1. Acid rain – rainwater that contains chemicals resulting from the burning
of fossil fuels
Adapt – vegetation and animals have had to learn to live with their
environment e.g. hot, cold, dry, wet etc.
Amerindian – indigenous (native) people of South America
Biodiversity – the number and range of plants and animals in one
ecosystem, greatest in tropical rainforests
Biome – a very large ecosystem such as the rainforest or coniferous
forest
Buttress roots – roots that stand above the ground to support large
trees
Canopy – an almost unbroken top layer of trees that acts like a roof over
a tropical rainforest
Climate – the average weather conditions of a place taken over many
years
Climate change – increase in world temperature – global warming
Convectional rainfall – rainfall produced when air rises after being
warmed by the ground
1

2. Deciduous – plants that lose their leaves in autumn
Decomposition – the process of bacteria such as worms and
mushrooms, which break down dead material
Deforestation – the cutting down or burning of trees to clear large areas
of land
Cattle ranching – grazing cows for beef
Climograph – diagram containing a bar graph displaying precipitation
and a line graph displaying temperature
Coniferous – plants and trees that don’t lose their leaves such as pine
trees
Consumers – herbivores (plant eaters) and carnivores (meat eaters)
Ecosystem – the living community of plants and animals and the
physical factors upon which they depend on, such as climate and soil
Eco tourism – a sustainable form of green tourism aimed at protecting
the environment and local cultures
Evergreen – deciduous plants that don’t lose all their leaves at once in
the autumn but lose a few leaves daily so trees are green all year round
Equator – imaginary horizontal line that runs around the middle of the
earth, it is the hottest part of the world and lies between the Tropics of
Cancer and Capricorn, therefore tropical
Food chain (web)– the transfer of energy through an ecosystem from
primary producers to consumers and decomposers
Global warming – the increase in the worlds average temperature,
believed to be a result of the release of carbon dioxide and other gasses
into the atmosphere by the burning of fossil fuels
Hardwood – a very expensive type of wood that is very had such as
mahogany, green heart and rosewood
2

3. Hydro – electricity – energy from water in a reservoir flowing through a
dam
Liana – vine like plants that climb up trunks of trees before hanging
downwards from the branches
Living environment – the part of the environment that includes plants,
insects and animals
Logging – cutting down trees to sell for profit
Mining – extracting minerals from deep in the earth
Non-living environment – the part of the environment that includes
features such as solar energy, water, air and rocks
Nutrient recycling – the process by which minerals necessary for plant
growth are taken up from the soil and returned when the plant sheds
their leaves or die
Photosynthesis – the process by which green plants take in sunlight,
carbon dioxide and water to produce energy and oxygen
Producers – plants use energy from the sun through photosynthesis e.g.
leaves
Rainforest – jungle or forests found along the equator
Slash and burn – the cutting down of small areas of rainforest and
burning it to clear the ground fro growing crops
Soil erosion – soil is washed away without vegetation to protect it from
heavy rain
Soil fertility – how nutrient rich the soil is
Species – groups of plants or animals e.g. a species of dog is a Spaniel
Sustainable – able to be used for many years into the future without
harming the environment and depleting reserves
3

4. Tropic of Cancer – line of latitude that runs 23 ½  north of the equator
Tropic of Capricorn – line of latitude that runs 23 ½  south of the
equator
Tropics – a band circling the earth between the Tropics of Cancer and
Capricorn containing hot and wet tropical rainforests along the equator
and hot and dry tropical deserts north and south of the equator
4

