Learning objective
- To describe the characteristics of each layer of a tropical rainforest.
Success criteria
- I can name the four layers of a
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National curriculum
Geography
Locational knowledge
‘Pupils should be taught
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Cross-curricular links
Science
Plants
‘Pupils should be taught to:
-
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Before the lesson
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Lesson plan
Recap and recall
Display the Quiz: The Amazon rainforest to recall some of the key knowledge learned in the previous lesson.
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Extended-mode explainer videos
How to extend your display to view the lesson page and presentation mode simultaneously. Choose your operating system below to watch the video
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Extended-mode explainer video: For Mac
Extended-mode explainer video: For Windows
Adaptive teaching
Pupils needing extra support:
Can use the Activity: Layers of the rainforest (supported) to match the name of each layer and the descriptive sentence to the rainforest diagram.
Pupils working at greater depth:
Could add labels and sentences to their Activity: Layers of the rainforest without using the word bank.
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Assessing progress and understanding
Pupils with secure understanding indicated by: naming and describing the
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Vocabulary definitions
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buttress roots
Large, thick roots above the ground that keep tall trees stable.
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canopy layer
The layer of overlapping branches and leaves below the top of the rainforest that gets sunlight, rain and wind.
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In this unit
Assessment - Geography Y3/4 (A): Why are rainforests important to us?
Y3/4 (A): Lesson 1: Where in the world are tropical rainforests?
Y3/4 (A): Lesson 2: What is the Amazon rainforest like?
Y3/4 (A): Lesson 3: Who lives in the rainforest?
Y3/4 (A): Lesson 4: How are rainforests changing?
Y3/4 (A): Lesson 5: How is our local woodland used?: Data collection
Y3/4 (A): Lesson 6: How is our local woodland used?: Findings
Maintained by: Kapow Primary team
Last update: 10th November, 2025
Contributors
Y3/4 (A): Lesson 4: How are rainforests changing?
Describing why tropical rainforests are important to our Earth; understanding the negative environmental impact humans...
Y3/4 (A): Lesson 6: How is our local woodland used?: Findings
Collating and analysing data to identify how people use the woodland; presenting and discussing findings;...
Y3/4 (A): Lesson 5: How is our local woodland used?: Data collection
Visiting a local woodland to find out how it is used; practising the data collection...
Assessment – Geography Y3/4 (A): Why are rainforests important to us?
Assessment quiz and Knowledge catcher for use at the start and/or end of the unit...
