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1 If you would like more biome reading comprehensions like this, check out my Biome Bundle. It is on sale for 50% off for 3 days only! Includes: Coral Reefs Deserts Grasslands Arctic Tundra Wetlands Rainforest

2 Table of Contents Tropical Rainforest Reading Passage Pages 2-4 Scaffolded Questions Pages 5-7 On-Level Questions Pages 8-10 Extension Activity Pages Answer Key Pages 14-16

3 Tropical Rainforest Reading Comprehension The reading passage introduces students to tropical rainforests. It gives a description of the rainforest, discusses rainforest plant and animal adaptations, and explains what threatens to destroy rainforests. This is a longer reading passage, particularly for younger grades. Support students as needed. The pictures included in this reading passage are in color, but you can print them in gray scale to save ink. Students will still be able to get the information necessary if you print the pictures in gray scale. However, it might benefit students to see the picture titled Camouflage in the Rainforest in color so that they can better understand how each of the animals is camouflaged.

4 The Tropical Rainforest The rainforest is the most fascinating and exciting biome in the world. It is home to a huge variety of plants and animals, many of which are found ONLY in the rainforest. There are so many species of plants and animals living in the rainforest that scientists say we haven t discovered them all yet! Rainforest Description All tropical rainforests are warm and wet. Rainforests are warm because they are only found near the equator where it is warm all year long. Rainforests are wet because they receive at least 75 inches of rain every year. However, many rainforests receive more than 100 inches of rain annually! These warm and wet conditions are ideal for plants and animals, which is why such a huge variety of life can be found in tropical rainforests. Tropical rainforests are divided into 4 layers: Emergent Layer: This is the top layer of the rainforest, where you will find only the tops of the tallest trees. This layer gets the most sunlight. Canopy Layer: This is next layer of the rainforest, where you will find the tops of most trees. The tops of these trees form a canopy, or covering, over the rainforest below. This layer receives plenty of sunlight. Understory: This layer is under the treetops but above the ground. The canopy above blocks out a lot of sunlight, so plants and animals in the understory have adapted to living with little sunlight. Forest Floor: This layer is very dark because it receives the least amount of sunlight. There are very few plants that can grow with such limited sunlight, but you will find leaves, branches, and other fallen objects. The most important layer of the rainforest is the canopy. There is an abundance of food and plants here, so this is the busiest part of the rainforest. Some animals stay in the canopy all year long, never going to the ground. Rainforest Plant and Animal Adaptations Every year, new plant and animal species are being discovered. The rainforest is home to all sorts of mammals, birds, reptiles, and insects, including:

5 elephants, tapirs, monkeys, sloths, chimpanzees, jaguars, anteaters, bats, parrots, toucans, macaws, butterflies, beetles, ants, and many more. Rainforest animals have some interesting adaptations. For example, many of the animals are arboreal animals, or animals that spend most of their lives in trees. Since the canopy offers the best protection and the most food, many animals have adaptations that help them survive in trees. Howler monkeys have a special type of tail that that can be used like an extra arm when swinging from tree to tree. Some animals, such as orangutans, have longer arms that help them hold onto branches. Camouflage is also an Camouflage in the Rainforest important adaptation to many rainforest animals, helping them hide from predators that might attack. Other animals, instead of having camouflage to hide themselves, are brightly leaf-tailed gecko caterpillar colored as a warning to potential predators. Rainforest plants are very diverse as well. There are many different species of trees that grow in the rainforest including: kapok glass wing butterfly green python trees, rubber trees, cacao trees, teak trees, and many more. Because the forest floor has very little sunlight, rainforests also contain many epiphytes plants that have adapted to grow on branches, trunks, and leaves of trees instead of on the ground. Some types of epiphytes are orchids, mosses, ferns, and bromeliads. Destruction of the Rainforest The rainforest is disappearing at an alarming rate. Most of the destruction is caused by humans. When humans cut down trees in the rainforest, animals have fewer places to hide from their enemies, fewer places to live, and less food to eat. Some rainforest species are now extinct because of rainforest trees being cut down. Humans cut down trees for a variety of reasons. We need the wood to for furniture, flooring, construction, firewood, and to make paper. Sometimes parts of the rainforest get cut down in order to build roads. Other people cut down trees in order to clear the land for farms or land for grazing. As humans, we need to find other ways to supply our needs instead of cutting down rainforests.

6 Scaffolded Questions The questions in this section are scaffolded to help you differentiate. This section will help support your lower level students or ELL learners. There are two levels of scaffolding: 1. The question tells what section the student will be able to find the answer in. 2. Sentence starters are provided to help students when answering the questions. Other than the two levels of scaffolding listed above, these questions are the same as the on-level questions. The answer key on pages applies to this section of questions as well as the on-level section of questions.

7 Name: Date: The Tropical Rainforest: Reading Comprehension Questions 1. Reread the section titled Rainforest Description. Why are rainforests warm and wet? Rainforests are warm because. Rainforests are wet because. 2. Reread the section titled Rainforest Description. Which layer of the rainforest does the author believe is most important, and why? The layer of the rainforest is most important because. 3. Reread the section titled Rainforest Description and look at the photograph in that section. Which layer of the rainforest does the photograph show? How do you know? The photograph shows the layer of the rainforest. I know this because. 4. Reread the section titled Rainforest Plant and Animal Adaptations. What are arboreal animals? Arboreal animals are. 5. Look at the photographs titled Camouflage in the Rainforest. Choose 2 of the animals, and explain how their camouflage could help protect them. The s camouflage could protect it by. The s camouflage could protect it by.

