Tour the Amazon RainforestTour the Amazon RainforestA Virtual Field TripA Virtual Field Trip Created for Primary StudentsCreated for Primary StudentsPlease read along with your teacher and follow Please read along with your teacher and follow the directions or arrows. You will have time to the directions or arrows. You will have time to explore this site on your own, AFTER you have explore this site on your own, AFTER you have reviewed it with the class. You will be asked to write about what you have reviewed it with the class. You will be asked to write about what you have learned when you are finished, so PAY ATTENTION!learned when you are finished, so PAY ATTENTION!

How to Get There What is the Amazon Rainforest?

Layers and Animals

Assignment & References

Next

Created by Deb Freiburger 2007

Before you can go to the Amazon Rain Forest, you must figure Before you can go to the Amazon Rain Forest, you must figure out how to get there. First, find out where we live. We live in Chester, out how to get there. First, find out where we live. We live in Chester, New Hampshire. New Hampshire is part of the United States. The New Hampshire. New Hampshire is part of the United States. The United States is in the United States is in the continentcontinent of North America. of North America.TTry to find New Hampshire and click on it.ry to find New Hampshire and click on it.

NextBack

Here is a map of the world, click on the continent Here is a map of the world, click on the continent you think we live on.you think we live on.

AUSTRALIA

NextBack

The Amazon Rain Forest is on the continent of South The Amazon Rain Forest is on the continent of South America. Find and click on South America.America. Find and click on South America.

Back

South AmericaSouth America

South America is the fourth largest continent on earth. It has 14 different South America is the fourth largest continent on earth. It has 14 different countries in it and over 355 million people! The South Americans are countries in it and over 355 million people! The South Americans are famous for their parties, their music, their dances, and their food. The two famous for their parties, their music, their dances, and their food. The two major languages spoken in South America are Portuguese and Spanish, major languages spoken in South America are Portuguese and Spanish, although many other languages are spoken.although many other languages are spoken.

Brazil is South America’s largest country, it cover’s almost half of the Brazil is South America’s largest country, it cover’s almost half of the continent. It is almost the same size as the United States (without continent. It is almost the same size as the United States (without Alaska).Alaska).

Click here Click here http://www.yourchildlearns.com/south_america_map.htm http://www.yourchildlearns.com/south_america_map.htm to see a map to see a map of South America. Try to find Brazil.of South America. Try to find Brazil.

NextBack

You found the Amazon Rain Forest!You found the Amazon Rain Forest!

The Amazon jungle (rain The Amazon jungle (rain forest) is the Earth’s largest rain forest) is the Earth’s largest rain forest. It covers half of Brazil. forest. It covers half of Brazil. MILLIONS of animals live in the forest MILLIONS of animals live in the forest including the world’s biggest including the world’s biggest rodentsrodents, , snakes and insects. snakes and insects.

NextBackHome

What is the Amazon What is the Amazon Rainforest?Rainforest?

Rain forests are very Rain forests are very densedense, warm, wet forests. Trees grow hundreds of , warm, wet forests. Trees grow hundreds of feet high. Smaller trees and shrubs cover the ground. Thick vines wind feet high. Smaller trees and shrubs cover the ground. Thick vines wind around tree trunks and branches and hang like ropes. Rain falls all year around tree trunks and branches and hang like ropes. Rain falls all year round. The Amazon is a tropical rainforest because it is located near the round. The Amazon is a tropical rainforest because it is located near the equatorequator. .

Click here to see how much rain the Amazon rainforest gets.Click here to see how much rain the Amazon rainforest gets.http://www.eduweb.com/rain/rain-east.htmlhttp://www.eduweb.com/rain/rain-east.html

Why is the rain forest Why is the rain forest important?important?

Millions of plants and animals live in the rain forest. The plants of the rain Millions of plants and animals live in the rain forest. The plants of the rain forest generate much of the Earth's forest generate much of the Earth's oxygenoxygen. These plants are also very . These plants are also very important to people in other ways; many are used in new drugs that fight important to people in other ways; many are used in new drugs that fight disease and illness. disease and illness.

NextBackHome

What are the layers of the What are the layers of the rain forest?rain forest?

