Family Literacy Backpacks
Family fun and learning are promoted through take-home, theme-focused backpacks. Ideas for materials and activities which can be included in these great backpacks are provided.
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English/Language Arts Academic Standards
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- Reading Comprehension
- Writing Process
Family Activities
- Family Fun Ideas
- Rain Forest Animal Spreadsheet:
- As you learn and gather information about the animals, keep track of it on a spreadsheet. For example: By animal kingdoms, sizes, layer of rain forest it is found in, and is it endangered.
- Visit a Zoo! Keep track of which animals would be found in a rain forest.
- Keep a journal:
- As you go through this backpack, keep a journal about what you've learned.
- Rain Forest (Magazine) Book Activities
- Make your own magazine for children about the rain forest.
- Discuss what new information you've learned.
- Design and color a poster about the importance of saving the rain forests.
- Green Mansions Book Activities
- Build your own terrarium.
- Discuss the importance of how ecosystems work.
- Afternoon on the Amazon Book Activities
- Discussion - after viewing, the monkey in the story did not talk. What if he did? Write what he would say to Jack and Annie or play a game of pantomime.
- Chapter 8 is titled "Vampire Bats". Read more information about Vampire Bats. Get the real scoop about them.
- What if Annie and Jack couldn't find their way home. Write a new ending to the story.
- Song of La Selva Book Activities
- Keep a journal on all the different animals the strawberry poison frog meets. (Find 5 facts about each animal).
- La Selva means "The Jungle" in Spanish. Learn how to count or say the ABC's in Spanish.
- Bromeliads are huge plants that grow in the rain forest. Create one out of paper and a cardboard tube.
- Rainforest Wildlife Book Activities
- List all the countries in the world, where a rain forest might be found. (An atlas will help you).
- Compare and contrast the different rain forests. Keep a spreadsheet on them.
- Pick out one of the rain forest animals featured in this book and do a report on it. How about doing it on the word processor?
- Fern Gully Video Activities
- Draw a picture of what you think your home would look like if you lived in Fern Gully.
- Find out more about Batty's problem. Why is it so important for Bats to be able to locate their food. Investigate echolocation.
- Why do you think Zuk changes his mind? Discuss it.
- If you could say something to the evil Hexxus, what would it be? Act it out.
- Rain Forest Deluxe (CD-ROM) Activities
- Family Fun! Take turns doing the different activities on the program.
- Discuss amongst yourselves why you chose the path that you took.
- What new information did you learn? Share what you've learned.
Books to Include |
- Afternoon on the Amazon
- by Mary Pope Osborne - Ages 6-9
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- Green Mansions
- by W.H. Hudson - Ages: Adult
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- Kids Discover Magazine: Rain Forest
- Ages - 8-Adult
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- Rain Forest Wildlife
- by Antonia Cunningham - Ages: 8-12
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- Song of La Selva
- A Story of Costa Rican Rain Forest - by Joan Banks - Ages: 8-12
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Web Sites for Fun |
- Amazon Interactive
- http://www.eduweb.com/amazon.html
Explore the geography, rainforest and people of the Ecuadorian Amazon through online games and activities.
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- Play Amazon Explorer
- http://www.pbs.org/journeyintoamazonia/explorer.html
This is a fun way to study facts about the Amazon forest. Once finished with the game, explore the other links for more information.
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- Welcome to the Rainforest
- http://rain-tree.com/
Raintree's extensive website on the Amazon Rainforest features 100's of pages and pictures and facts on rainforest plants, preservation and destruction.
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List of Additional Resources |
| Videos |
- Fern Gully: The Last Rain Forest
- rated G - by 20th Century Fox - Ages: everyone
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| Computer Software |
- A Field Trip to the Rain Forest Deluxe
- (Mac-CD-Rom) Ages: 8-12
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Resource Link
If you are thinking of creating a literacy backpack for rainforest,
here are suggested resources you can include in your backpack: rainforest resources.
Workshop Offerings
Visit our BTLC Partner Web Site!
The Buddy Teaching and Learning Center site, www.btlc.org, is the place to find and register for quality professional development and technology training opportunities offered by the team of Buddy facilitators who are all experienced Indiana teachers and administrators.
