3-5 Years (Early Years Foundation Stage)

Quest 1: "Down in the Rainforest" Rhyme & Discussion

Topic Heading "Down in the Rainforest" Rhyme and Discussion
To gain an understanding of the nature of a rainforest and to understand in
Task:
simple terms the issues of deforestation and conservation.
Time: 20-30 minutes
Materials: • Model of a tree stood in a pot (made from a roll of paper with slits cut
into the top then pulled out and opened up)
• A toy construction machine.
• A small table, rug or mat.
• A storysack/box containing soft toys or stick puppets made from the
templates listed below:

(Templates can be downloaded from the online quest page)

1. Jaguar
2. Blue and Yellow Macaw
3. Black Howler Monkey
4. Blue Orchid Bee
5. Giant Anteater
6. Strawberry, Golden and Green and Black Poison Dart Frogs
7. Hairy-nosed Bat
8. Striped Coral Pipesnake

• "Down In The Rainforest" rhyme (see below)

Process:
Group size: Small Group/Whole Class
The children are sat in a circle and the teacher explains to them that they are going to become explorers in
the rainforest. The teacher talks briefly with the children about woodlands which they may have visited and
what they have seen there. Using this as a context the teacher then describes in simple terms the location of
the rainforests and the similarities and differences between these and the woodland environment with which
the children may already be familiar.

The teacher then introduces the chorus of the "Down in the Rainforest" rhyme to the children . They repeat it
so that they will be able to join in with the refrain when the rhyme is recited.

The teacher has a large Storysack or box containing a model of a tree, a toy machine and soft toys/stick
puppets produced from the templates below to represent all the creatures mentioned in the rhyme. Each
object is taken out of the sack as the rhyme progresses and placed on a nearby table or small mat in the
centre of the circle. The children are encouraged to join in with the appropriate animal noises at the end of
each verse. During the last verse the tree will be cut down by a machine, then each animal returned to the
sack as the rhyme reaches its conclusion.

The teacher now begins a discussion with the children about the story. Has the story made them feel happy
or sad? Do they think that it is a good thing that the rainforests are being chopped down? Explain in simple
terms why this is happening, i.e:
 • Trees are being cut down to make furniture.
• Land is being cleared for grazing cattle to make beef products such as burgers.
• Animals are being hunted for their horns, fur, skins or tusks.
• Animals such as snakes, chimps and parrots are being hunted to be sold as pets.

The teacher then asks the children what they think they can do to help. Some suggestions might be:

• Find out more about the rainforest through the rainforest quests.
• Try not to use too much paper.
• Recycle paper and card.
• Ask our parents and carers to give help to the people who live in the rainforest so that they can look
after the trees and animals for the future.

Down in the Rainforest

Chorus: CHORUS CHORUS

Down in the Rainforest,
1,2,3, Uh-Oh – bees! Uh-Oh – a snake!
We are the explorers, Blue perfumed orchid bees! A stripy coral pipesnake!
What can we see? Buzzing around the brazil nut Slithering downwards to hide in his
flowers, burrow,
Uh-Oh – trees! To make more seeds and trees. But leaving his tail poking out!
A giant canopy of trees! (Buzz, buzz) (Hiss, hiss)
Stretching high into the sky,
And making air to breathe. CHORUS CHORUS
(Deep breaths in and out)
Uh-Oh – an anteater! Oh No! Machines!
CHORUS A giant long-nosed anteater! Men with big machines!
Sniffing and scooping up the ants, Slashing and burning down the
Uh-Oh – a jaguar! And scoffing them greedily. trees,
A spotty, furry jaguar! (Sniff, sniff) No more food or air to breathe...
Hunting for his breakfast,
Crouching in the trees. CHORUS No more jaguars!
(Growl, growl) No more macaws!
Uh-Oh – frogs! No more monkeys!
CHORUS Poison-dart frogs! No more bees!
Strawberry, Golden, Green and No more anteaters!
Uh-Oh – a macaw! Black, No more frogs!
A blue and yellow macaw! In a star-lit canopy. No more bats!
With figs and nuts in his hooked bill, (Croak, croak) No more snakes!
Swooping through the air.
(Caw, caw) CHORUS Down in the Rainforest,
1,2,3,
CHORUS We are the explorers…..
Uh-Oh – bats!
But there’s nothing left to see!
Hairy-nosed bats!
Uh-Oh – a monkey! Listening with big ears in the night,
A big black Howler Monkey! To catch ants and spiders for tea!
Hanging upside down, (High- pitched click, click,click)
And eating fruits and leaves.
(Howl, howl)
 3-5 Years (Early Years Foundation Stage)

