What's New

Rainforest Alliance Kicks Off Web-Based Curriculum to Connect Children to Conservation

September 9, 2003

Just in time for back to school, the Rainforest Alliance is pleased to announce the launch of the Rainforest Alliance Learning Site, a brand new, Web-based environmental curriculum designed to teach children science fundamentals by way of introducing them to the Rainforest Alliance's current on-the-ground conservation projects. Kindergarten through sixth-grade teachers across the country can log onto the Rainforest Alliance Learning Site at www.rainforest-alliance.org for complete lesson plans, stories, presentations and background descriptions of species and projects. Additional supplemental material, such as children's books and essays on tropical forests will also be available through the Rainforest Alliance. All information is provided free of charge.

"By connecting children to our conservation projects, it helps them to understand their role in protecting natural resources," says program coordinator Julianne Schrader. "What makes this program unique is that it teaches science, math, language arts and social studies essentials while addressing the National Standards for Science. Addressing standards is key as it allows educators to use the Rainforest Alliance Education Program to meet their curricular demands." The curriculum presents information on forests, wildlife and local communities, and provides a global perspective on the importance of protecting the world's natural resources, while giving students opportunities for direct action.

Through this education program, students will explore five of the Rainforest Alliance's ongoing conservation initiatives in Latin America. For example, kindergarteners will come to understand more about the connection between rainforests and their supermarket as they learn about Colombia's Cachalú Biological Reserve. The jaguars, manatees, howler monkeys and loggerhead turtles that inhabit the mystical Maya forests of Belize are sure to intrigue first graders. In second grade, children will compare the rich culture of the indigenous Yanomami with settlers seeking a better life in the Amazon. Third and fourth grade students will learn how chocolate is helping to protect forests in Ecuador. And, fifth and sixth graders will study the connection between coffee and the migratory songbirds that visit their own backyards each spring.

All of these units were developed by team of teachers with years of curriculum development and classroom experience, as well as graduate degrees in education. The team piloted the materials in their own classrooms in Spring 2002. Support for the development and distribution of these education tools was provided by the Arthur K. Watson Charitable Trust, AT&T, Universal Studios, the Puffin Foundation, the Perrin Family Foundation, the American Conservation Association and the Independence Community Foundation.

Go to the Learning Site now.
Find out how you can support the meaningful projects of the Rainforest Alliance.

For more information contact: Fawn Stehlin at fstehlin@ra.org. (212) 677-1900.