Rainforests! The Earth’s lungs. They’re being destroyed globally at unimaginable rates. Why? For agriculture, cattle grazing, mining, urban and suburban development…all human activities. And at what cost? Hundreds or, perhaps, thousands of species are displaced when just one section of forest is torn down. Like urban apartment buildings, life in forests occurs vertically as well as horizontally. Great diversity of animal species live at each vertical level of the forest, with some at dizzying heights, and with vast varieties of resources at each level. This reduces competition for resources. Forests provide accommodations for all, including living quarters, a wide variety of foods, shelter from the elements, and hiding places from predators. From the forest floor to the very tall treetops, there’s something vital for everyone.

Here’s an opportunity to gently learn about who loses their homes when we humans take them away. These lessons provide opportunities for kids to brainstorm what can be done—what we can all do in our everyday lives—to preserve those vital rainforests. The slideshow incorporates beautiful photos, rainforest sounds, and Fun Facts interspersed throughout. The accompanying downloadable game matches species to the levels of the rainforests in which they live. It’s a visual learning opportunity. Lessons include rainforest definitions, layers of a tropical rainforest and their attributes, a peek into who lives at each layer, the symbiotic relationships inherent in healthy and diverse ecosystems (biodiversity), the crises rainforests are facing, their importance to and impact on us all, and what can be done to save them.