Quest 2: Rainforest Animal Chain of Sounds

Topic Heading: Rainforest Animal Chain of Sounds
To name some of the creatures of the rainforest and to make a chain of
Task: sound incorporating their calls which can be used as a soundtrack in the
Rainforest Role Play area.
Time: 30 minutes
Materials: The storysack/box containing the collection of soft toys/stick puppets used to
illustrate the rhyme in Rainforest Quest 1
A long stick or ruler
A recording facility
A small mat or rug

Process:
Group size: Small Group or Whole Class
The children are sat in a circle on the carpet. The teacher explains that they will be producing a soundtrack
of rainforest animal noises to be played in the Rainforest Role Play area. The teacher withdraws the
creatures from the storysack/box one by one, revisiting their names and sounds with the children. As each
creature is introduced it is placed in a line on the mat in the middle of the circle. When all the creatures have
been introduced to the line, the teacher uses a long stick to point to each animal in turn. The children make
the associated noises, thus creating a “chain of sound”. The children are then challenged to hold the stick
and make the chain of sound individually with the rest of the class as audience. Group or individual chains
may be recorded as desired.

Product:
The children will produce a recording of a chain of rainforest animal noises to be used as a soundtrack in the
Rainforest Role Play area.

Other Activities:

 Play 'Guess the Rainforest Sound' using rainforest audio clips from
www.rainforestSOS.org/schools/free-resources/rainforest-multimedia/rainforest-sounds
 Listen to and learn the pop song 'Breathe', written by Australian singer Luc Floreani -
www.rainforestSOSorg/schools/free-resources/rainforest-multimedia/music
 3-5 Years (Early Years Foundation Stage)

Quest 3: “Down in the Rainforest” Musical Composition

Topic Heading: "Down in the Rainforest" musical composition
To compose a piece of music based on the "Down in the Rainforest" rhyme
Task:
to be used in the Rainforest Role Play area.
Time: 30 minutes
Materials: • The storysack/box containing the collection of soft toys/stick puppets used
to illustrate the rhyme in Rainforest Quest 1
• A long stick or ruler
• A recording facility
• A small mat or rug A copy of the "Down in the Rainforest" rhyme used in
Quest 1
 A box containing 6 different types of percussion instrument, enough
for 1 for each child in the group
 A small mat/rug
 A recording facility
 Soft toys/stick puppets as used in Quests 1 + 2

Process:
Group Size: Whole class
The children are sat in a circle with a small mat or rug laid out in the centre. The teacher explains to the
children that they will be composing their own piece of music based on the sounds of rainforest creatures.
Their recording will be played in the Rainforest Role Play Area which they will be helping to create.
The teacher takes 1 of each type of instrument out of the box at a time, naming it with the children and
demonstrating its sound before placing it on the mat in the centre of the circle. Now the teacher explains to
the children that they will be matching the sounds of the instruments to the sounds made by the rainforest
creatures. Ground rules are laid down for the use of the instruments – when a child collects an instrument
from the mat they are to lay it down on the carpet in the space in front of them and are not to touch it until the
teacher asks them to play:
"If you play before I say,
You will find I take it away!"
The teacher also establishes an agreed stop signal such as a raised palm.
The teacher will have chosen 5 verses of the "Down in the Rainforest" rhyme giving 5 different animal
sounds with which to work. The children begin by chanting the chorus of the rhyme with the teacher. The
teacher then reads the first verse of the rhyme to the children whilst withdrawing the tree from the storysack.
The group is asked to think about which instrument best matches the sound of the air blowing through the
leaves of the tree. The teacher then chooses an individual child to come and play the instrument which they
feel best matches this sound. If the rest of the class agree with the choice that has been made, the child
returns to their place in the circle, placing the instrument down on the floor in front of them. The teacher
proceeds in this way through the next five verses which have been selected until all 6 instruments have been
chosen. The teacher now distributes the rest of the instruments so that there are 6 groups of matching
instruments around the circle. The corresponding soft toy/puppet is laid down in front of each group as a
visual reminder for teacher and children.
The teacher explains that the children will first have a practice turn at playing their instruments at just the
right time. The teacher reads through the rhyme and at the end of each verse points to the relevant group of
children to pick up and play their instruments, stopping and putting them down again on the teachers signal.
At the end of the last “machines” verse of the rhyme all the children will play their instruments together. They
will put their instruments down to chant the end of the rhyme with the teacher. One child is then chosen to
play a single suitably loud beat right at the end of the rhyme.
The class now repeat the whole process again to make their 'best' performance. If possible there should be
at least one member of staff other than the teacher who can provide an audience for the 'performance' which
is recorded for use in the role play area.

