Information for Teachers
Curriculum links
Australian Science Standards
SS01.1 The biosphere is a dynamic system providing conditions that sustain life on Earth
SS01.3 Sustainable patterns of living rely on the interdependence of healthy social, economic and ecological systems
SS01.4 World views recognise the dependence of living things on healthy ecosystems, and value diversity and social justice
New Zealand Science Achievement Objectives
LW: The key structural features and functions to the life processes of plants and animals
LW: The impact of natural events and human actions on an ecosystem
Helpful websites
You may want to direct your students to some or all of these websites to help with their investigations.
Students may want to learn more about the Amazon River. They can do a search by naming this river and adding a topic like Amazon River+location, Amazon River+climate, Amazon River+rainforest+animals
Other search topics could be Amazon River+threats or Amazon River+threats+conservation
https://www.worldwildlife.org/places/amazon
https://globalforestatlas.yale.edu/region/amazon
Congo River Basin
https://www.worldwildlife.org/places/congo-basin
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2008/jun/17/forests.conservation
Kapuas River Rainforest, Indonesia
https://www.britannica.com/place/Kapuas-River
http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/where_we_work/borneo_forests/borneo_deforestation/
How to search the internet
1 Keep your request short
Fewer words will give a more accurate search.
2 Choose exactly what you want
For example: Arctic Circle Climate
3 Use quotes
Double quotes around a set of words tell the search engine to consider those exact words in that exact order without any change. For example: “Arctic Circle Climate”
4 Use the plus sign (+)
If you add a plus sign (+) between words, the internet will search for all the words. For example: migrate+birds+whales+mammal
5 Use the minus sign (–) to say what you don’t want
Use a minus sign (–) to show words you do not want to appear in your results. For example: if you search for burrowing animals and do not want mammals in your search, –mammals will exclude mammals. Note that you need to put a space before the minus sign for the word to be excluded.
6 Be very clear about what you don’t want
Part 1
Ask questions and make predictions
After reading Saving the Amazon River, you may have many questions about rivers that support large rainforests and the location of the world’s other major rainforests.
List your questions.
- Compare your list with questions that others have.
- Choose a question you would like to investigate.
- You can work alone, with a partner or in a small group.
You may want to choose one or more of these questions to investigate
Q1. Why are freshwater rivers important to the planet?
Q2. What are the particular features of rainforests?
Q3. What do rainforests support?
Q4. What is being done by groups to save rainforests?
Go to Part 2 Plan and investigate →Part 2
Plan and investigate
Do searches in the internet or in books or talk to people who can help to find the information you are looking for.
Your teacher may suggest suitable websites for further information.
Go to Part 3 Record and analyse data →Part 3
Record and analyse data
Find a way of recording your information that will allow you to see any patterns in the data.
Data Chart for Saving the Amazon River
Download Chart
Go to Part 4 Evaluate the information →
Part 4
Evaluate the information
1. Look over the information you have gathered and the patterns you have found.
Why is this river and its rainforest important?
2. Search for more patterns after investigating other rainforests.
What are the particular features of rainforests?
What do rainforests support?
What is being done by groups to save rainforests?
3. Makes notes about what you find.
Go to Part 5 Communicate and share ideas →Part 5
Communicate and share ideas
Look over all of the information that you have gathered in your investigation.
What are the most important ideas about tropical rainforests?
Make a chart showing the most important ideas.
Download Chart
Download Chart
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