Activity 1A

The Real Rainforests

Learner Objectives

After completing this activity, learners should be able to:

• Describe the location of tropical and temperate rainforests.
• Describe the differences between tropical and temperate rainforests.
• Compare and contrast local forests with tropical and temperate rainforests.
• Access information about tropical and temperate rainforests, using a variety of sources.
• Record, organize, and synthesize information.
• Collect and record data, displaying it in the appropriate format.

Preparation

Prepare overheads 1A.1-1A.4. Make a photocopy of Activity Sheet 1A.1 for each person.

If possible, arrange to do the second part of this activity at a forest or woodlot. The area doesn't need to be large-a few acres will be sufficient. Arrange for students to have access to materials such as field guides and local natural resource information (see appendices). Students may also need to complete the activity sheet in the library or computer with Internet access.

Doing the Activity

Part I: Overview. Use overheads 1A.1-1A.4, as well as information from the chapter background, to introduce students to tropical rainforests, temperate rainforests, and other U.S. forests.

After your overview is completed, students should be able to answer the following questions correctly:

• Does the United States have any tropical rainforests? (No.)
• Does the United States have any temperate rainforests? (Yes.)
• Where are the temperate rainforests in North America found? (Along the Pacific Coast.)
• Name some forests other than temperate rainforests found in the United States. (Maple forests, pine forests, etc.-descriptions will vary.)
• Where are the world's tropical rainforests? (In Latin America, including Brazil, Guyana, Suriname, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, and Costa Rica; in Asia, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea, Thailand, and India; and in Africa, including the Congo and Ivory Coast.) (See Appendix C for a complete listing of tropical countries.)

Part II: Collecting and Finding Information. If possible, complete this section in a forest or woodlot.

Divide into teams of two. Hand out copies of Activity Sheet 1A.1. Have each team review the information about tropical and temperate rainforests (on the sheet), then use observations (if at forest) and other materials to complete the activity sheet. Give students library or computer time to complete their sheets.

Materials that can be used to complete the sheets include:

• Field guides (trees, insects, birds, mammals, etc.);
  
  
• Computer with Internet access;
  
  
• Local weather information (charts, web site, almanac, etc.);
  
  
• Local books about forestry (your state department of natural resources, state Extension Service, or local USDA Forest Service office may have information).
  
  

You may wish to introduce or review the concept of biological diversity with your group members before they complete their sheets. Biological diversity is the genetic and biological wealth of a given area. To determine an area's biologically diversity, scientists measure:

• the number of living things in an area;
  
  
• the amount of kinds (species) of living things in an area;
  
  
• the variation in genes in the living things in an area; and
  
  
• the physical structure of the area.
  
  

A tropical rainforest would be rated as very high in biological diversity. A temperate rainforest would also be high in biologically diversity, although generally not as high as the tropical rainforest. A forest found elsewhere in the United States would generally be less biologically diverse than either type of rainforest.

Give students examples of areas that differ greatly in biological diversity. A parking lot, for example, would be rated extremely low. A forest meadow would be much higher. City parks, farm fields, and backyards fall somewhere in between. They will be investigating this concept in greater depth in Chapter Two. The Extension at the end of this activity also will help you introduce biological diversity to students.

After activity sheets are completed, ask students these critical-thinking questions:

• Why do tropical rainforests contain so many different types of animals and plants? (Generally, because of the sustained ideal climate and availability of moisture.)
  
  
• What would help local forests grow more plants - more rain or more growing days? (Both would help. In some areas, such as Arizona, more rain would produce more plants. In northern Minnesota, more growing days would probably be more beneficial than more rain.)
  
  
• Why don't trees in the tropical rain-forests lose their leaves in the fall? (There really isn't an autumn in the tropics. Because of the sun's angle, all the days contain about the same amount of sunlight.)
  
  

If you discussed biological diversity, ask students to name an area that is probably low in biological diversity. (Parking lot, agricultural field, lawn.) Why is it low? (Many reasons. It could be due to lack of structure for organisms. Or it might be treated with pesticides to remove insects and other organisms. Generally, sites low in biological diversity lack food and cover.)

Evaluating Results

Did students participate in the questions and answers in each section? Did they understand the basic differences between tropical and temperate rainforests? Can they describe how these forests differ from the ones in their region? Collect activity sheets and assess for: accessing, collecting, and recording information. Are their sheets complete? Did they find the correct data?

Extension

Extend the understanding of biological diversity among students with a hands-on experience. Collect leaf litter from a forest or wooded area. Give teams hand lenses and insect field guides. Ask them to sort macro invertebrates found in the leaf litter, grouping the same species, or kinds, together. How many different kinds of macro invertebrates did they find? Would they expect to find more or less from a very old, dense forest? From a young plantation with one or two main tree types?