Rainforest

World Rainforest Day is celebrated on June 22. It was started on June 22nd, 2017 by Rainforest Partnership. It was launched to raise awareness and encourage action to protect the world’s rainforests.

There are two types of rainforests (temperate rainforests and tropical rainforests). Tropical rainforest are located about 10 degrees north and south of the equator. An example is the Amazon rainforest. Temperate rainforest are located in only certain areas around the world. Two examples of a temperate rainforest are the Hoh Rainforest and the Valdivian rainforest. The Hoh Rainforest is located in Washington state in the United States. The Valdivian temperate rainforest is located in Chile and parts of Argentina. Learn more about rainforest from the below websites.

These are some of the photos I took at the Hoh Rainforest. We visited this rainforest on June 25, 2015. At the time I did not know that World Rainforest Day is celebrated on June 22nd.

It looks like the above photo is of an eagle soaring high in the skies. It might be a bald eagle or some other type of eagle. View other animals at Olympic National Park: Animals.

Watch a live stream video at World Rainforest Day or on World Rainforest Live Stream | YouTube.

Facts
Rainforest | mbgnet.net

Rainforest and Amazon Facts | National Geographic

Rainforest Animals and Plants
11 Amazing Rainforest Animals

Animal Facts Encyclopedia: Rainforest Animals

The Animal Spot Rainforest

Tropical Rainforest Animals and Plants with Pictures and Names

Rainforest Books
Over In The Rain Forest This book uses the common song, "Over In The Meadow".  A great way to introduce different animals that live in the rain forest and to reinforce numbers (1-10).

The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest by Lynne Cherry

The Umbrella by Jan Brett

Coloring
The Umbrella Coloring Mural

Dramatic Play

Play different rainforest sounds or animal sounds (or music).

Pretend you are in a rainforest. Hear the rain falling from the sky (Play an audio). See the tall tree ... See the ... flying above you. Can you hear the sound it is making? (Play an audio of that animal.)  Hear the wings flapping. Pretend to flap your wings. Walk like a ... The ... monkey is going from tree to tree.  Pretend you are moving from tree to tree. Oh, it grabbed a ... What color is the ...? Pretend to eat a ...  Shh.  Here comes a ...  Be very quiet. Don't move. Oh, there he goes. You can walk now.

Basically, use your imagination.

Drama
A Rainforest Adventure: The Play

Virtual Resources
Amazon Interactive | eduweb

NATURE: Amazon Rainforest: An Interactive Experience

Virtual Rainforest by Gerald R. Urquhart

Videos
Explore the Rainforest! | Ecology for Kids

Rainforest Animals for Children – Jungle Animal Sounds and Rainforest Wildlife | Kiddopedia  - This video has animal sounds and information about 40 different animals.

Virtual Field Trip - Amazon Rainforest | YouTube

Story Videos
A Trip to the Rainforest

Resources
Characteristics of the Tropical Equatorial Rainforest -- There is a video on this page.

Rainforest Alliance

Amazon Rainforest: An Interactive Experience

NATURE: Amazon Rainforest: An Interactive Experience

Cell Biology

Ask A Biologist
Biology Bits | Ask A Biologist ASU Cells, Cell Parts
Building Blocks of Life | Ask a Biologist ASU Lots of resources and interactive lessons
Teacher Tools | Ask a Biologit ASU

Cell Facts, Information, Videos, and More
Biology4Kids: Cells
Biology for Kids | Ducksters
Amazing Cells | Learn.Genetics 

Cells | Georgia Virtual Learning
NeoK12

Khan Academy
Biology | Khan Academy
High School Biology | Khan Academy
AP Biology | Khan Academy

Interactive and Virtual Resources

Ladybug Theme

Ladybug, ladybug, ladybugs everywhere! We all know this cute insect as a ladybug. It is called a ladybug, a lady beetle, or ladybird (in Britain). If you have plants or weeds, the you have one happy bug. They are hunting for bugs to eat. Having these fun ladybugs around is excellent for the environment, your health, and the health of the ones around you. If you let nature take over then there will not be all the bad pesticides that harms everything. Save your environment (and yourself and others) by having ladybugs in your garden.

Here are some photos I took.

