Glen Head School Third Graders Interdisciplinary Rainforest Study

Third graders at Glen Head School recently studied Brazil in a social studies unit and combined their learning with aspects of its weather and climate as a part of their science learning.

Over many weeks, the third graders studied the following: 

• How landforms, climate and weather, and availability of resources impact where and how people live and work in different places in Brazil.
• Rainforests have a unique ecosystem that allows for a diversity of living organisms to thrive. 
• Rainforest plants and animals have adaptations to survive in their environment.
• Rainforests provide products and environmental benefits that impact the entire planet.
• The differences between the four layers of the rainforest and the animals and plants that live in each layer.
• More than half of the world’s animals live in the rainforests.
• Deforestation is the biggest threat to the rainforest and there are many ways we can help

During this in-depth interdisciplinary study, each child chose a rain forest animal (i.e., mammals, birds, insects, reptiles, amphibians or fish) and researched his or her specific creature by reading and taking notes. However, that is not all! The third graders also worked on individual projects at home. They included a diorama, poster, mobile, or model. 

At the grade-wide Rain Forest culmination, the students shared with their peers their completed projects and information about the animals characteristics, food, predators, how they live and survive in the rainforest, adaptations and fun facts! Thank you to all of the third graders and their teachers for this in-depth study and celebration on Brazil.

Article provided by the third grade teachers of Glen Head School.

Photos by Shelly Newman