5. 5
Extensions

6. 6
Geography Matters

7. NEW KEY GEOGRAPHY Interactions Teacher’s Resource © Nelson Thornes 200731
Ecosystems NEW KEY GEOGRAPHY Interactions pages 10–11
What is an ecosystem?
1.7
An ecosystem is a community of plants and animals whose lives are closely
linked to each other and to the climate and soil of the area in which they
grow or live.
Copy the labels below onto the correct arrow in the diagram above.
Be careful! Some labels match two arrows.
១2 Using the diagram above, write a short summary to describe and
explain the impact that human activity has had on a rainforest
ecosystem. You could use a word-processing program to draft and
redraft your thoughts. Include the following information:
N Name and location of ecosystem
N Change brought about by human activity
N Effects on climate
១1 The diagram below shows how the four parts of an ecosystem depend
on each other and are closely interconnected.
CLIMATE
Leaves decay and rot Insects pollinate flowers
Water evaporates from the soil Animals breathe out carbon dioxide
Reptiles need warmth to survive
Rain falls onto the ground Dead animals decompose Plants take up nutrients
The sun gives energy to plantsPlants give out oxygen Soil is food to worms
Animals eat plants
ANIMALS PLANTS
SOIL
N Effects on animals
N Effects on plants
N Effects on soil.
7
energy from the
sun

8. 8

9. 9
REVIEW
BBC online

10. 10
LOCATIONS

11. 11

12. 12
EXAMPLE

13. 13
EXAMPLE

14. LESSON 1; 1. Pack p10/11 Locations
2. Research a biome; information, map and
pictures, see examples p12 and 13
DATE MARKED:
GRADE: A B C D
MERIT: 1 2
ORDER MARK:
DETENTION:
COMMENT:
TARGET:
14

15. 15
Extensions

16. Ecosystems NEW KEY GEOGRAPHY Interactions pages 12–13
What is the equatorial climate?
1.11
NEW KEY GEOGRAPHY Interactions Teacher’s Resource © Nelson Thornes 200736
Due to its latitude the equatorial climate is hot and wet throughout the year.
The weather pattern described below is likely to be repeated day after day
for most of the year.
១1 Write the letters of the following weather conditions, in the correct order,
against the times of the day on the clock face. It has been started for you.
១2 Find out more about the equatorial climate from a variety of sources
(books, CD-ROMs, videos, magazines) including information obtained
from the Key Geography website:
www.nelsonthornes.com/keygeography
១3 Working in a small group, compile a desktop-published leaflet about
the equatorial climate, from a variety of sources including information
obtained via the internet, for example the Rainforest Action Network
website, which can also be accessed from the Key Geography website.
Temperature continues to rise.
Storm continues.
Storm ends. Clouds begin
to break up.
Sun rises as always at this
time. No clouds in sky.
Sun sets. The night is
clear and calm.
It becomes very hot,
as the sun gets higher
in the sky.
Gets warmer.
Very little wind.
Temperature 25ºC, as warm as a
summer afternoon in England.
Hot air rises. Water from
rivers, swamps and
vegetation evaporates.
Temperature reaches 33ºC.
Sun overhead. Hot air
continues to rise.
Torrential rainstorm with
thunder and lightning.
Clouds increase in size and
height. They turn into towering
dark grey cumulonimbus clouds.
Water vapour carried high into
the sky. Cools and condenses to
form white cumulus clouds.
12:00 midday
12:00 midnight
3:00 pm
6:00 pm
9:00 pm
6:00 am
3:00 am
9:00 am
.
D
A B C
D
E
F
G
H I J
K
L M
16

17. REMEMBER TITLE AND DATE LESSON 1
17

18. Background Worksheets > Before your visit
What's the weather like? 1
www.livingrainforest.org
How does our climate compare with that of a typical rainforest?
Using the information provided, answer the questions to find out.
Average monthly climate statistics for London and Manaus (in the heart of the Brazilian rainforest):
Using the figures in the table above, draw two climate graphs, one for London and one
for Manaus. Remember to show the rainfall as a bar chart and the temperature as a
line graph.
Colour the rainfall bars in blue and the temperature lines red. Don't forget to label the
graphs.
London
Temperature (o
C)
Rainfall (mm)
Jan DecNovOctSepAugJulJunMayAprMarFeb
4 56.510.51416.51715128.55.54
49 5159655260594847413939
Manaus
Temperature (o
C)
Rainfall (mm)
Jan DecNovOctSepAugJulJunMayAprMarFeb
26 26.52727.527.52726.526.526262626
264 220161111634667103204283298262
18

