...........................................................................97 APPENDIX 2 Moody Gardens Education Programs ..............................................................................99 APPENDIX 3 Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) Alignments............................100 GLOSSARY .................................................................................................................122 BIBLIOGRAPHY.........................................................................................................126 MOODY GARDENS MISSION STATEMENT Moody Gardens is
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