Desert or Rain Forest? Photo Credit: Duggar11 Photo Credit: John Fowler Deserts are special places in our world. Tropical rain forests are special places too. Both places are homes to animals. Both places are homes to plants. How are these places different from each other? Deserts are dry places. They get very little rain. Few plants grow there. Rain forests are wet, warm places. Rain forests get a lot of rain. Many trees and other kinds of plants grow in the rain forest. The trees leaves make a kind of cover over the other plants. That is called the canopy.
Name: Date: Directions: For questions 1-4, circle the correct answer. 1. Which place gets very little rain and has few plants? a) the desert b) the rain forest c) both the desert and rain forest 2. This passage compares deserts and rain forests. What is the same about deserts and rain forests? a) Both are dry, get very little rain, and have few plants. b) Both are special places that are homes to animals and plants. c) Both are warm, wet, and have many trees and plants. 3. Many trees and plants grow in the rain forest, but only a few plants can grow in the desert. We also know that rain forests get a lot of rain but deserts are dry. What does this tell us about what helps plants grow? a) Plants grow best in dry places. b) Plants grow best in wet places. c) Plants can help each other grow.
4. What is Desert or Rain Forest? mostly about? a) how deserts and rain forests are the same and different b) the characteristics of rain forests c) how deserts and rain forests are the same 5. A) The trees leaves make a kind of cover over the other plants in the rain forest. What is this part of the rain forest called?. B) Draw a picture of the rain forest. Be sure to draw the canopy.
6. What did you learn from Desert or Rain Forest? 7. Class Discussion Question: As a class, fill out a Venn diagram comparing deserts to rain forests. Use information from the passage to help.
Teacher Guide & Answers Note to Teacher: Read each question out loud to your students and have each student complete the worksheet independently. For questions 5 A) and 6, you can have students draw their answers, answer orally, or write their answers depending on your students progress. If you have them write their answers, you may want to write the word(s) on the board for them to copy. Question 7 is a class discussion question. Passage Reading Level: Lexile 410 Directions: For questions 1-4, circle the correct answer. 1. Which place gets very little rain and has few plants? a) the desert b) the rain forest c) both the desert and rain forest 2. This passage compares deserts and rain forests. What is the same about deserts and rain forests? a) Both are dry, get very little rain, and have few plants. b) Both are special places that are homes to animals and plants. c) Both are warm, wet, and have many trees and plants. 3. Many trees and plants grow in the rain forest, but only a few plants can grow in the desert. We also know that rain forests get a lot of rain but deserts are dry. What does this tell us about what helps plants grow? a) Plants grow best in dry places. b) Plants grow best in wet places. c) Plants can help each other grow. 4. What is Desert or Rain Forest? mostly about? a) how deserts and rain forests are the same and different b) the characteristics of rain forests c) how deserts and rain forests are the same
5. A) Note to Teacher: See note at the top of the first page. The trees leaves make a kind of cover over the other plants in the rain forest. What is this part of the rain forest called? Suggested answer: the canopy B) Draw a picture of the rain forest. Be sure to draw the canopy. Suggested answer: Students pictures may vary but should depict a rain forest setting that has many trees and other kinds of plants. Students may also depict animals, rain falling, and/or a canopy in the rain forest. 6. Note to Teacher: See note at the top of the first page. What did you learn from Desert or Rain Forest? Suggested answer: Answers may vary and should be supported by the passage. 7. Note to Teacher: See note at the top of the first page. Class Discussion Question: As a class, fill out a Venn diagram comparing deserts to rain forests. Use information from the passage to help. Suggested answer: The following information is taken directly from the passage and should be included in the Venn diagram: Rainforests Wet and warm Lots of rain Many trees and plants Special place Home to animals Home to plants Deserts Dry Very little rain Few plants