Product:
The children will have produced a recorded performance of their own composition entitled “Down in the
Rainforest” to be used in the Rainforest Role Play Area.

Other Activities:
• Play 'Guess the Rainforest Sound' using rainforest audio clips from
http://schools.rainforestsos.org/free-resources/rainforest-multimedia/rainforest-sounds

• Listen to and learn the pop song 'Breathe', written by Australian singer Luc Floreani -
http://schools.rainforestsos.org/free-resources/rainforest-multimedia/music
 3-5 Years (Early Years Foundation Stage)

Quest 4: Rainforest Insect Mobiles

Topic Heading: Rainforest Insect Mobiles
To produce a mobile featuring insects found in the rainforest to decorate the
Task:
Rainforest Role Play area
Time: 40 minutes
Materials: All the resources below should be displayed in such a way as to encourage
free and independent selection by the children:

• Scissors, glue, felt-tips, sticky tape, thread

• Card and paper of various types
• Decorative materials (recycled if possible) such as sequins, buttons,
sweet wrappers, corks, bottle tops etc
• A selection of materials to make legs and feelers, such as pipe
cleaners, matchsticks and lolly sticks
• Coat hangers or hoops for hanging the mobiles
• Templates of the insects (see below) but encourage independent
work where at all possible
• Soft toys, models or coloured pictures of a variety of insects found in
the rainforest. (see list below)
(Templates can be downloaded from the online quest page)

1. Postman Butterfly: Central and South America

2. Blue Morpho Butterfly: Mexico and Central and South America
3. Zebra Butterfly: Central and South America
4. Owl Butterfly: Mexico and Central and South America
5. Birdwing Butterfly: New Guinea
6. Tarantula Spider: Africa and South America
7. Brazilian Huntsman Spider: South America
8. Goliath Beetle: Africa
9. Blue Orchid Bee: Mexico and South America
10.Tiger Centipede: Mexico
11.Hercules Beetle: Central and South America

Process:
Group Size: 4
The teacher shows the children models or pictures of some of the insects found in the rainforest and talks
about their individual characteristics. The teacher encourages the children to look carefully at colour and
pattern. They are also shown a completed example of a mobile.
Children are working together in groups of four to produce a mobile. Each must contribute 1 or more insects
for the mobile and these must be accurately coloured and patterned. The children should discuss together
which insects they have chosen to make. They then select their own resources and where possible work
independently to assemble their mobile.
Product:
The children will have worked as a group to produce an accurately coloured and patterned Rainforest Insect
Mobile which can then be displayed in the Rainforest Role Play area.
 3-5 Years (Early Years Foundation Stage)

Quest 5: Rainforest Rope Trail

Topic Heading: Rainforest Rope Trail
To observe carefully, recognize and name a variety of plants, fruits and
Task: animals found in the rainforest, and equipment needed to go on a "Rainforest
Safari".
Time: 20 minutes
Materials: • A piece of rope at least 5m in length
• Soft toys, models or pictures of a variety of rainforest creatures or products
(frogs, birds, monkeys, chocolate, rubber gloves, etc)
• "Rainforest Safari" equipment (sun hat, sun cream, clipboard, camera,
boots, water bottle etc)
• Stickers marked "Rainforest Rope Trail, I remembered __objects"

