Tropical+Rainforests

__**Tropical Rainforests: 3rd Grade**__ __**Marie Crawford**__

This list of informational books will be used by my 3rd grade ELL students when they study about tropical rainforests in their Science class. I support these students in their classroom during science class while they're working on the rainforest activities. I found books at various reading levels because I have a student who is reading at a kindergarten level and another student who is reading above grade level. The students will be expected to write a cinquain poem about an animal in the rainforest that they have researched. Having books at multiple reading levels will make it easier for my students to find and read the information they need to use for their poems. I looked for books that had photographs so the ELL students can see what the real plants, animals and people of the rainforest look like.

The ELL students will also use the books and interactive websites to learn about the layers of the rainforest, so they can create their own animal to add to the appropriate level in the rainforest their classroom teacher will make on a bulletin board. We will read about the various products that come from the rainforest so they can complete a cloze activity about rainforest products. The maps the students will study in the books and on the websites will be helpful when they complete their own map of the rainforests around the world. The books and websites that have information on food chains will be useful when the students create their own food chains using notecards with each animal listed on it and arrows pointing the direction of the food chain. Students will also be able to see and hear firsthand the sights and sounds of the rainforest through the virtual tours on the Rainforest Education and Rainforest Alliance websites.


 * __Informational Trade Books List__**

Jeunesse, G. & Mettler, R. (1992). //The Rain Forest: A First Discovery Book//. New York, NY: Scholastic, Inc. This book, written for young readers, gives an introduction to the animals and plants that live in the rainforest. It has special clear pages that reveal hidden animals found underneath the plants as you turn the pages. Lexile 580.

Callery, S. (2011). //Rainforest: Life Cycles.// New York, NY: Scholastic, Inc. This book shows the life cycles of several animals, insects and plants that live in the rainforests found in the Amazon, Borneo and Madagascar. At the end of the book, there is an Amazon food web chain. Reading Level: Grade 3-no lexile found.

//Going to the Rainforest.// (2012). New York, NY: Scholastic, Inc. This book features animals that live in various rainforests around the world. Animals such as the macaw, orangutan, tarsier, monkey frog and southern cassowary are featured. Lexile AD960 (Adult directed).

Osborne, W. & Osborne, M. P. (2001). //Rain Forests: A Nonfiction Companion to Afternoon on// //the Amazon//. New York, NY: Scholastic, Inc. In this //Magic Tree House Research Guide// chapter book, readers will learn what is a rainforest, the layers of the rainforest, and the plants, animals and people that live in the rainforest. The final chapters discuss the products from the rainforest and ways to save the rainforests. Lexile 730 (Grade 3).

Hammerslough, J. (2003). //Into the Rain Forest//. New York, NY: Scholastic, Inc. In this chapter book, based on the Animal Planet show, //The Jeff Corwin Experience,// readers will take a journey into the rainforests of Panama, Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands and Brazil’s Pantanal. Students can read excerpts from Jeff’s journal, science notes and take a quiz to check their knowledge about the rain forest at the end of the book. Lexile 1100.

Fowler, A. (1996). //Save the Rain Forests: Rookie Read-About Science// Series. New York, NY: Children’s Press. Colorful photos let young readers learn about the layers of the rainforest, as well as the plants, animals and people that live there. A map is included to show where the rainforests are located in the world and information about the destruction of rainforests in included at the end of the book. Lexile NC620 (Non-conforming means it has a higher lexile than the readers it’s intended for).

Patent, D. H. (1997). //Flashy Fantastic Rain Forest Frogs//. New York, NY: Scholastic, Inc. This colorful book gives information about the various types of frogs that live in the rainforest, as well as explain the life cycles of frogs. Information about the uses of the poison from the poison dart frogs is also included. Lexile NC820 (Non-conforming).

Berger, M. & Berger, G. (2001). //Does it Always Rain in the Rain Forest? Questions and// //Answers About Tropical Rain Forests//. New York, NY: Scholastic, Inc. This book offers a plethora of answers to the questions readers may have about rainforests. The book is divided up into four categories of information, which include wet and hot, plant life, animal life and people in the rain forest. Lexile 850.

Graham, K. (1998). //Totally Amazing Rain Forests//. New York, NY: Golden Books Publishing Company, Inc. This fun-filled book of facts features photos of the various animals and plants of the rainforest. It focuses on strange, but true facts about these animals and plants. Lexile 960.

Fredericks, A. D. (2009). //A is for Anaconda: A Rainforest Alphabet//. Chelsea, MI: Sleeping Bear Press. This alphabet book is a creative way for readers to learn lots of interesting facts about the rainforest. Each page features a poem about a plant, animal, tribe or product from the rainforest and it gives more detailed facts about it. Reading level: 6.7 (no lexile found).

Cunningham, A. (1993). //Rainforest Wildlife: Usborne World Wildlife// Series. London, England: Usborne Publishing, Ltd. This book gives a lot of information about the rainforest. It’s divided into categories, like rainforests of the world, apes and monkeys, birds of the rainforest, rivers and streams, the rainforest floor and rainforests in danger, to name a few. Intended for ages 8-12 (no lexile found).

Nicholson, S. (2001). //Rainforest Explorer: Earth Explorers// Series. New York, NY: Tangerine Press. This book offers information about the rainforest in the format of a 12-day journal and the reader becomes a rainforest explorer. It features lots of photos and interesting facts about the rainforest throughout the book. Intended for ages 9-12 (no lexile found).

Phillips, D. (2006). //Can You Find it in a Rain Forest//. Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens Publishing. This book offers easy reading for students to learn about specific animals of the rainforest, such as the sloth, toucan, jaguar, iguana and tapir. Intended for ages 4-8 (no lexile found).


 * __Websites about Tropical Rainforests__**

[] The Rainforest Alliance website has virtual tours and storybooks of the rainforest and the people and animals that live there, forest and animal/species facts, coloring pages and online games that feature how to track your food back to the rainforest and putting plants and animals in the correct layers of the rainforest.

[] This website by Mongabay has a lot of information about rainforests for kids to explore by clicking on the questions they want to read the answers to, like: “How can we save rainforests?” or “Why are rainforests important?” There is a link for teachers that includes pdf files of lessons and activities for students to do as they read the information about rainforests on the website.

[] The Enchanted Learning website has easy to read text for students to learn general information about rainforests, where they are located, the layers of the rainforest and the animals and plants that live there. There are also activities for teachers to print out that students can use to learn more about rainforests, such as a rainforest animals book and rainforest animals word wheel.

[] This website has some beautiful pictures and videos of the sights and sounds of the rainforest. The “About Rainforests” section has some pictures and descriptions of each layer of the rainforest for students to learn more about them.

[] This website has interactive links on the “strata” page for students to click on the eyes peeking out of each layer of the rainforest so they can read more about each creature. The layers are labeled along the side of the drawing. Students can also click on the “equator” to see a map of where the tropical rainforests are located in the world.

[] This website from Michigan State University has lots of information about the plants, animals and insects that live in the tropical rainforests as well as information about the people and effects of deforestation. It is written for students in grades 2-8 and it has some activities in English and Spanish for teachers to print out about the rainforest.