Lesson 3

The significance of rainforests

Even though rainforests only make up 6% of the world's surface, they are absolutely vital for our survival. The environment, animals and humans all rely on rainforests. Find out why.

In this lesson you will:

le Earth and the built-in mapping tools to locate and label features along the Southern Illawarra Coom.

You will need:

Compur, Google Earthgle Classroom

The rainforest provides for the environment

True or false?

Without trees we wouldn't have enough rain.

Without trees we wouldn't have enough oxygen.

Without trees the planet would have too much carbon dioxide.

Click on the picture to take the test and find out!

Trees provide rain

Click the image to find out more

'How Do Trees Transport Water ?'(2 min)

Rainforests store water like a huge sponge. In fact, it is believed that the Amazonian forests alone store over half of the Earth's rainwater! Rainforest trees draw water from the forest floor and release it back in to the atmosphere in the form of rainclouds.

Without rainforests, droughts would become more common.
Watch this video to see trees making clouds as water leaves the leaves!

Trees provide oxygen

Click the image to find out more

'Photosynthesis' (3.41 min)

70% of the oxygen in the atmosphere comes from ocean-living plants, but the trees rainforests also play a vital role in producing oxygen for the planet.

Plants make oxygen when they 'photosynthesise'. They use the sun's energy to split carbon dioxide and water to make sugar. Oxygen is also produced in this reaction.

Trees absorb Carbon Dioxide

Click the image to find out more:

Scroll down and watch the animation called
'A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF EARTH'S CO2' (3.10 min)

Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to build their tissues, releasing oxygen in the process. As they grow, they draw carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and turn it into wood, stems and leaves.

The rainforest provides for animals

Tarsier

Orang Utan

Hornbill

Bornean rainforest animal poster

Choose one the animals pictured above or you can choose your own rainforest animal from Borneo
Using a blank piece of paper or a google slide or google doc, draw or insert a picture of your animal at the centre of the page
Create 3 bubbles around the animal. Leave enough space for a heading and a sentence.
Choose your own headings for the 3 bubbles, based on things in the rainforest that the animal needs. For example, you headings might be: trees, water, fruit
Inside each bubble, write why the animal needs these things.
Create one more bubble and change the colour to make it look different. Give this one the following heading: Why are they important.
Research something that makes this animal helpful to other plants or animals in the rainforest. For example, they might help the trees by spreading seeds or pollen.

The rainforest provides for people

Rainforest medicines can save lives!

Many of the medicines that we use today come from rainforests. This includes medications to treat: inflammation, arthritis, diabetes, muscle tension, malaria, heart conditions, skin diseases and even some cancers.

Food from rainforests

Click through the pictures that show foods we get from rainforest plants. Make sure you can identify them and remember them for the find a word!

Click on the find a word to play

Rainforest treasure hunt

Using the 'Products that come from rainforests' worksheet, explore your house and try to locate the rainforests products. If you find one, tick it on the list.

You may be surprised how many everyday things in our house come from rainforests. Imagine what it would be like without them!

Products that come from rainforests

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