Rainforest Biodiversity

CONCEPTUAL

Science›Rainforests|Ages 9—11|ID: mt_pPGaf8bR8r

Understand that rainforests are biodiversity hotspots — covering just 6% of Earth's land surface but containing over 50% of all known plant and animal species — and that this extraordinary richness makes them irreplaceable for global biodiversity and a priority for conservation

Mastery Evidence

State that rainforests cover about 6% of Earth's land but hold over 50% of all species
Explain why this concentration of species makes rainforests a conservation priority
Give specific examples of rainforest biodiversity, such as one hectare containing more tree species than all of northern Europe

Assessment Prompt

“Can [child] explain the mind-boggling fact that rainforests cover only a tiny fraction of Earth but are home to more than half of all species — and why that makes protecting them so important?”

Prerequisites2

The Amazon Rainforest
softAges 7—9
Classifying Rainforest Organisms
hardAges 7—9

Show full prerequisite tree

The Amazon Rainforest soft
The Amazon as a specific example grounds the abstract concept of biodiversity hotspots
- Where Rainforests Are hard
  Must know where rainforests are globally before zooming into the Amazon specifically
  - What Is a Rainforest? hard
    Must know what a rainforest is before learning where they are located
- Tropical Rainforest Climate soft
  Understanding tropical climate deepens understanding of why the Amazon is so productive
  - Where Rainforests Are hard
    Location near Equator explains why the climate is tropical
    - What Is a Rainforest? hard
      Must know what a rainforest is before learning where they are located
  - What Is a Rainforest? hard
    Must know what a rainforest is before understanding its tropical climate in detail
  - Geography & Local Weather soft
    Understanding world weather patterns helps understand tropical climate (Weather 7-9 -> Rainforests 7-9)
    - Seasons & Weather Patterns hard
      Understanding global weather differences requires knowing seasons
      - Seasonal changes soft
        Seasons/weather patterns parallels curriculum four seasons topic
        
        Days, Weeks, Months & Years soft
        Observing and describing seasonal changes requires basic date and time vocabulary (months, seasons, year)
        
        Ordering Events in Time hard
        Understanding days/months/years builds on sequencing events chronologically
      - Types of Weather soft
        Seasons benefit from weather vocabulary
    - Types of Weather hard
      Comparing world weather requires weather vocabulary
Classifying Rainforest Organisms hard
Understanding classification helps appreciate the scale of biodiversity
- Rainforest Plants hard
  Must know rainforest plants before classifying them
  - Rainforest Layers hard
    Plants taught in context of layers (epiphytes in canopy, lianas climbing trunks)
    - What Is a Rainforest? hard
      Must know what a rainforest is before learning its four layers
- Rainforest Animals hard
  Must know rainforest animals before classifying them into groups
  - Rainforest Layers hard
    Animals are taught in context of which layer they inhabit
    - What Is a Rainforest? hard
      Must know what a rainforest is before learning its four layers

Unlocks1

Deforestation Causes & Scale
hardAges 9—11