Resources: • Rainforest picture gallery at http://schools.rainforestsos.org/free-resources/

rainforest-multimedia/gallery

Process:
Group size: 4 children
The rope is stretched out preferably in the outdoor area or in a large indoor space. The rainforest materials
are laid out at intervals along the rope. The teacher first walks the whole group of children along the trail
helping them to observe closely and identify the objects. Children then walk the trail individually or in pairs,
memorising as many of the objects as they can. At the end of the trail they must report back to the teacher
the names of all the objects they can remember. They receive a Rainforest Rope Trail sticker marked with
that number.

Don't forget to include the following rainforest items: Chocolate, Rubber Glove, Piece of Wood, Leaves,
Empty medicine containers.
 3-5 Years (Early Years Foundation Stage)

Quest 6: Jaguar Trail

Topic Heading: Jaguar Trail
Task: To follow directional clues to complete the trail and find the jaguar.
Time: 30 minutes
Materials: Rainforest Role Play area. Ideally this should have been set up in
consultation with the children and should be suitably decorated with leaves,
vines etc.
• 10 laminated clues. These will have been laid out by the teacher in
the outdoor area.
• Rainforest toys, puppets, (likewise, would rather they didn’t have to
buy rainforest fruits) etc. under which clues can be concealed.
• A toy jaguar
• Explorer’s equipment if desired (sun hats, clipboards, camera, boots
etc)
• Rainforest stickers
• Pictures of jaguars

Process:
Group size: 4 children
This quest begins in the role play area. The teacher explains to the children that they are going to be
explorers on an expedition to go and see a jaguar in the rainforest. The teacher shows pictures of the jaguar
to the children. They must look closely at his markings as his spotty fur camouflages him in the forest. The
teacher explains that the jaguar may be hard to find because he can run very fast, swim in the river and
climb trees. The children are going to follow clues to guide them into the rainforest.
The children now brainstorm the clothing which they might need to wear and equipment they should take
with them into the rainforest.
The teacher and children now role play getting ready for the expedition and the teacher reads out the first
clue. Teacher and children follow the trail to find the clues. The teacher will have placed some stickers under
the jaguar at the end of the trail for each child who has taken part.
 3-5 Years (Early Years Foundation Stage)

Quest 7: Magic Circle Role Play and Mask Making

Topic Heading: Magic Circle Role Play and Mask Making
Task: To produce a mask based on a rainforest creature observed during role play.
Time: One 40 minute or two 20 minute sessions
Materials: • Rainforest Role Play area as outlined in Quest 6
• A large sheet of paper and big marker pens
• Paper plates with ready cut out eye holes and a stick attached
• A variety of fabrics, papers and other recycled materials
• Scissors and glue

Process:
Group size: 6
The children are gathered in the role play area. The teacher explains that they are going to play a game in
which they are explorers in the rainforest. Children and teacher role play getting ready for the expedition.
The teacher then explains to the children that they will be travelling to the rainforest by means of a magic
spell. The children hold hands in a circle and close their eyes while the teacher makes a suitable magic spell.
At the teacher’s signal the children open their eyes and the teacher describes to them what she can see,
encouraging them to join in as they walk around the rainforest spotting plants and creatures. When it is time
to travel back to the classroom the children gather in the circle for the reverse spell to be chanted.
On their return the children sit down in a circle with the teacher who has a large piece of paper with the word
'Rainforest' in a bubble in the centre. The children are encouraged to use the large marker pens to draw
pictures of some of the creatures which they saw on their trip to the rainforest, thus creating a rainforest
spider diagram.
Using the spider diagram as an ideas bank, the children then select one of the creatures they have seen to
represent in the form of a mask. Children select their own resources to make a paper plate mask.

