Allen, Classroom Activities for On the Banks of the Amazon, 1

Classroom Activities
for
On the Banks of the Amazon by Nancy Kelly Allen
Classroom Activities

Facilitate whole class participating in shared reading and discussion of

On the Banks of the Amazon. Read aloud the story. Ask the
following open-ended questions:
1. What did you learn from the story?
2. Who do you believe should read this story? Why?
3. Which animal or plant interested you the most? Why?
4. What are your responsibilities in caring for animals and plants?
Explain your answer.
5. If you could be any animal, what animal would you chose to be? Why
would you want to be that animal? How would you act? What would
you do? Describe a day in the life of that animal.
6. What are animal habitats? Why is it important to protect animal
habitats?

Assign selected words from the story that are grade-level appropriate.
Assign two words to pairs of students. Ask students to create flash
cards that explain and illustrate what each word means. Use flash
cards to create a “rainforest” word wall.

Assign student partners to complete the chart below. Refer to the

book and other resources. (List 8 animals)

Identify as Identify an activity Describe or

draw a
Rainforest animal of that animal picture of
animal
________________________________________________________
_____
Pink dolphin Swims slowly (Picture or
description)
 Allen, Classroom Activities for On the Banks of the Amazon, 2

Inform students that they have an opportunity to demonstrate what

they have learned about rainforests through a performance or activity.
1. Talk show host-Interview the animals or the two hunters
2. Act out the activities of a particular animal and let other students
guess the animal that is portrayed.
3. Create a rainforest postcard. Design one side of the postcard with an
illustration/picture of the place. Write a message about the rainforest
on the opposite side. Place all the postcards in a box so students can
look at the cards as time permits.
4. Create a greeting card in the shape of a caiman. Write a message on
the card. (Directions and materials list are attached)
5. Make animal masks of animals in story. Students wear mask and act
out the behavior of the animal. Photograph students wearing masks
and display pictures on wall.
6. Make a rainstick. Students use the rainsticks to create the sound of
rain in a rainforest. Rainstick Materials:
• A paper towel tube or wrapping paper tube
• Aluminum foil
• Small dried beans, unpopped popcorn, or dry rice.
• Crayons or markers
• Construction paper
• Glue
• Scissors

Decorate the tube using crayons or markers. Cut two aluminum foil
sheets that are twice as long at the tube. Crush one sheet of foil into a
long rope and twist the rope around your finger to make a coil. Keep
twisting until the entire foil rope is a coil. Repeat with the second
sheet. Place the two coils into the tube. Spread the foil so that it
reaches from end-to-end in the tube. Cut a circle larger than the end
of the tube to use as a cover for one end of the rainstick. Glue the
circle over the end of the tube so the material will not come out when
the rainstick is shaken. Pour one cup of dried beans, unpopped corn
or dried rice into the open end of the tube. Use more or less beans,
depending on the sound you want. Cover the open end of the tube
with a circle of construction paper and glue into place. Shake!
Shake! Shake!
 Allen, Classroom Activities for On the Banks of the Amazon, 3

7. Each student will cut out a shape of a rainforest animal or plant.

Student will write a poem or riddle on the shape, color it and attach to
a green string to make a rainforest vine. Hang vines in classroom to
create a rainforest.
8. Make an A to Z class book, On the Banks of the ________________.
(Use name of creek or river near school, rather than Amazon. Also,
use plants and animals associated with the selected creek or river).
Each student will write and illustrate one page of the book, each
student using a different letter of the alphabet. Bind the book together
to keep in the classroom.
9. Students will make animal books, with each book consisting of three
sheets of white construction paper, folded in half and stapled into
book form. Each student will select a rainforest animal from one of
the following categories: Animals with Shells, Animals with Feathers,
Animals with Fur, Animals with Scales. On the front cover, the
student will write a title for the book and the student’s name as the
author of the book, along with a picture of the animal in the rainforest.
Each page inside the book will contain other animals of the same
category, such as Animals with Shells. Different types of animals
with shells will be drawn, one per page, in their habitats. Either below
or above the illustration, the student will write information about the
animal. In upper grades, students will incorporate more information
than those of lower grades. Kindergarten and first grade students may
draw the animals and the teacher/aide write a statement about the
animal as dictated by the student or just write the name of the animal.
10.Each student in class will draw on a sheet of white paper one
rainforest animal in its habitat. Select an animal from the following
categories: Animals That Hop, Animals That Run, Animals That
Walk, Animals That Swim and Animals That Fly. Students will draw
the animals in action and write a description of the animal and its
movements on the same page. Older students may use reference
books to research their selected animals. Bind the pages into a
classroom book and display the book in the classroom for students to
read when time permits.
11.Each student will select an animal whose physical attributes would
make the student's life easier. Students will draw a picture of
themselves exercising their new ability and write a sentence.
Example: If I could fly like a parrot, I wouldn’t need to ride the bus to
school. Older students will write a paragraph or a short story
 Allen, Classroom Activities for On the Banks of the Amazon, 4

