Based on ideas by Amy Fesler, Kindergarten Teacher

Objectives

Students will:

Learn about the layers of the rainforest (forest floor, understory, canopy, emergent layer)
Identify a rainforest animal and understand its habitat
Create a simple 3-D rainforest scene inside a file folder
Practice fine motor skills through cutting, coloring, painting, and assembling

Materials

For each child:

One file folder
Lightweight cardboard (cereal boxes work well)
Crayons
Markers
Watercolor or tempera paints + brushes
Colored paper (green variety is especially useful)
Scissors
Glue
Optional additions:
Tissue paper for leaves
String or yarn for vines
Stickers or printed rainforest animals

Plan

1. Introduce Rainforest Layers

Before starting the project, teach students about:

Emergent layer
Canopy
Understory
Forest floor

Read a rainforest book or show pictures. Ask each student to choose one rainforest animal and determine which layer it lives in.

2. Prepare the File Folder

Open the file folder so it stands like a book.
Inside the folder, students will create their rainforest habitat.

Tip:
If young children will need help with pop-outs, pre-cut the slits before art time.

3. Create the Rainforest Background

Students decorate the entire inside of the folder to show the layer their animal lives in.

Encourage:

Bright greens and tropical colors
Trees, leaves, vines, flowers
Waterfalls, branches, or forest floor details depending on the layer

They may use:

Crayons
Markers
Paints
Torn colored paper

Let dry if paint was used.

4. Make the Pop-Out Platform

With the folder closed:

Cut two vertical slits about 1 inch apart and 3 inches long.
Push the tab inward to form a pop-out box that sticks inside the folder when opened.
This will serve as the “stage” for their rainforest animal.

If space allows, students may make two pop-outs for additional animals or plants.

5. Create the Animal

Students may either:

Draw their animal on lightweight cardboard
Use printed outlines of rainforest animals
Cut one from rainforest magazines or worksheets

Steps:

Color or paint the animal
Cut it out
Glue it securely onto the pop-out platform

Now the folder has a 3-D rainforest scene!

6. Finishing Touches

Students may add:

Extra plants on the pop-out
Leaf shapes around the edges
Vines made from twisted green paper
Clouds or sun at the top of the folder
Insects or birds in the background

Labeling ideas:

The animal’s name
The rainforest layer
One fact about the animal

Display Ideas

Stand folders upright like a “Rainforest Museum”
Display them during a rainforest unit or parent night
Use them to prompt oral presentations (“Tell us about your animal…”)

Teacher Notes

This project is GREAT for:

Science + art integration
Hands-on understanding of ecosystems
Learning how animals depend on habitat
Practicing cutting, folding, coloring, and gluing skills

Rainforest Exploration: 3-D Habitat File Folder Project