Life Science

• As a result of activities in grades K-4, all students should develop an understanding of organisms and environments.
• As a result of activities in grades 5-8, all students should develop an understanding of populations and ecosystems.
• As a result of activities in grades 5-8, all students should develop an understanding of diversity and adaptations of organisms.

Source:National Science Education Standards

Design a layered book that adds a dimensional perspective to habitats. Find how different animals and plants coexist in different ways with one area. As students turn each page, they realize that ecosystems are more than meets the eye.

Figure A

Figure B

Figure C

Figure D

Supplies Used: Construction Paper, Double-Sided Tape, Glue, Page Protectors, Plastic Rings, Scissors, Stickers

The teacher will die-cut the materials for student use prior to the lesson.

The Report

1. Use five page protectors and plastic rings or a 3-ring binder to create this 3-D Rain Forest.
2. Using contrasting colored paper for labels, print or type the four layers of the Rain Forest; e.g. The Forest Floor, The Understory, The Canopy and The Emergent Layer.

The Forest Floor

1. Die-cut the SM Ant, the SM Scorpion and the DC Border, Grass from multiple colors of construction paper. To layer, leave one shape whole and cut highlights from other colors.
2. Adhere the decorated die-cuts to the bottom inside of a page protector to create "The Forest Floor" (Figure A).

The Understory

1. Die-cut the LG Palm Tree, SM Grass Patch, SM Layered Flowers or other flowers from multiple colors of construction paper. Decorate and layer.
2. Attach the decorated die-cuts to the bottom inside of "The Understory" page protector.
3. Adhere tiny stickers of bugs or other insects to the die-cuts (Figure B).

The Canopy

1. Die-cut the LG Bare Tree, SM Clouds, SM Hummingbird and SM Monkey #1 from multiple colors of construction paper.
2. Decorate and layer the die-cuts as desired.
3. Adhere the decorated die-cuts to the bottom inside of "The Canopy" Page Protector.
4. Adhere stickers as desired (Figure C).

The Emergent Layer

1. Die-cut the XL Bare Tree using tan or brown paper.
2. Die-cut the LG and SM Clouds from shades of green construction paper to form the tree top.
3. Attach the die-cuts to the bottom inside of "The Emergent Layer" page protector (Figure D).
4. Tape or glue the label "The Emergent Layer" to the upper inside of the last page protector, "The Emergent Layer." Continue with the remaining three labels working from back to front and adhering each one just under the last one so they will all be visible and not overlap when the completed Rain Forest is viewed (see Main Photo).

Back Cover

1. Place a blue sheet of paper inside the fifth page protector.
2. Place the student report or a typed synopsis of the four layers inside the fifth page protector, behind the blue paper facing to the back so it can be referenced.
3. Either place three plastic rings in the page protectors to bind the Rain Forest together, or insert in a 3-ring binder.
4. Any combination of decorative dies may be used to complete this project (see Main Photo).