Features of the Amazon rainforest
You can use geographical and scientific vocabulary to describe key features of the rainforest.
Features of the Amazon rainforest
You can use geographical and scientific vocabulary to describe key features of the rainforest.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- The rainforest is a type of environment or biome, with a distinctive climate and ecosystem.
- The rainforest has four very different layers: forest floor, understory, canopy and emergent.
- The rainforest is a very important ecosystem and provides a habitat for millions of plant and animals, including humans.
- Different sources of information can be used to investigate the location and features of rainforests.
Keywords
Tropical rainforest - Tropical rainforests are areas of dense forest found close to the Equator where it is warm and there are high levels of rainfall.
Climate - Climate is an average of weather conditions (e.g. rain, sun, wind) in a place taken over a long period of time (usually 30 years or more).
Biodiversity - Biodiversity means all the living things in an ecosystem or area.
Common misconception
Pupils think that our knowledge about the Amazon rainforest comes only from research.
Point out that Indigenous peoples have been living in the rainforest for thousands of years and have a lot of knowledge about it.
To help you plan your year 5 geography lesson on: Features of the Amazon rainforest, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 5 geography lesson on: Features of the Amazon rainforest, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 2 geography lessons from the South America: why does the Amazon matter? unit, dive into the full secondary geography curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Licence
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
Exit quiz
6 Questions
made up of the very tallest trees in the rainforest
most biodiverse layer of the rainforest
made up of smaller trees and shrubs
where most dead rainforest plants and animals decompose
a natural environment and all of the living things in it
the particular place where species live
the variety of living things in a particular area
region with similar climate, landscapes, plants and animals