Product:
Children will produce a mask which must be an accurate representation of a rainforest creature, taking into
account colour and markings. As an extension activity the masks could be used for a class Rainforest
Parade using appropriate background music. This could also be photographed for display.
 3-5 Years (Early Years Foundation Stage)

Quest 8: “Down in the Rainforest” Dance

Topic Heading: Magic Circle Role Play and Mask Making
Task: To perform a dance based on the "Down in the Rainforest" rhyme.
Time: 30 minutes
Materials: • A copy of the "Down in the Rainforest" rhyme (see Quest 1)
• A tambour/tambourine
• Video camera if desired

Process:
Group size: Whole Class
Warm-up Activity: Explorers Game
The teacher models the following movements whilst playing the tambour and repeats as required:
• Slow steady beat = big careful steps. We are explorers walking carefully in the rainforest.
• Rapid quiet beats = small steps on tiptoe. We are creeping up to see a sloth hanging in the tree.
• Loud double beat = running. We are being chased by a jaguar!
Main Content:
Taking one verse at a time of the "Down in the Rainforest" rhyme teacher and children decide upon and then
practise movements appropriate for each rainforest creature.
For the penultimate verse one child is chosen to be the forest clearing machine. The remainder of the class
form a circle and stretch their arms up high to represent a forest of trees. The “machine” travels round the
outside of the circle cutting down the “trees” who fall down to the floor. The children then sit in the circle to
chant and clap to the rhythm of the remainder of the rhyme.
Now repeat the whole rhyme again without pausing between verses to make a "performance" of the whole
dance.
Cool Down: Sleeping Jaguars
The children lay down very quietly and still in the play space. The teacher taps individual children on the
shoulder to tiptoe quietly to the class line.

Product:
The children will produce a Rainforest Dance which can be performed and recorded as required.
 3-5 Years (Early Years Foundation Stage)

Quest 9: Shopping Feely Bag

Topic Heading: Shopping Feely Bag
Time: 30 minutes
Materials: • A drawstring "feely bag" containing:
1. Food sourced from the rainforest (coffee, cane sugar, chocolate ,
bananas, pineapple, mango,curry powder, peppercorns etc.) As many
as possible of these items should be rainforest friendly products and
fair trade with labels displayed for the children to identify.
2. Locally sourced food including some fresh fruits.
• 2 hoops labelled 'Rainforest' and 'Close to Home'

Process:
Group Size: Whole Class
The children are sat in a circle with the two hoops on the carpet in the centre. The teacher says that she has
been shopping and has bought some foods which were grown close to home and were taken to the
supermarket on a lorry, and some foods which have come on an airplane all the way from the rainforest. The
teacher explains in simple terms about the issues of air miles and carbon footprint and encourages a
discussion with the children. A discussion about what the 'Fairtrade' label means should also take place.
The feely bag is then passed around the circle .The children are to place their hands in the bag without
peeping. They describe the texture and shape of the object and try to guess what it is. The object is then
withdrawn from the bag and named. Is it labelled Fairtrade? The child then has a go at sorting it into the
correct hoop.
When all the foods have been sorted the teacher asks the children for their ideas about what they could
make using only the locally sourced ingredients.

Product:

• Food which has been sorted out into rainforest produce and locally sourced produce.
• Recipe ideas from the children for using locally sourced ingredients.

Extension:
Chose one of the simple recipe ideas suggested by the children to produce in the classroom e.g a fruit salad
using locally sourced fruits.
 3-5 Years (Early Years Foundation Stage)

Quest 10: Rainforest Storybox Book

Topic Heading: Rainforest Storybox Book
Task: To produce a collection of class stories about the rainforest
Time: 20 minutes
Materials: • A Rainforest Storybox created from a shoe box. The outside of the box
should be suitably labelled and decorated by the teacher. Inside the box
should be a model rainforest plus a selection of small people and
rainforest creatures.
• A recording facility
• A blank class 'Big Book' prepared by the teacher which will contain the
children’s Rainforest stories.

Process:
Group Size: Pairs
The teacher introduces pairs of children to the Rainforest Storybox, allowing a short time for exploratory play.
The teacher then shows the children the Big Book and asks them to tell a story about the people and animals
in the storybox which she can write down in the Big Book and read to the whole class.
The children make up a story using the characters in the box which the teacher records, transcribes and then
sticks in to the Big Book.

Product:
The children will tell an oral rainforest story which will be transcribed by the teacher into a Big Book to be
shared with the whole class.