Each layer of the rain forest Each layer of the rain forest is a special place for is a special place for different animals. From different animals. From the tips of tress to the the tips of tress to the forest floor, each layer of forest floor, each layer of the forest has a name. the forest has a name. Click on the star at each Click on the star at each layer in the picture to layer in the picture to learn more about it and learn more about it and the animals that live the animals that live there.there.

NextBack

Emergent LayerEmergent LayerThe Emergent layer is where trees (that can be up to 200 feet tall) rise up and The Emergent layer is where trees (that can be up to 200 feet tall) rise up and over the rest of the forest. It is the windiest area of the rain forest. The animals over the rest of the forest. It is the windiest area of the rain forest. The animals that live up in the emergent layer must have good balance! The branches of that live up in the emergent layer must have good balance! The branches of emergent trees are often thin, so animals living here are small and light. Some emergent trees are often thin, so animals living here are small and light. Some of the animals you can find here are Blue Morpho Butterflies, Harpy Eagles, of the animals you can find here are Blue Morpho Butterflies, Harpy Eagles, Macaws, monkeys, parakeets, and vultures.Macaws, monkeys, parakeets, and vultures.

Blue MacawClick to hear it.

Macaws have very powerful beaks to crack open nuts. There are many kinds of colorful macaws in the rain forest.

Blue Morpho Butterflies are very fast fliers. They are easy to see, but hard to catch. Click below to see a video clip of a butterfly farm.

At the new site…click on the movie camera http://www.chaacreek.com/tours-activities/onsite/butterfly-farm/

Back

Blue Morpho

Next

Harpy Eagles are considered to be one of the world’s largest Harpy Eagles are considered to be one of the world’s largest and most powerful eagles. Their and most powerful eagles. Their talons can be the size of a grizzly’s claws, but still they can only fly with prey (food) that can weigh up to about one half of their body weight.

Harpy Eagles are also found in the emergent layer.

Mark Purdy, the Education Programs Coordinator of The Peregrine Fund's World Center for Birds of Prey gave permission to this Virtual Field Trip to watch a video of baby Harpy chicks hatching and being fed.

If you would like to see the bird hatching or being fed, click on the yellow egg.

Back

Harpy EagleHarpy Eagle

Next

The CanopyThe CanopyThe canopy is like the leaky roof of the rain forest. The trees The canopy is like the leaky roof of the rain forest. The trees are very close together, stopping most of the rain from hitting are very close together, stopping most of the rain from hitting the forest floor. There are still gaps of sun and nice breezes the forest floor. There are still gaps of sun and nice breezes through this layer. This is where most of the animals in the through this layer. This is where most of the animals in the rainforest live. Some of the animals you can find in the canopy rainforest live. Some of the animals you can find in the canopy are iguanas, monkeys, snakes, sloths, and bats. are iguanas, monkeys, snakes, sloths, and bats.

Green Iguana

Sloths spend their time hanging upside down. They have very strong hooked claws. They move very slowly, and only go down to the forest floor once a week to go to the bathroom.

Sloth

Iguanas are good climbers with sharp claws to hold onto branches. They can grow to be as large as a man, but get scared very easily and run away. NextBack

The bill of the Toucan is actually hollow and very lightweight. It uses it to reach fruits at the ends of small branches that it would not be able to reach without it!

Click to hear the Toucan.

Toucan

Howler's have a huge roar or howl that can be heard three miles away. The only mammal louder than a howler monkey is the gigantic blue whale!

Click to hear the howler monkey

Howler Monkey

Back Next

Vampire Bats (and many other bats) can be found in the Understory level of the rain forest. Vampire Bats DO bite and suck the blood out of mammals, but not humans. They bite, then lick up the blood that trickles out. To learn more and see a video clip, click on the bat picture.

Vampire Bats

The UnderstoryThe understory level of the rain forest is dark and shadowy. The leaves of the canopy are so close together that only a tiny bit of sun shines through. The trees in the understory are not very tall. Some trees will grow to become part of the canopy, but most understory trees never grow taller than about 15 feet.Some of the animals found in the understory are bats, wild cats, owls, monkeys, snakes, frogs, and lizards.

