Picture Found Here

Story and Pictures by: Jeannie Baker

Grade Level: 2-3

Lesson Ideas by: Sabrina Brinkmeier and Leanne Rakestraw

Summary of the book:

In this story, a young boy and his father venture to a place not many people have visited, a tropical rainforest.  The boy's imagination takes him on a journey of what might have been a hundred million years ago as he explores the rainforest.  He loves daydreaming in the rainforest about past creatures that might have been there before him.  He can't help but wonder what the future holds for the forest.  

About the Author:

Jeannie Baker was born in England and now lives in Australia.  She is an author, artist, and film maker.  She is most famous for her "collage constructions", which often are put on display.  For more information, visit Jeannie Baker's website.

Pre-Reading Activities

             Make fossils using a mold kit (can be purchased at an arts/crafts store).

          Show pictures of the rainforest.                                                                 

            Cut rainforest pictures out of science magazines and make collages.                   

            Have students find three facts about the rainforest while exploring a website.

                        *Enchanted Learning

                        *Kratt's Creatures                                                                        

During Reading Activities

          Read the book the first time through and have students draw pictures of the hidden images.

               Go back over the book and point out the hidden images.                            

Post Reading Activities

            Talk about the rainforest (layers, animals, plants, importance, depletion).  Here are some websites for help:

                                *Animal Search

                                * Rain                                                                                                     

            Make dioramas using shoe boxes                                                     

Make your room into a rainforest - Ideas for your classroom

            Teacher constructs trees for two different walls

            Collaborate with the art teacher to create other parts of the rainforest (paper mache parrots or other birds to hang

                            from the ceiling.

            Incorporate science and discuss the types of animals that are in the rainforest and have students make

                            masterpieces (draw) of different animals to hang on the walls.                        

            Make the other wall a word wall and put different vocabulary words on giant leaves.

            Get the students environmentally involved by purchasing an acre of the rainforest ($40)

                                *open up the classroom for exploration (change fifty cents per person)

                      * also collect any donations

                                                                                            Found Here

Other Pictures Found Here   

Sound Found Here                           

Student-based assessment for Rain Forest Activities