Kindergarten Curriculum: Colombia
Come explore the mystical oak forests of the Cachalú Biological Reserve nestled high in the tropical Colombian Andes.
Called the "Land of Heaven" by conservationists, Cachalú lies in a critically endangered environment that is highly valued by scientists for its wealth of unique species. With help from Fundación Natura, the Rainforest Alliance's partner group in Colombia, kindergarteners will learn about this special place, its interesting inhabitants and the connection between the rainforests and their supermarkets.
Lessons
Lesson 1: My Forest or the Rainforest?
Key Concept: There are many differences and similarities between the flora and fauna of temperate forests and tropical rainforests. Rainforests provide certain environmental conditions that allow particular plants and animals to thrive.
Essential Question: How can two places so far away and different, also share similarities?
Lesson 2: How Far Away is a Tropical Rainforest?
Key Concept: The rainforest in Rio Negro, Colombia is about 3000 miles from New York City (as a crow flies). It would take 8 days to travel from New York City to Rio Negro, Colombia in a school bus that is driving 55 mph, 7 hours a day (a full day of school). (Numbers will change according to students' geographical residence.)
Essential Question: How long will it take to drive to from your home to the rainforest in Rio Negro, Colombia?
Lesson 3: Biodiversity
Key Concept: Rainforests are comprised of an extraordinary diversity of plants and animals. Diversity of life is an essential ingredient for healthy ecosystems.
Essential Question: Which is more diverse, a tropical rainforest or a temperate forest? How much more?
Lesson 4: The Long Road to Coffee
Key Concept: Coffee goes through much processing during its transformation from a plant in Colombia to a beverage in New York.
Essential Question: How can kids help adults understand where their coffee comes from?
Teacher Summary
Teacher summary is available here [PDF].
About Our Curricula
The Rainforest Alliance curricula are unique in that it teaches language arts, math, science, social studies and the arts while addressing the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English language arts and mathematics, and the Next Generation Science Standards.
- Learn more about how our curricula adhere to these standards.
- Learn more about the terms and conditions of using our curriculum.