NextBack

Blue Poison Dart Frog

The blue poison dart frog uses its colors to warn predators of its toxic skin. If an animal eats the blue poison dart frog it will become very sick.

Blue poison dart frogs are poisonous due to their diet. They eat ants and other small insects that have toxins in their bodies. The frogs can eat these insects without getting sick.

Click to hear the Blue Poison Dart Frog.The Jaguar is the largest cat in the Amazon Rain Forest. A male jaguar can be six feet long and weigh 250-300 pounds. That’s as much as a Patriots football player!

Jaguars are good climbers. They often hide in the trees ready to pounce on deer, wild pigs, or other animals.

Click to hear the Jaguar.

Launch Internet Explorer Browser.lnk

Back

Blue Poison Dart Frog

Jaguar

Next

The Forest FloorThe bottom layer of the rain forest is the forest floor. This layer is very dark and quiet. The ground is covered with decomposing leaves. Small ferns and bushes grow among the giant trunks of the canopy trees. Some of the animals found on the forest floor are snakes, anteaters, armadillos, ocelots, frogs, and tapirs.

The Giant Armadillo can reach 130 pounds, but most weigh between 40 and 70 pounds. It lives in burrows near water and is nocturnal. It eats termites and ants. It is cousins with the Anteater. They both have very long tongues.

The Giant Anteater eats it’s food without any teeth. It uses it’s sticky tongue to get food. The anteater's tongue is long and skinny. It can reach out 2 feet long. It can go out and in 150 times per minute. Click to hear the anteater.

NextBack

Giant Armadillo

Giant Anteater

The Ocelot eats many types of small animals like monkeys, rodents, lizards, birds, snakes, and frogs. The ocelot is a nocturnal animal. Most Ocelots live away from other Ocelots because they like to live alone.

Click to hear the Ocelot.

The Brazilian Tapir is another type of animal that likes to live alone. It is a herbivore and lives near water, and can swim quite well. It runs away at the first sign of danger, but is able to defend itself by biting. The tapir's greatest enemy is the powerful jaguar.

Ocelot

Brazilian Tapir

NextBackHome

You have completed your virtual field trip! Hopefully you had fun! You have completed your virtual field trip! Hopefully you had fun! You have learned where the Amazon Rain Forest is, what the You have learned where the Amazon Rain Forest is, what the different layers in the rainforest are, and what kinds of animals live different layers in the rainforest are, and what kinds of animals live there.there.

Now its time to show what you have learned. You will pick your Now its time to show what you have learned. You will pick your favorite layer of the rain forest and animal that lives there, then write favorite layer of the rain forest and animal that lives there, then write a postcard to me telling me all about it. a postcard to me telling me all about it.

Click below to start your postcard.Click below to start your postcard.

http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/postcard/

You don’t have to stop learning about the rain forest just because You don’t have to stop learning about the rain forest just because this trip is done. You can explore more animals, insects, plants, and this trip is done. You can explore more animals, insects, plants, and how to conserve the rain forest on your own. Check out books in how to conserve the rain forest on your own. Check out books in the library or ask your parents for permission to do your own the library or ask your parents for permission to do your own research online. Share with your teacher any interesting information research online. Share with your teacher any interesting information you find! you find!

