Have you ever wondered if using technology would help you achieve better results with your students? How do you know if the technology you decide on is the appropriate tool or is it being used for technology's sake alone? One way to excite your students about content is to immerse them in it with thematic units. This article will give you some examples how you might design lessons around the Rainforest theme and include technology where it is appropriate. As you read this article, take in consideration your student's grade level, curriculum areas it will be replacing and time commitment the unit will cover. Before deciding on a theme consider the following:

• what concept they need to examine more in depth
• what you want your students to learn about the concept
• what resources will help your students deepen their understanding of the concept
  

Introduce Theme
Introduce them to the concept - What do they know now about Rainforests?
Ask your students of any age "What is a Rainforest?" You may just assume that they know certain facts, but what you may find out is that many of their facts could be biased by the media or other factors. For this activity, you can use an overhead, flip chart or computer with brainstorming or mind mapping software such as Inspiration.

Awareness
After they have brainstormed ideas of what they think rainforests are, present information and data available on Rainforests. Put up posters around the room: The Rainforest Fauna (Instructional Fair, 1995) or Rainforests of the World (Instructional Fair, 1995). Have K-4 students read or read to them "The Great Kapok Tree" by Lynne Cherry and watch the video "Amazon Rainforest" by Through the Eyes of Nature or "Eyewitness Jungle" by Dorling-Kindersley. Have them explore "Zurk's Rainforest Lab" by Soleil Software or "Imagination Express: Destination Rainforest" by Edmark. Some of the activities on these CD-ROMs not only open the world of rainforests but provide students engaging learning activities.

Older students can explore rainforests with "MayaQuest" or "Amazon Trail" both by MECC. Several laserdiscs provide background information for students: "Race to Save the Planet" by Scholastic and "GTV: Planetary Manager" by National Geographic. They can visit the "Rainforest Action Network" website (http://www.igc.apc.org/ran/ ) to learn about current information about rainforests.

Research
After students have collected information and learned what rainforests are, have them share what they know now. Have them work in collaborative groups and brainstorm a question they would like to research more in depth: What do they want to know now? Some examples of research questions:

• Where are rainforests located?
• Why are many rainforest species brightly colored?
• Describe the different layers of a rainforest and the species that live in each.
• Which species are threatened or endangered?
• What is "slash and burn" agriculture? How does it affect the ecology of the rainforest?

Some books that you may want to keep in your classroom for students to check out to assist in their research are "Inside the Amazing Amazon" by Don Lessem, "Rainforests" by Sara Oldfield, "Animals of the Rainforest" by S. Savage, and "Life in the Rainforest" by Lucy Baker. You may already have a large collection of books that you could add to this list. Software that can support the students' investigations are "Field Trip to the Rainforest" by Wings for Learning and "The Rainforest" by Zoo Guides. Students may want to visit "Rainforest Workshop" at http://kids.osd.wednet.edu/marshall/rainforest_home_page.html or "Kid's Action" at http://www.igc.org/ran/kids_action/sources_kids.html to find more specific details so they can answer their questions. Have them share what they found out either in a desktop publishing program such as ClarisWorks or present to the class using an overhead or slide show program such as Kid Pix, ClarisWorks, or PowerPoint. Keep each presentation or report simple to this point.

Discussion

Now that your students have background information, give them some topics to discuss and to debate:

• You find out that your favorite fast food restaurant makes its hamburgers from cattle raised in areas that used to be in the rainforest. What can you do about it?
• Take one side and debate: "Boycotting rainforest products saves rainforests."

Have students take one side or another and then videotape their debates. Share these videotapes with their parents at Back-to- School night or local cable station. Older students can write letters to the editor on their findings or submit articles to their local newspaper. Some students may become emotional about their findings and want to write their state representative or senator to find out how they stand on these same issues.

Activities
Older students can take on a role and participate in "Rainforest Researchers" by Tom Snyder Productions. After you learn about rainforests and solve some of the questions asked in this program, you can make your own activities.

1. Take on the role of one of the following occupations (naturalist, botanist, developer, anthropologist) and you are now in the rainforest.
2. In your role, write about your adventure, what you might see, how you would handle different situations, your impressions of the animals and people you might meet.
3. Find other naturalists, botanists, or the other roles to group with and develop your own multimedia project using Hyperstudio or creating your own website. Share with others your views of the rainforest through whatever role you are taking. Remember while you develop your project who you are. Use drawing programs such as Kid Pix to create your own rainforest and import into your presentations. Import graphics from the CD- ROM "The Rainforest" by Zoo Guides or "Rainforest: MediaClips" by Softkey to enhance presentations.
   

Assessing
After the students have participated in discussions and activities, what are their assumptions now about rainforests. What have they learned? Have them evaluate how much they learned about rainforests and the technology they used. If you have never done thematic units to this extreme before, take pieces and adopt for your curriculum.

Other Suggested Themes
All about Me, Ancient Civilizations, Animals, Ants, Bats, Bears, Bees, Bill of Rights, Birds of a Feather, Butterflies, Careers, colors, Dinosaurs, Endangered Species, Estuaries, Famous People, Famous Women, Fire Safety, Five Senses, Friends, Frogs, Insects, Inventions, Gardens, Gold Rush, Immigration, Life of a Penny, Love, Missions, Multicultures, Native Americans, Numbers, Patterns, Penguins, Pioneer Days, Planets, Presidents, Oceans, Seasons, Seeds, Shapes, Spiders, Sun, Moon and Stars, Time, Tolerance, Weather, Wetlands, Whales, Wild Animals.