comparing physical attributes and abilities of animals to people. This

is a good exercise for adding details and expanding a thought.

12. Students will write sentence pyramids to form poems. Use animals
that live in a rainforest.

I saw a parrot.

I saw a squawking parrot.

I saw a squawking parrot flying.

I saw a squawking parrot flying to a tree.

I saw a squawking parrot flying to a kapok tree.

I saw a squawking parrot flying to a kapok tree in the rainforest.

13.Assign each student a letter of the alphabet. Assign all letters. The
letter “x” may have to be omitted. Students will research rainforest
animals whose names begin with their assigned letters of the
alphabet. The student who receives the letter “P” may choose to
research parrots or piranhas. Students will record interesting facts
on the bottom of a sheet of paper and will illustrate the animal in
the upper section. Arrange papers in alphabetical order and bind
into a classroom book.

14.Each student will receive a sheet of construction paper cut into an

oval shape. Beginning on the outer edge, students will cut a one-
inch “snake” by cutting in a circular pattern to the center of the
sheet. Students will write interesting facts on the “snake” and hand
it by its “head” on the wall so the body of the snake will curve
downward.
 Allen, Classroom Activities for On the Banks of the Amazon, 5

Core Content

RD-04-2.0.7
Students will make inferences or draw conclusions based on what is
read.

RD-04-3.0.1
Students will explain a character’s or speaker’s actions based on a
passage.

RD-04-4.0.1
Students will connect information from a passage to students’ lives
(text-to-self), real world issues (text-to-world) or other texts (text-to-
text - e.g., novel, short story, song, film, website, etc.).

RD-04-5.0.2
Students will identify literary devices such as foreshadowing, imagery
or figurative language ( similes, metaphors, and personification).

WR-04-1.1.2
In Personal Expressive Writing,
• Students will communicate the significance of the writer’s life
experience by narrating about life events or relationships.
• Students will apply the characteristics of the selected form (e.g.,
personal narrative, personal memoir).
• Students will create a point of view.
Students will sustain a suitable tone or appropriate voice.

SC-EP-4.6.1 Students will describe basic relationships of plants and

animals in an ecosystem (food chains).

Plants make their own food. All animals depend on plants. Some
animals eat plants for food. Other animals eat animals that eat the
plants. Basic relationships and connections between organisms in
food chains can be used to discover patterns within ecosystems.

SC-EP-4.7.1 Students will describe the cause and effect relationships

existing between organisms and their environments.
 Allen, Classroom Activities for On the Banks of the Amazon, 6

The world has many different environments. Organisms require an

environment in which their needs can be met. When the environment
changes some plants and animals survive and reproduce and others die
or move to new locations.

SS-05-4.4.3
Students will describe how individuals/groups may have different
perspectives about the use of land (e.g., farming, industrial,
residential, recreational).

AH-05-4.3.2
Students will improvise to tell stories that show action and have a
clear beginning, middle, and end. (Literary elements)

AH-05-4.4.2
Students will use a variety of media and art processes to produce two-
dimensional (2-D) and three-dimensional (3-D) artwork.