19. 19

20. Background Worksheets > Before your visit
What's the weather like? 2
www.livingrainforest.org
Complete the table below using the information from your graphs.
Would you prefer to live in London or Manaus? Explain your answer.
Extra time? Write a short paragraph explaining the differences between the climate
in London and central Brazil.
London
Which is the wettest month?
How much rain fell in the wettest month?
What is the total rainfall?
Which is the hottest month?
How hot is the hottest month?
Manaus
How cold is the coldest month?
What is the difference between the hottest
and coldest months?
20

21. 21
EXAMPLE

22. 22
EXAMPLE

23. 23

24. 24

25. LESSON 2; 1. Find pictures of the flora and fauna of
tropical rainforest , at least five of each, extra
merit if you label them correctly!
2. Doddle; Rainforests mini quiz
DATE MARKED:
GRADE: A B C D
MERIT: 1 2
ORDER MARK:
DETENTION:
COMMENT:
TARGET:
25

26. 26

27. Background Worksheets > Before your visit
Rainforest layers
www.livingrainforest.org
Complete the labels for each layer of the forest. Choose from the following words:
forest floor canopy understorey emergents
Some very tall trees tower
above the main forest layer.
These are called
This layer is called
the .
Many birds, monkeys and
other animals live here.
Here it is more airy, and
climbing plants can be found.
This is the .
On the
it is dark, hot and humid.
.
Now colour in your picture.
Extra time? Add some rainforest animals to your picture.
27

28. B
ECOSYSTEMS REVIEW PUPIL’S BOOK PAGES 1–22
Tropical rainforest
Name ________________________________________________________________________________
Your task
1 Describe what the term ecosystem means.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
2 Look at the drawing below. Label each of the features shown by the
lines.
3 Explain each of the following characteristics of tropical rainforest:
a) The trees are tall because
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
b) The plants are evergreen because
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
c) Few plants grow on the forest floor because
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
© JOHN MURRAY earthworks 2 teacher’s resource book 53
EARTHWORKS TRB2 (B1 [F] TP) 12/8/00 4:46 pm Page 53
28

29. 29

30. REMEMBER TITLE AND DATE LESSON 1
30

31. NEW KEY GEOGRAPHY Interactions Teacher’s Resource © Nelson Thornes 200738
Ecosystems NEW KEY GEOGRAPHY Interactions pages 14–15
What are tropical rainforests?
1.13
The tropical rainforests have more species of trees and wildlife than anywhere
else on earth. All plants and wildlife have had to adapt to the hot and wet
environment.
START Bangladesh
Vine-type of
plant found
in rainforest
CanopySTART Bangladesh
Name given
to large tree
roots
Mahogany,
Greenheart START BangladeshBrazil
Layer of dense
plant growth
containing
shrubs and
ferns
START Bangladesh
Layer of
trees that
blocks out
the sun from
the lower
layers
Forest floor START BangladeshSTART
The Amazon
rainforest is
in this
country
START Bangladesh
Hardwood
trees
Type of
weather
found in
rainforest
START Bangladesh
The way in
which plants
and animals
survive in
the rainforest
FINISH START Bangladesh
Usually dark
and damp:
it contains a
layer of
rotting leaves
Emergent
START Bangladesh
Name given
to the tallest
trees in the
rainforest
Evergreen
START Bangladesh
Appearance
of the
rainforest all
year round
Adaptation
START Bangladesh
Equatorial
climate
Lianas START BangladeshShrub layer
Under-
canopy START Bangladesh
A layer of
bare trees
and lianas
found under
the canopy
Buttress
roots
១1 Cut out the dominoes below and study the key words written on them.
១2 Working in pairs, set out all the dominoes in a straight line. There is only
one correct order!
១3 Stick the dominoes in your book or file in the correct order.
31
pack

32. REMEMBER TITLE AND DATE LESSON 1
32

33. REMEMBER TITLE AND DATE LESSON 1
33

34. 34

35. 35
EXAMPLE

36. 36
EXAMPLE

37. 37
EXAMPLE

38. 38

39. 39

40. LESSON 3; 1. Pack p31 Dominoes
2. Write a story about spending the night in the
jungle (tropical rainforest), what do you see,
hear and smell?
DATE MARKED:
GRADE: A B C D
MERIT: 1 2
ORDER MARK:
DETENTION:
COMMENT:
TARGET:
40

