READING ENRICHMENT UNIT

Rainforests/The Great Kapok Tree

October 10-14
Book Intro: This will be used for the read aloud on day one of the unit.
This book talk will lend itself to instruction and activities for the
remainder of the week.
The Teacher will read aloud, The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry.
The teacher will use the book to lead into discussions about the
characteristics of rainforests, saying, The Kapok tree is found in the
Amazon rain forest. Before we look at the book, let's talk about rain
forests. What do we already know about rain forests? Where is the
Amazon Rain Forest located and what is it like? Show where the
Amazon rain forest is on a map. Ask where other rain forests might
be.
Lesson: Segment 1 Main Idea
Standard(s):
CCGPS

1. ELAGSE4RI2: Determine the main idea of a

text and explain how it is supported by key
details; summarize the text.
2. ELAGSE4RI3: Explain events, procedures,
ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific,
or technical text, including what happened
and why, based on specific information in
the text.

Standard(s): AASL

1. 1.1.6 Read, view, and listen for information

presented in any format (e.g., textual,
visual, media, digital) in order to make
inferences and gather meaning.

Objective(s)

1. Students will determine the main idea of

assigned passages.

Essential Question

1. How will I determine the main idea of the

passage?
2. How does recognizing and understanding
the main idea help me comprehend the
authors purpose?

Materials

Instructional
Strategy

Multiple copies of The Great Kapok Tree

by Lynne Cherry
Promethean Board
Computers for students to complete activity
on Class Notebook
1. Ask students what a main idea is. They
should respond that main ideas are the
most important ideas in a text. Tell students
that they can't really understand a book
unless they understand the main ideas.
During the lesson, students will find the
main ideas in the different parts of this
book. Later, they will determine the main
idea of the whole book.
2. Students will create Who? What? Why?
Boxes to determine the main idea on each
page of The Great Kapok Tree.
3. As a class, complete one of the boxes on
the board together. I want to retell the main
idea of this page. I am going to reread it
asking myself, "What is the most important
information?" What kind of questions can I
ask myself? I can ask myself who did or said
what and why. See example below:
WHO?
two men
entered the
rain forest

Assessments

WHAT?
one
pointed to
the Kapok
tree

WHY?
They were going
to chop down the
tree.

1. Have the students get into groups of three

and start a new document in class
notebook. When they have completed one
box for each page they must share the
document with the teacher.
2. Once they have submitted the boxes for
their group, each student must complete
one Who? What? Why? box for the entire
book and share the document with the
teacher.

Reflection

After everyone has submitted their responses.

The class will discuss what they thought was the
main idea of the story, allowing for agreements
and disagreements.

Lesson: Segment 2 Food Chains/Food Webs

Standard(s):
CCGPS

Standard(s): AASL

Objective(s)

1. S4L1. Students will describe the roles of

organisms and the flow of energy within an
ecosystem.
Identify the roles of producers,
consumers, and decomposers in a
community.
Demonstrate the flow of energy through
a food web/food chain beginning with
sunlight and including producers,
consumers, and decomposers.
Predict how changes in the environment
would affect a community (ecosystem) of
organisms.
Predict effects on a population if some of
the plants or animals in the community
are scarce or if there are too many.
1. 3.1.1 Conclude an inquiry based research
process by sharing new understandings and
reflecting on the learning.
2. 3.1.4 Use technology and other information
tools to organize and display knowledge and
understanding in ways that others can view,
use, and assess.
1. Students will be able to describe the role of
producers and consumers in a food web or
chain and construct a model to show how
energy flows from producers and
consumers.

Essential Question

1. What are the roles of the producers,

consumers, and
decomposers in an
ecosystem?

Materials

Instructional
Strategy

Multiple copies of The Great Kapok Tree

by Lynne Cherry
Computer Access

1. Students will begin by watching a Brainpop

Video on food webs and food chains.
2. As a class, have the students brainstorm
some of the animals that were mentioned in
the reading of The Great Kapok Tree from
the previous day. On the board, categorize
each animal as a producer, consumer, or
decomposer.
3. Discuss these animals brainstorm the food
webs and food chains that they may be a
part of. Could any of them be in the same
food web or food chain?
4. Using this website, have students create
their own food chains or food webs.
Students may work with a partner or work
alone, depending on their need for
assistance with content or technology.

Assessments

Reflection

1. As students complete their food chains,

have them screenshot, cut & paste, and
save them to a word document in class
notebook (Make sure a name is added).
Share these with Mrs. Phillips for a grade.
Have students post a note on the door as they
leave briefly describing the role of either a
producer or consumer in a food chain.

Lesson: Segment 3 Animal Adaptations and Survival

Standard(s):
CCGPS

Standard(s): AASL

1. S4L2. Students will identify factors that

affect the survival or extinction of
organisms such as adaptation, variation of
behaviors (hibernation), and external
features (camouflage and protection).
Identify external features of
organisms that allow them to survive
or reproduce better than organisms
that do not have these features (for
example: camouflage, use of
hibernation, protection, etc.).
Identify factors that may have led to
the extinction of some organisms.
1. 3.1.1 Conclude an inquiry based research
process by sharing new understandings and
reflecting on the learning.
2. 3.1.2 Participate and collaborate as
members of a social and intellectual
network of learners.

3. 3.1.3 Use writing and speaking skills to

communicate new understandings
effectively.
Objective(s)

Essential Question

Materials

1. Students will identify the ways that

hibernation, camouflage, and adaptation
can help an animal or plant survive better
than animals that do not have these
features.
2. Students will predict how changes in an
environment will affect a community of
organisms.
1. How does a scarcity or abundance of plants
and animals affect an ecosystem?
2. What causes plant and animal species to
become endangered and extinct?

Instructional
Strategy

Multiple copies of The Great Kapok Tree

by Lynne Cherry
Computer Access

1. Teacher will read The Great Kapok Tree

by Lynne
Cherry. Before reading, the teacher will
encourage the students to look for
examples of camouflage, mimicry, and
other adaptations.
2. Explain that the students will be choosing
one of the animals from the story to create
a photo story presentation about. The
students will have to do research on the
internet and with other books found in the
Media Center.

Assessments

1. Students will present their photo story

presentation to the class.

Reflection

Have students write a paragraph describing what

they learned about their animal throughout the
creation process.