March 22, 2020
Ladybug on a Little John Bottlebrush

March 31, 2020

March 15, 2011 

Ladybugs on a Brittlebush

BOOKS

Ladybug Non-Fiction Books
A Ladybug's Life (Nature Upclose) by John Himmelman
Are You A Ladybug? (Backyard Books) by Judy Allen
Creepy Beetles! (Hello Science Reader! Level 2) by Fay Robinson
The Ladybug and Other Insects (A First Discovery Book) Scholastic by Pascale de Bourgoing and Gallimard Jeunesse
A Ladybug Larva Grows Up (Scholastic News Nonfiction Readers) by Katie Marsico
Lady Bug (Life Cycles) by David M. Schwartz
Ladybugs (Minibeasts) by
Ladybugs: Red, Fiery, and Bright by Mia Posada
Spotted Beetles: Ladybugs in Your Backyard (Backyard Bugs) by Nancy Loewen

Ladybug Fiction Board Books 
Five Little Ladybugs by Melanie Gerth
The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle
The Little Ladybug by Jourdan Devant
Ladybug, Ladybug by Ruth Brown
Ladybug on the Move by Richard Fowler
Little Ladybug Finger Puppet Book by Chronicle Books
Mr. and Mrs. Ladybug's Morning Walk by Mahogony Lee
The Curious Little Ladybug by JoAda Marie Niklas
The Very Lazy Ladybug by Isobel Finn
Ten Little Ladybugs Board Book by Melanie Gerth

Facts
Ladybugs | National Geographic
Ladybugs | National Geographic Kids

PATTERNS
Pattern Station: Ladybugs | Preschool Express

CRAFTS

Ladybug Rock Craft
Wash a smooth rock.
Let dry.
Paint the rock red.
Let dry.
Paint a face on it.
Paint black spots on its back.
Let dry.

3D Paper Ladybug Craft With Template | Easy Peasy and Fun
Bugs and Insect Crafts | DLTK

SNACKS

Healthy Snacks

Healthy Ladybug Bread
Take a biscuit or flat roll and spread strawberry cream cheese on it. (Daiya Cheese has a dairy-free version). Place raisins on the cream cheese to make a head and spots on its back. Enjoy!

Cracker Ladybugs
Spread dairy or non dairy strawberry cream cheese on a cracker. If dairy-free or gluten-free, use safe crackers. If desired, you can use a toothpick and make a line down the middle of the ladybug. Put some raisins or chocolate chips on the frosting.

FOOD ALLERGY TIPS: If you are doing this is a school, church, daycare, or other setting, please follow the below instructions.
WASH YOUR HANDS AND DRY ON A CLEAN TOWEL OR PAPER TOWEL.
USE A CLEAN KNIFE.
DO NOT CROSS-CONTAMINATE THE UTENSILS.

Non Healthy Snacks

Ladybug Graham Crackers
Use graham crackers. (This won't look the shape of a round ladybug but using frosting and raisins or chocolate chips will make it look more like a ladybug.) Frost 1/2 a graham cracker with white/red/pink/orange/yellow frosting (or other colors; especially if there are food restrictions and/or if you want to talk about a certain type of ladybug).  You can use colored sugar instead of colored frosting. If desired, you can use a toothpick and make a line down the middle of the ladybug. Put some raisins or chocolate chips on the frosting.

Note: Natural food dye is always the best option.

Math: Count the spots on your ladybug.

Ladybug Sugar Cookies
Make round sugar cookies. Frost the cookie with red/pink/white frosting (or other colors; especially if there are food restrictions and/or if you want to talk about a certain type of ladybug). Note: Some ladybugs are pink or white. If desired, you can use a toothpick and make a line down the middle of the ladybug. Put some raisins or chocolate chips on the frosting.

Note: Natural food dye is always the best option.

Math: Count the spots on your ladybug.


MATH

Printables Games
Ladybug Addition Math Games | 123Homeschoo4me

VIDEOS
Wing folding/unfolding in Ladybugs | YouTube

ONLINE GAMES

Easy Games
Lady Bug Maze | A Kid's Heart
Ladybugs Maze | Primary Games

Challenging Games
Ladybug (Match the Colors) | safekidgames - "Catch these little critters as fast as you can! Connect all the ladybugs of the same color as quickly as possible."

Botany

Great Plant Escape | University of Illinois Extension
The Virtual Cell Web Page

Planting a Rainbow

Happy National Find a Rainbow Day!!!! It is celebrated on April 3.

Here are some activities you can do with your children, students, nieces, nephews, etc. sometime with what is going on in the world right now with the Coronavirus.

Activities
Locate or create a rainbow.


Crafts
Draw or paint a rainbow.

History
Read more about National Find a Rainbow Day at the below link.
National Find a Rainbow Day

Planting a Rainbow of Flowers Art Activity
Painting a rainbow of flowers : Lois Ehlert style

Read Aloud
Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert

If you do not want any distractions from YouTube, go to the below link.
Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert | quietube