8 The Tropical Rainforest: Reading Comprehension Questions 6. Look at the photographs titled Camouflage in the Rainforest. Which animal has the best camouflage? Why? The has the best camouflage because. 7. Reread the section titled Rainforest Plant and Animal Adaptations. What are epiphytes? Epiphytes are. 8. Reread the section titled Rainforest Plant and Animal Adaptations. How are the howler monkey and orangutans alike? The howler monkey and orangutans are alike because. 9. Reread the section titled Destruction of the Rainforest. How does cutting down rainforest trees cause problems for rainforest animals? When rainforest trees are cut down,. 10. Reread the section titled Destruction of the Rainforest. List 3 different reasons that humans cut down rainforest trees. Humans cut down rainforest trees because:

9 On-Level Questions The questions in this section are more straightforward then the questions in the Scaffolded Questions section. These questions and answers do not have any scaffolding to support students. Students are given a question and expected to write a short answer in a complete sentence. The answer key on pages applies to this section of questions as well as the Scaffolded Questions section.

10 Name: Date: The Tropical Rainforest: Reading Comprehension Questions 1. Why are rainforests warm and wet? 2. Which layer of the rainforest does the author believe is the most important, and why? 3. Look at the first photograph. Which layer of the rainforest does the photograph show? How do you know? 4. What are arboreal animals? 5. Look at the photographs titled Camouflage in the Rainforest. Choose 2 of the animals, and explain how their camouflage could help protect them.

11 The Tropical Rainforest: Reading Comprehension Questions 6. Look at the photographs titled Camouflage in the Rainforest. Which animal has the best camouflage? Why? 7. What are epiphytes? 8. How are the howler monkey and orangutans alike? 9. How does cutting down rainforest trees cause problems for rainforest animals? 10. List 3 different reasons that humans cut down rainforest trees. Humans cut down rainforest trees because:

12 Extension Activity This extension activity can be completed individually or in small groups. After students read The Tropical Rainforest Reading Comprehension, have students create a poster using the guidelines on page 12. Students can use the Poster Page provided on page 13 to create the poster, or you can provide students with poster board or butcher paper if they need something larger. Poster Guidelines and Grading Rubric Page 12 Poster Page Page13

13 Name: Date: The Tropical Rainforest: Extension Activity Use the reading passage to create a poster that tells about the rainforest. Be sure to include: A title An illustration that includes all 4 layers of the rainforest 2 examples of rainforest plant or animal adaptations 2 examples of ways humans are harming the rainforest Grading Rubric 3 points 2 points 1 point Content The student included all of the required elements. The student only included on topic information. The student included most of the required elements. The student included some unrelated information. The student included few or none of the required elements. The student included mostly unrelated information. Accuracy The student showed a thorough understanding of rainforests. All of the information regarding rainforests was accurate. The student showed some understanding of rainforests. Some of the information regarding rainforests was inaccurate. The student showed very limited understanding of rainforests. Neatness The poster is exceptionally colorful and neat. The student used their best handwriting. The poster is acceptable in terms of color, neatness, and handwriting. The poster looks messy and rushed. Conventions There are very few errors in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and grammar. There are several errors in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, or grammar. There are many errors in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and grammar. Because of these errors, the essay is very difficult to read. Total Points out of 12:

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15 Answer Key This answer key applies to both the Scaffolded Questions (pages 5 7) and the On-Level Questions (pages 8 10). Some of the questions encourage higher level thinking and do not have one correct answer. If that is the case, it has been noted that Answers Will Vary. When grading these questions, make sure students defend their thinking in a logical way.

16 Name: Date: The Tropical Rainforest: Reading Comprehension Questions 1. Why are rainforests warm and wet? Rainforests are warm because they are near the equator. Rainforests are wet because they get at least 75 inches of rain a year. 2. Which layer of the rainforest does the author believe is the most important, and why? The author believes the most important layer of the rainforest is the canopy because of the abundance or food and plants there. 3. Look at the first photograph. Which layer of the rainforest does the photograph show? How do you know? The photograph shows the emergent layer of the rainforest because it is showing the tops of the trees. (Students could also say the canopy layer of the rainforest if they defend it appropriately.) 4. What are arboreal animals? Arboreal animals are animals that spend most of their lives in trees. 5. Look at the photographs titled Camouflage in the Rainforest. Choose 2 of the animals, and explain how their camouflage could help protect them. Answers will vary. Make sure students explain their reasoning.

17 The Tropical Rainforest: Reading Comprehension Questions 6. Look at the photographs titled Camouflage in the Rainforest. Which animal has the best camouflage? Why? Answers will vary. Make sure students defend their reasoning. 7. What are epiphytes? Epiphytes are plants that grow on trunks, branches, and leaves instead of on the ground. 8. How are the howler monkey and orangutans alike? Howler monkeys and orangutans are alike because they both have adaptations that help them survive and swing in trees. 9. How does cutting down rainforest trees cause problems for rainforest animals? When rainforest trees are cut down, animals have fewer places to hide from their enemies, fewer places to live, and less food to eat. 10. List 3 different reasons that humans cut down rainforest trees. Humans cut down rainforest trees because: We need the wood to make things like paper and furniture. We need to build roads. We need the land for grazing or farmland.

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19 Acknowledgements By copyright law, the download of this product entitles one teacher the use of the digital and printed files for a single classroom. Files are not to be shared or published (including being displayed on a website) in any way without direct permission from the author, Kalena Baker.