The Great Kapok Tree Literacy Unit – Earth Day Rainforest Activities

Description

Celebrate Earth Day with The Great Kapok Tree. Students learn vocabulary, sequence events, organize facts, write persuasively, and complete a mini research project.

Students learn vocabulary, sequence events, organize facts, write persuasive pieces, and complete a mini research project in this unit. Learn about the rainforest and endangered species, too! Great for Earth Day.

The Great Kapok Tree, by Lynn Cherry, is a beautiful story about life in the rainforest and the importance of conserving this resource. The following materials are part of this interdisciplinary unit to help students learn about the rainforest and appreciate the story and its message.

• 15 word wall words
• Event cards for predicting, sequencing, and retelling (in color and black-and-white)
• Graphic organizer for recording the animals’ reasons
• Four open-ended question sheet
• Short rainforest information article
• Rainforest sketch sheet: visualize the rainforest
• Rainforest Animals Jigsaw: directions, four short articles, graphic organizer to record research, and minibook product
• Persuasive writing piece: graphic organizer: pros and cons, planner to organizer persuasive piece, publishing paper
• Project Idea: Reader’s Theater: directions, voice cards for intonation and expression, bulletin board letters: “The Great Kapok Tree” and “Earth Day”