A "curriculum on wheels": Roll
the Rolling Rainforest to your school!
Conceived and developed by Discovery Creek Children's Museum, the
Rolling Rainforest
is truly the first of its kind - a state-of-the-art
mobile exhibition that provides immersion program opportunities for children
to learn about their impact on the world's ecosystems. But, more importantly,
the
Rolling Rainforest provides the Museum's educators and school teachers
with a backdrop for creating environmental education opportunities that are
hands-on, inquiry-based, and require critical thinking.
Rolling Rainforest Mission
The
Rolling Rainforest's objective is to bring engaging, enriching,
and innovative educational opportunities to children in their own schoolyard.
By virtue of its mobility, the exhibition can connect to students' lives in
a way that an off-site field trip cannot. Discovery Creek's professional educators become a part of the school's faculty for the length of the
Rolling
Rainforest's visit. This enables the Museum to address the direct needs
of the students, teachers, administrators, and parents as the
Rolling Rainforest
is immersed in the culture of the school.
Overview of Rolling Rainforest Programs
Teachers may choose one or a combination of the following programs:
I.
Global Getaway (PreK - 6th grade)
10-15 minutes, depending on the number of students at the school
This introductory tour is offered to all students, teachers, and administrators
at the school. It typically takes place on the first day of the
Rolling
Rainforest's visit. Sharpening all the senses, this eco-adventure introduces
"travelers" to the lush tropical wilds of the rainforest and prepares them for
examination of their own ecosystem. The tour includes an overview of many
everyday products that come from the rainforest.
II.
Scientific Investigations (Recommended for 3rd - 6th grade)
2 1/2 hours
Students take on the roles of scientists participating in an expedition to the rainforest.
They check the health of a section of forest and monitor the effect of environmental pressures,
such as nearby deforestation. Students break into small teams representing four areas of science:
ichthyology, entomology, soil science, and water quality. They compare their experimental data to that
collected from a hypothetical expedition that took place ten years earlier. At the conclusion, the teams present
their findings to their classmates.
III.
Staying Alive: Predators and Prey (Recommended for 2nd - 4th grade)
2 1/2 hours
Through a variety of group activities, students learn about the different animals and plants that live in a tropical rainforest.
They examine the interaction between these unique species and the essential roles that each plays. As students become pieces of
the rainforest web of life, they fully grasp the concept of interconnectedness in nature. Students realize that they, as humans,
are also an important part of this delicate web.
IV.
Mission: Migration (Recommended for 5th - 6th grade)
2 1/2 hours
Tropical rainforests are winter homes to migratory birds that travel between the United
States and the tropics each year. With a bird's-eye view, students investigate their schoolyard habitat and that of the
rainforest, searching for food, water, and shelter - the basic needs for survival. They end the lesson with an understanding
of why migration is necessary for so many different animals.
V.
The Mundo Maya (Recommended for 4th - 6th grade)
2 1/2 hours
Students explore and investigate the rainforest from the perspective of the ancient Maya people, whose
civilization thrived in the neotropical rainforests of Central America thousands of years ago.
Students learn about the traditional number system and the rich cultural history of the Maya,
including their deep connection to the rainforest landscape that surrounded them. This investigation challenges students to
find out if they could survive in the wilds of the rainforest, encouraging them to take a few tips from the Maya along the way.
How does the Rolling Rainforest program work?
When the
Rolling Rainforest travels to schools and communities, visitors
enjoy an experience beyond any other. At the schools, Museum educators work with
elementary-grade teachers and students to provide 2 1/2-hour programs. Teachers
may select from a variety of programs that cover subjects such as biodiversity,
people and culture, migration, and scientific expeditions. Pre- and post-visit activities are also provided by Discovery Creek.
What are goals of the project?
The goals of the
Rolling Rainforest are:
- to introduce students to the rainforest ecosystem and its importance globally and locally;
- to explore students' connections to the rainforest and the ways they affect it; and
- to use the rainforest as a springboard for exploring their own environment.
General Information
- The
Rolling Rainforest is a tropical rainforest exhibition with associated
programs housed in a tractor-trailer that is 53-feet long, 8 1/2-feet wide, and
13 1/2-feet high. When the entrance stairs are in use, the width increases to 17
feet.
- While visiting your school, the
Rolling Rainforest will be made available
to the entire school for 15-minute Global Getaway tours and for up to eight
2nd-6th grade classes for 2 1/2-hour programs.
Truck Logistics
- The
Rolling Rainforest is generally on campus for one week. Shorter
visits may be arranged depending on school size and budget. For a one-week visit,
the truck will arrive early Monday morning and depart Friday by 5 pm.
- The
Rolling Rainforest must be positioned in a site that ensures
easy access and maneuverability for the driver, as well as limited disturbance
for the students. We make every effort to park the truck in your preferred spot,
but the final location of the truck is at the discretion of the driver and Museum
staff. Overnight security for the trailer will be provided by the Museum; however,
all efforts on the part of school faculty and staff to protect the trailer from
vandalism are much appreciated.
- To ensure safety, advise students not to play near the trailer. No one should
climb the front or rear stairs unless engaged in a
Rolling Rainforest
program.
Classroom and Scheduling Logistics
For Global Getaway programming, a schedule for each class's timed entry to the
Rolling Rainforest should be created using a Global Getaway scheduling
worksheet, which will be sent to your school in advance of the exhibition's
visit. It is at the school's discretion as to which classes visit during which
time slots. Classes should be escorted to the trailer at their appointed time.
Scientific Investigations, Staying Alive: Predators and Prey, The Mundo Maya, and Mission: Migration programs
require a 2 1/2-hour uninterrupted block of time.
During a one-week school visit, up to eight of these programs may be scheduled. Each program group may not have more than
28 students.
The
Rolling Rainforest Manager will work with your school's schedule
to customize a
Rolling Rainforest visit that best meets your needs.
The
Rolling Rainforest Manager will provide you with schedules, a contract,
and pre-activities before the
Rolling Rainforest arrives at your school.
Additional Information
- Any other visitation besides school staff, teachers and students must be approved
by the
Rolling Rainforest Manager.
- Each school may plan an Open House, which welcomes all children, adults, and
friends of the school's community to visit the
Rolling Rainforest.
We recommend that this event be scheduled towards the end of the
Rolling
Rainforest visit. The date of the Open House must be pre-approved by the
Rolling Rainforest Manager.
- Any printed material promoting the
Rolling Rainforest must be submitted
in advance to the
Rolling Rainforest Manager for approval. The
Rolling
Rainforest Manager must also be informed of any press-related events.
How do I book the Rolling Rainforest to come to my school?
Contact our
Rolling Rainforest Manager by calling
(202) 337-5111
or
send an e-mail
to schedule your own
Rolling Rainforest experience!