AH-05-4.2.1
Students will create patterns of movement incorporating the elements
of dance (space, time and force).
 Allen, Classroom Activities for On the Banks of the Amazon, 7

Rainstick

Rainsticks are ceremonial musical instruments used to invoke the rain

spirits.

Supplies needed:

• A paper towel tube or other long cardboard tube

• Aluminum foil
• Small dried beans (like lentils), unpopped popcorn, dry rice, or tiny pasta.
• Brown paper (from a grocery bag) or construction paper
• Glue
• Scissors

• Crayons or markers

Trace around the end of your tube onto a

piece of brown paper (or construction
paper).
Draw a bigger circle around that circle
and then draw a lot of spokes between
the two circles.

Cut along the spokes.

Put glue on the spokes and glue the cap onto

one end of your tube.
 Allen, Classroom Activities for On the Banks of the Amazon, 8

Cut a piece of aluminum foil that is

about one and half times the length of
your tube and about 6 inches wide.

Crunch the aluminum foil into two long,

thin, snake-like shapes.
Then twist each one into a spring shape.

Put the aluminum foil springs into your tube.

Pour some dry beans, dry rice, or unpopped
popcorn into your tube. The tube should only
be about 1/10 full. You can experiment to see
how different amounts and different types of
seeds and beans change the sound.

Make another cap from brown paper (the same

as the first three steps) and cap your tube.
Allen, Classroom Activities for On the Banks of the Amazon, 9

Optional: Decorate the tube by

covering it with brown paper or
construction paper, and then making
designs with crayons or markers (or
cut-out paper or stickers).
Rainforest designs are nice, especially
brightly-colored butterflies, frogs, and
flowers. Tiny construction paper
butterflies (like the one on the right)
are nice glued onto the rainstick.
 Allen, Classroom Activities for On the Banks of the Amazon, 10

Caiman Craft or Card

This caiman can be used as a card. It is made
from a single piece of green construction paper
(or white paper that you decorate).

Supplies needed:

• A piece of green (or white) paper

• Pencil
• Scissors

• Crayons (optional)

Fold a piece of green paper

the long way.

Draw a caiman shape on one side

of the paper. Draw a long snout,
two legs, and a long tail; the fold
line will be the alligator's back.
Cut about 6 small diagonal slits
along the back of the caiman
(along the fold line).
Unfold the
paper. Fold over
each of the slits
you cut,
forming little
triangles.
Allen, Classroom Activities for On the Banks of the Amazon, 11

Draw or cut out a big, toothy mouth,

add an eye, and write a message on
the caiman.
 Allen, Classroom Activities for On the Banks of the Amazon, 12

Rainforest Liana Vine Decorative

String
Make a rainforest liana vine to decorate a room. Add leaves, flowers,
butterflies, caterpillars, snakes, lizards, sloths, and other life to the vine.
You can drape the colorful string around the classroom, from the ceiling,
or over the windows.

Liana is a woody, climbing vine that grows on tree trunks in order to reach
sunlight in the rainforest. Rattan, used for making wicker furniture, is
made from liana vines.
n

Supplies needed:
• Construction paper (many colors)
• Crayons or markers
• Scissors
• Glue, tape, or staples

• A long piece of green or brown yarn or string

Draw a leaf on a piece of construction

paper. Make sure to draw a thick stem
on the top (your leaf will hang from
this stem, which will be folded over).

Cut out the leaf. Draw the leaf veins if

you wish.
Fold the leaf's stem in half.
Attach the leaf to a long string using
tape, glue, or staples. Make more
leaves and attach them to the string.
 Allen, Classroom Activities for On the Banks of the Amazon, 13

Make flowers, butterflies,

caterpillars, snakes, and other animals
for the vine (if you're really
adventurous, try caimans and sloths).
A nice way to attach butterflies to the
vine is by taping (or stapling) a V-
shaped pipe cleaner to the butterfly's
head (as its antennae), and then
twisting the pipe cleaner to attach it
to the vine.
Draw details on your flowers and
animals, and attach them to the string
(using tape, glue, staples or pipe
cleaners).

Hang your rainforest vine across the room for a colorful

rainforest decoration.