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This Brazilian Rainforest Diorama is a fun and creative way for KS2 children to find out more about an important biome with a range of interest biodiversity for them to research and discover.
A biome is a 3 dimensional model of a scene. Creating a biome gives children the opportunity to research the characteristics, flora and fauna of a Brazilian rainforest.
Resources
- Computers or tablets for research
- Shoe boxes
- Coloured sugar paper and/ or construction paper
- Glue/ glue ticks/ sticky tape
- Other possible materials include cardboard tubes, foam sheets and feathers
To begin with the children can use a computer or tablet to research the Brazilian rainforest by answering the following questions:
1. Where is Brazil? and what are the key characteristics of a Brazilian rainforest?
2. Describe the layers of a rainforest and the types of flora and fauna in each of the layers?
3. Find out about 3 animals that live in the Brazilian Rainforest. Where do they live? what do they eat? how do they behave?
Some useful websites for fact finding include:
Rainforest Alliance – Kids Corner
The information discovered can be written or printed onto coloured paper to stick onto the lid of the shoe box and display next to the diorama giving further information about a Brazilian rainforest. Our helper used arrow shaped pieces of paper to give further information about each of the layers of the rainforest.
A title for the Diorama can also be created using colouring pens.
Now comes the creative part! Children need to think about how they are going to create a 3D model using the materials provided.
Our helper created her diorama by lining the shoe box with coloured paper then cutting out different shaped and coloured leaves. She also used half of a cardboard tube coloured with pencil to create a tree trunk. Rainforest animals were drawn using pencils and created using cut out coloured paper before sticking in place.
The tangled vines of the canopy were created using strips of foam. The fern like plants of the under storey were made by cutting into the leaves and then sticking them on at an angle from the bottom of the shoe box. A folded piece of green paper was used to create a 3D effect for the canopy and emergent layer.
Classroom Displays
Rainforest research and learning can be used to create a larger classroom display. We love this Rainforest display by Farmborough Church Primary school which features rainforest collages made from cardboard and natural materials. A big thank you to them for sharing with us!
Learning Outcomes
National Curriculum 2014 Geography
Key Stage 2: human and physical geography
Pupils should be taught to describe and understand key aspects of physical geography, including: climate zones, biomes and vegetation belts, rivers, mountains, volcanoes and earthquakes, and the water cycle.
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