41. 41
41

42. REMEMBER TITLE AND DATE LESSON 1
42

43. 1.10
ECOSYSTEMS WORKSHEET PUPIL’S BOOK PAGE 9
The nutrient cycle
Name ________________________________________________________________________________
Your task
1 Cut out each of the circles and arrows below. They represent the
stores and transfers in the nutrient cycle.
2 Make a large copy of the drawing of a cross-section of tropical
rainforest from page 7 of the Pupil’s Book.
Arrange the circles and arrows on it to make the nutrient cycle. (Try to
do this without help but, if you need to, look at Diagram D on page 9
of the Pupil’s Book.)
3 Write a paragraph to describe how the nutrient cycle works.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
36 earthworks 2 teacher’s resource book © JOHN MURRAY
Nutrients
contained in the
humus
Leaves fall
to the
ground
and decay
into humus
Rain washes
nutrients
from the
humus into
the soil
Nutrients
contained in the
soil
Rain washes
nutrients
from the
soil
Rocks
break down
to form
soil
Nutrients
contained in the
trees
Tree roots
take up
nutrients
from the
soil
Sunshine
and rainfall
help trees
to produce
nutrients
EARTHWORKS TRB2 (B1 [F] TP) 12/8/00 4:43 pm Page 36
43

44. REMEMBER TITLE AND DATE LESSON 1
44

45. 45

46. 46Extensions

47. 47
Think Through Geography

48. 48
Think Through Geography

49. 49

50. 50
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Think Through Geography
Sustainable management: rubber tapping in the Amazon

51. 51
51

52. 52

53. 53

54. REMEMBER TITLE AND DATE LESSON 1
54

55. Ecosystems NEW KEY GEOGRAPHY Interactions pages 4–51.1
NEW KEY GEOGRAPHY Interactions Teacher’s Resource © Nelson Thornes 200725
How are ecosystems at risk?
An ecosystem is a community of plants and animals whose lives are
closely linked to each other and to the climate and soil of the area in
which they grow or live. Ecosystems may be changed by human activity.
Fewer clouds are
formed.
Rain can now fall
directly onto the ground.
Tree canopy will no
longer protect soil
from rain.
Fewer leaves fall to the
ground.
Heavy logging machinery
damages the soil.
Weather becomes
much drier.
Soil is more easily
eroded.
More carbon dioxide in
the air.
Soil is compacted and a
hard crust forms as it
dries out.
Fewer nutrients enter
soil and it becomes less
fertile.
The moisture given off
by trees keeps the
air cool.
Trees catch rainfall
before it reaches the
ground.
Burning rainforests adds
greenhouse gases to the
atmosphere and increases
global warming.
Trees hold the soil
together.
Each tree cut down is
one less that can
convert harmful gases to
the oxygen we breathe.
The loss of forest has
changed the ecosystem.
Rivers are more likely to
flood downstream and
on floodplains.
Less carbon dioxide will
be absorbed from the
atmosphere.
The air becomes drier
and temperatures rise.
Half the world’s trees
are in the rainforests.
The fertile layer of soil
becomes much thinner.
Large areas of the
rainforest have been
destroyed.
Less heat can escape
from the ground.
More water will run off
the ground surface.
Trees and the soil will
absorb less water.
The climate becomes
warmer.
Without tree roots to
bind it, soil is washed
away by rain choking
rivers and causing floods.
Roots of trees take up
moisture from the soil
and this helps to
prevent flooding.
Trees help to keep the
climate in balance. They
are an important part of
the water cycle that
produces rain.
The soil is poor so tree
roots grow close to the
surface, to gather
nutrients.
Trees take in carbon dioxide from the air and give
out oxygen. This controls the amount of carbon
dioxide in the air and helps us to breathe.
១1 Working with a partner, cut out and read the statements below.
១2 Sort the statements into two groups linked to:
N local flooding
N global climate change.
Be careful! Some statements could fit in
either group.
១3 Arrange the statements into a spider diagram
with the word Deforestation in the middle.
Draw arrows to show links between the
statements and say why they are connected.
Your diagram should explain how
deforestation could result in local flooding and
global climate change. 55