Back Next

ASSIGNMENT

Websites and ResourcesWebsites and ResourcesPictures and InformationPictures and Informationhttp://www.americazoo.com/goto/index/mammals/345.htmhttp://www.americazoo.com/goto/index/mammals/345.htm tapir info and pic tapir info and pichttp://www.chaacreek.com/tours-activities/onsite/butterfly-farm/http://www.chaacreek.com/tours-activities/onsite/butterfly-farm/ morpho butterfly movie morpho butterfly movie http://en.wikipedia.org/http://en.wikipedia.org/ armadillo, anteater, ocelot, macaw, toucan armadillo, anteater, ocelot, macaw, toucanhttp://www.eduweb.com/rain/rainfall.htmlhttp://www.eduweb.com/rain/rainfall.html rainfall comparison rainfall comparisonhttp://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/common-vampire-bat.htmlhttp://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/common-vampire-bat.html bat information bat informationhttp://www.yourchildlearns.com/south_america_map.htmhttp://www.yourchildlearns.com/south_america_map.htm interactive map of South America interactive map of South Americahttp://www.pbs.org/journeyintoamazonia/life.htmlhttp://www.pbs.org/journeyintoamazonia/life.html jaguar and bat info jaguar and bat infohttp://www.rain-tree.com/images.htmhttp://www.rain-tree.com/images.htm layers of the forest pic layers of the forest pichttp://Maps.comhttp://Maps.com map world map map world maphttp://Mapquest.comhttp://Mapquest.com North America map North America maphttp://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/kids/hh/goplaces/article/0,28376,642482,00.htmlhttp://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/kids/hh/goplaces/article/0,28376,642482,00.html Brazil map Brazil maphttp://www.ai.mit.edu/lab/olympics/98/images/jaguar.jpghttp://www.ai.mit.edu/lab/olympics/98/images/jaguar.jpg jaguar pic jaguar pichttp://www.earthsbirthday.org/explore/kids/photoshowlermonkey.htmhttp://www.earthsbirthday.org/explore/kids/photoshowlermonkey.htm howler monkey pic howler monkey pichttp://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/resources/laurie_vitt/Iguana.jpg/view.htmlhttp://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/resources/laurie_vitt/Iguana.jpg/view.html iguana pic iguana picMagic Tree House Research Guide to the Rain ForestMagic Tree House Research Guide to the Rain Forest, by Will Osborne and Mary Pope Osborne, by Will Osborne and Mary Pope OsborneRain ForestRain Forest, DK Eye Wonder, DK Eye Wonderhttp://www.readwritethink.org/materials/postcardhttp://www.readwritethink.org/materials/postcard assignment- postcard assignment- postcard

Sound Clips and MoviesSound Clips and Movies

http://www.pawsonline.info/feline_sounds.htmhttp://www.pawsonline.info/feline_sounds.htm ocelot sound wav ocelot sound wavhttp://www.feebleminds-gifs.com/graphics-sitemap.htmlhttp://www.feebleminds-gifs.com/graphics-sitemap.html spider and frog animation spider and frog animationhttp://home.att.net/~kittycatfurballssounds/misc.htmlhttp://home.att.net/~kittycatfurballssounds/misc.html anteater sound wav anteater sound wavhttp://www.partnersinrhyme.com/soundfx/watersounds.shtmlhttp://www.partnersinrhyme.com/soundfx/watersounds.shtml rain, water, wind sound wav rain, water, wind sound wavhttp://www.peregrinefund.org/whats_hevideo.asphttp://www.peregrinefund.org/whats_hevideo.asp harpy eagle video harpy eagle videohttp://www.worldwildlife.org/wildplaces/amazon/sounds.cfmhttp://www.worldwildlife.org/wildplaces/amazon/sounds.cfm frog wav frog wavhttp://www.naturesongs.com/http://www.naturesongs.com/ keel-bill toucan sound clip - copyrighted keel-bill toucan sound clip - copyrighted

Home

Rain Forest Vocabulary (definitions provided by http://wordcentral.com/)burrow- a hole or tunnel in the ground made by a rabbit, fox, or similar animal for habitation and refuge. Back to page 15

continent- one of the great divisions of land (as North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, or Antarctica) on the globe Back to page 2

decomposing- to break down through chemical change : rot Back to page 15

dense- marked by closeness or crowding together of parts ( dense forest ) Back to page 7

Equator- an imaginary circle around the middle of the earth equally distant from the north pole and the south pole Back to page 7

herbivore- a plant-eating animal Back to page 16

nocturnal- active at night Back to page 15

Oxygen- the air we breathe Back to page 7

Pounce- to swoop down on and seize something Back to page 14

Predators- an animal that lives by killing and eating other animals Back to page 14

Rodent- any of an order of fairly small mammals (as mice, rats, or beavers) that have sharp front teeth used for gnawing Back to page 6

talons- the claws of an animal and especially of a bird of prey Back to page 10

toxic- poisonous Back to page 14