The original project was designed for 3rd – 5th grade students. Therefore, I had to make modifications for my bi-lingual special education class. 1) Activities were modified to meet each student’s level. 2) Since the students’ proficiency in English is limited, their written responses were done in Spanish. 3) After researching their favorite animals, the students performed a role-playing activity. Each student pretended to be his or her favorite animal. 4) Students also used this research information to write letters to humans from the perspective of their favorite animals.

Instructional Objectives

1) Students watched the video, "The Magic School Bus in the Rainforest" to learn more about the rain forest. You can access this video via PowerMediaPlus.com, if you are a member.

2) Students accessed BBC Bitesize to learn about common features of rainforest areas and how they work as an ecosystem.

3) The class visited the Rainforest Alliance website to read the Spanish version of Brothers of the Rainforest.

1) Students were assessed through observation of their work and verbal contributions.

2) Informal assessment was conducted as the students visited "BBC Bitesize."

3) Students had to demonstrate they had an understanding of the different elements of their rain forest in their final products.

1) The rainforests are full of different kinds of trees, flowers, and animals that do not live in anywhere else in the world. All students should have the opportunity to learn about the wonders of the rain forest.

2) If you are teaching bilingual students, you may want to visit the Rainforest Alliance website to read the Spanish version of Brothers of the Rainforest and other stories.

Student Work Samples

Click on each thumbnail to see a full-screen version.