56. REMEMBER TITLE AND DATE LESSON 1
56

57. REMEMBER TITLE AND DATE LESSON 1
57

58. LESSON 4; 1. Pack p48 Ex 1, 2 and 3 (WWF leaflet as a
separate piece to go on the wall)
2. Pack p55 How are ecosystems at risk?
DATE MARKED:
GRADE: A B C D
MERIT: 1 2
ORDER MARK:
DETENTION:
COMMENT:
TARGET:
58

59. 1
2
3
4
5
B A
C
6
D
ECOSYSTEMS REVIEW PUPIL’S BOOK PAGES 1–22
Deforestation
Name ________________________________________________________________________________
Your task
1 Look at the drawing. It shows an area of tropical rainforest that is
changing.
List six human activities that are changing the forest.
I ________________________ 4 ___________________________
2 ________________________ 5 ___________________________
3 ________________________ 6 ___________________________
2 a) Which of the activities has least effect on the forest do you think? _________________________________
b) Explain why.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
c) Which of the activities has most effect on the forest do you think?_________________________________
d) Explain why.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
3 Imagine that you are part of the government in a country that has a
large area of rainforest. Your country is relatively poor and still has
many groups of people who depend on the forest for their survival.
Write a report in your workbook to recommend how the forest should
be exploited. Mention how you would meet the needs of people living
in the forest, and what you would do to conserve areas of forest.
© JOHN MURRAY earthworks 2 teacher’s resource book 55
EARTHWORKS TRB2 (B1 [F] TP) 12/8/00 4:46 pm Page 55
59

60. 60

61. 61
REVIEW

62. 62

63. 63

64. 64

65. LESSON 5; Doddle;
Developing Rainforests mini quiz,
Resources and rainforests super quiz,
Eco-tourism extension quiz
DATE MARKED:
GRADE: A B C D
MERIT: 1 2
ORDER MARK:
DETENTION:
COMMENT:
TARGET:
65

66. © JOHN MURRAY earthworks 2 teacher’s resource book 57
ECOSYSTEMS SELF-ASSESSMENT SHEET PUPIL’S BOOK PAGES 1–22
Ecosystems self-assessment
Name ________________________________________________________________________________
When you have completed the Ecosystems unit, assess how well you
are able to do the following things.
Not at all With help Quite well Very well
– identify different types of ecosystem in your area
– carry out a simple plant survey
– describe the global distribution of tropical rainforest
– describe and draw the main features of rainforest
– explain how rainforest is adapted to the climate
– use diagrams to explain the natural cycles in rainforest
– understand how people adapt their lifestyle to the
environment
– describe the impact of human activities on the
rainforest
– interpret satellite images
– explain how human actions in one place can affect
people elsewhere
What have you enjoyed in this unit? _______________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
What have you found easy in this unit? ____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
What have you found difficult in this unit? __________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
What do you aim to improve in the next unit? ______________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
EARTHWORKS TRB2 (B1 [F] TP) 12/8/00 4:46 pm Page 57
66
plants and animals adapt
- describe the climate of the tropical rainforest

67. ECOSYSTEMS AND TROPICAL
RAINFOREST HOMEWORK
 Lesson 1; 1. Pack p10/11 Locations
2. Research a biome; information, map and
pictures, see examples p12 and 13
 Lesson 2; 1. Find pictures of the flora and fauna of tropical
rainforests; at least five of each, extra merit if
you label them correctly
2. Doddle; Rainforests mini quiz
 Lesson 3; 1. Pack p31 Dominoes
2. Write a story about spending the night in the
jungle (tropical rainforest); What do you see,
hear and smell?
 Lesson 4; 1. Pack p48 Ex 1, 2 and 3 (WWF leaflet as a
separate piece to go on the wall)
2. Pack p55 How are ecosystems at risk?
 Lesson 5; Doddle;
Developing Rainforests mini quiz,
Resources and rainforests super quiz,
Eco-tourism extension quiz
67

68. SPARE PAGES
68

69. SPARE PAGES
69