Published Thursday, April 28, 2005
Rain forest reveals variety
Monthlong project culminates for third-graders
The journey continues, and rain forest sounds -- birds and running water -- fill the air.
The students didn't travel very far for this rain forest adventure -- just out the school's back door at 2200 S.W. Eveningside Drive and then into the music room.
Each year, third-grade students study the rain forest. Each student selects an animal and then spends a month studying the animal and hand-crafting a 3-D version of it from papier mache, said Marilyn Kido, a third-grade teacher at Topeka Collegiate. The students visited the Topeka Zoo rain forest this year to learn more about their projects. After weeks of studying, it was time for the students to create a rain forest home for their animals.
Thomas Coates, 8, studied and created a boa constrictor. Megan Anderson, 9, selected a pink Amazon River dolphin, and ShaNoah Davis, 9, created an aye-aye, which is a primate found in the rain forest.
"My favorite would have to be the jaguar," Megan said of a classmate's creation.
The three students were among 31 third-graders who spent Tuesday and Wednesday giving other Topeka Collegiate students tours of the forest.
"It was fun," said Natalie Shinn, 10, a fourth-grader who received a tour Tuesday afternoon. "It was cool."
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"It's become a tradition for students," Kido said. "This year is quite a bit different because of the live plants."
The third-graders were nervous at first about giving tours to other students, but their nervousness soon gave way to excitement, Kido said.
Although students had fun creating and showing off their rain forest, it also was a learning experience, Megan said.
Many facts about real rain forests were discussed, she said.
"If we cut it down, there won't be any more chocolate," Megan said, referring to the cocoa trees growing in rain forests.
TOURS
Third-graders will continue tours today.
Tours will be from 9 to 9:40 a.m.; 10:20 to 11 a.m.; 12:45 a.m. to 1:20 p.m.; 1:40 to 2:20 p.m.; and 5:30 to 7 p.m.
For information, call (785) 228-0490.
Ann Marie Bush can be reached at (785) 295-1207 or ann.bush@cjonline.com.
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