RAIN FOREST TEACHING 
                           CURRICULUM 
              
              
              
              
              
                                                       
           Copyright © 2002, Rain Bird Corporation. This content is also available online at www.rainbird.com 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                                                                                         RAIN FOREST TEACHING CURRICULUM 
                                                                                                                     Table of Contents                                                                                                                 TABLE OF CONTENTS 
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                                     Welcome to Rain Bird’s Rain Forest Teaching Curriculum!.......1 
                                     The Rain Forest: An Introduction..................................................3 
                                     Grades K-5 Activities Overview.....................................................4 
                                     Grades K-1 Activities At a Glance.................................................5 
                                                Grades K-1 Science Through Art Activity: Rain Forest Mobile....................................... 6 
                                                Grades K-1 Interactive Science Activity: Seed Germination........................................ 10 
                                                Grades K-1 Outdoor Activity: Leaf Hunt....................................................................... 13 
                                                Grades K-1 In-Class Demonstration: Rainbow............................................................ 14 
                                     Grades 1-2 Activities At a Glance................................................15 
                                                Grades 1-2 Science Through Art Activity: Leaf and Flower Prints............................... 16 
                                                Grades 1-2 Interactive Science Activity: Environmental Conditions and 
                                                                      Germination of Radish Seedlings.................................................................... 17 
                                                Grades 1-2 Outdoor Activity: Attracting Hummingbirds................................................ 20 
                                                Grades 1-2 In-Class Demonstration: Light Absorption................................................. 21 
                                     Grades 2-3 Activities At a Glance................................................22 
                                                Grades 2-3 Science Through Art Activity: Flower Construction................................... 23 
                                                Grades 2-3 Interactive Science Activity: Making an Elastic Material............................ 26 
                                                Grades 2-3 Outdoor Activity: Flower Hunt and Dissection........................................... 28 
                                                Grades 2-3 In-Class Demonstration: Reflection of Light.............................................. 29 
                                     Grades 3-4 Activities At a Glance................................................31 
                                                Grades 3-4 Science Through Art Activity: Making a Sachet Jar .................................. 32 
                                                Grades 3-4 Interactive Science Activity: Roots Grown From Different Parts of the 
                                                                      Same Plant..................................................................................................... 34 
                                                Grades 3-4 Outdoor Activity: Drying Flower Petals for Use in a Sachet...................... 36 
                                                Grades 3-4 In-Class Demonstration: Cloud in a Bottle................................................ 37 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                                                                                         RAIN FOREST TEACHING CURRICULUM 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       TABLE OF CONTENTS 
                                     Grades 4-5 Activities At a Glance................................................38 
                                                Grades 4-5 Science Through Art Activity: Crystal Flower Garden............................... 39 
                                                Grades 4-5 Interactive Science Activity: Light Affects the Growth of Plants ................ 40 
                                                Grades 4-5 Outdoor Activity: Ultraviolet (UV) Light...................................................... 42 
                                                Grades 4-5 In-Class Demonstration: Magnetic Fields and Bees ................................. 44 
                                     Grades 6-8 Activities Overview....................................................46 
                                     Grade 6 Activities At a Glance.....................................................47 
                                                Grade 6 Activity: Using Plants as a Natural Source of Dyes........................................ 48 
                                                Grade 6 Activity: Making Rain...................................................................................... 52 
                                                Grade 6 Activity: The Impact of a Raindrop on Soil..................................................... 54 
                                                Grade 6 Demonstration: Energy in the Rain Forest..................................................... 55 
                                     Grade 7 Activities At a Glance.....................................................59 
                                                Grade 7 Activity: Determining the Gas Released by Germinating Seeds.................... 60 
                                                Grade 7 Activity: Culturing and Studying Molds........................................................... 62 
                                                Grade 7 Activity: Making a Smoke Print of Leaves to Study External Morphology 
                                                                      Characteristics................................................................................................ 64 
                                                Grade 7 Demonstration: The Colors in White Light ..................................................... 66 
                                     Grade 8 Activities At a Glance.....................................................69 
                                                Grade 8 Activity: Growing Pollen Tubes, Pollen Examination Under the 
                                                                      Microscope...................................................................................................... 70 
                                                Grade 8 Activity: DNA Extraction from Strawberries and Bananas.............................. 72 
                                                Grade 8 Activity: Making a Fish Print to Study External Morphology 
                                                                      Characteristics................................................................................................ 74 
                                                Grade 8 Demonstration: Buoyant Forces and Stratification in Rain Forest Lakes....... 76 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                                                                                         RAIN FOREST TEACHING CURRICULUM 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       TABLE OF CONTENTS 
                                     Grades 9-12 Activities At a Glance..............................................80 
                                     Grades 9-12 Activities Overview – Part I: The Rain Forest 
                                                       and Weather........................................................................... 81 
                                                Grades 9-12 Activity: Transpiration in Plants............................................................... 82 
                                                Grades 9-12 Activity: Filtering Mechanisms in Nature ................................................. 84 
                                                Grades 9-12 Activity: Raisins and Carbon Dioxide...................................................... 86 
                                                Grades 9-12 Demonstration: Soda Float..................................................................... 88 
                                     Grades 9-12 Activities Overview – Part 2: Light in the Rain 
                                                       Forest..................................................................................... 89 
                                                Grades 9-12 Activity: Ultraviolet Radiation................................................................... 90 
                                                Grades 9-12 Activity: Interference of Light................................................................... 92 
                                                Grades 9-12 Activity: Structural Versus Pigment Color................................................ 94 
                                                Grades 9-12 Demonstration: Sun Balls........................................................................ 97 
                                     Grades 9-12 Activities Overview – Part 3: Ecology and 
                                                       Diversity................................................................................. 99 
                                                Grades 9-12 Activity: Leaf Litter Ecosystem.............................................................. 100 
                                                Grades 9-12 Activity: Plant Pigment Chromatography and the Absorption 
                                                                      Spectrum for Chlorophyll .............................................................................. 102 
                                                Grades 9-12 Activity: Extracting DNA from Wheat Germ........................................... 109 
                                                Grades 9-12 Demonstration: Light and Diversity....................................................... 111 
                                     Grades 9-12 Activities Overview – Part 4: The Rain Forest 
                                                       as an Economical Resource..............................................113 
                                                Grades 9-12 Activity: What is an Antioxidant?........................................................... 114 
                                                Grades 9-12 Activity: Natural Antibiotics.................................................................... 116 
                                                Grades 9-12 Activity: Chemical Indicators from Plants.............................................. 119 
                                                Grades 9-12 Demonstration: Products from the Rain Forest..................................... 122