Janalee Caldwell is a research ecologist working in Brazil. Learn more about her life and work by viewing the video and exploring the CD-ROM. Five activities in this kit include: Nutty Investigations, Frogs Up Close and Personal, Build a Tree, Rain Forest in Your Room, and Life in a Nutshell. Students test nuts for properties of hardness and fat content in Nutty Investigations. Observation and investigation play a major role in the students work in Frogs Up Close and Personal as they learn about protective coloration. Groups of students build a rain forest tree in Build a Tree. However, in Rain Forest in your Room, students learn that trees are only one part of the rain forest. Students make models of living things to add diversity to the forest. Finally, Life in a Nutshell allows students to play a game to see what happens to creatures of a Brazilian nutshell community.
Instructional Materials
This kit includes a video, CD-ROM, and activity book. In addition a kit containing non-consumable materials to implement the five activities is available. This portion of the kit includes: (7) soup cans, (2100) washers, (14) model frogs, (7) dice, (7) Life in a Nutshell Board Games, (7sets) chance cards, and (7 sets) critter game pieces. The kit must be returned in the condition in which it was received. If not, the replacement cost is $59.00. Special note: Mixed nuts in their shells are needed for activity #1. The nuts needed are: Brazil, filbert, pecan, almond, peanut, and walnut. Some of these may be hard to find depending on the time of year. You may want to buy mixed nuts during the holiday season in December and freeze them for later use.
Illinois State Goals & Learning Standards
01A. Apply word analysis and vocabulary skills to comprehend selections.
01C. Comprehend a broad range of reading materials.
03A. Use correct grammar, spelling, puctuation, capitalization and structure.
03C. Communicate ideas in writing to accomplish a variety of purposes.
04A. Listen effectively in formal and informal situations.
04B. Speak effectively using language appropriate to the situation and audience.
05C. Apply acquired information, concepts and ideas to communicate in a variety of formats.
10A. Organize, describe and make predictions from existing data
11A. Know and apply the concepts, principles and processes of scientific inquiry
11B. Know and apply the concepts, principles and processes of technological design
12A. Know and apply concepts that explain how living things function, adapt and change
12B. Know and apply concepts that describe how living things interact with each other and with their environment
