Cross-Curricular

Reading Comprehension
Cross-Curricular
Reading Comprehension
Worksheets:Worksheets:
D-5 of 36 D-5 of 36

Rainforest
Ecosystems
Rainforest
Ecosystems
Cross-Curricular
Focus;
Cross-Curricular
Focus:Life
LifeSciences
Science

Rainforest
are found
the equator,
the center
Rainforestecosystems
ecosystems have
more near
rain than
other areas.
Tropicalimaginary
line
of latitude
runs
east
west around
Earth. Tropical
rainforests
rainforests
arethat
found
near
theand
equator,
the imaginary
line of latitude
that runs
have
more
rain
than
other
areas.
The
weather
is
warm
and
humid
year
east and west around the widest part of Earth. The weather is warmalland
long.
There
is lots
sunlight.
humid
all year
longofnear
the equator. There is lots of sunlight.
Living things are abundant in the rainforests. There are thousands
Living of
things
are
in thekinds
rainforests.
There
areneeds
thousands
of species
animals
and even more
of plants.
Their
for of
species
of and
animals,
andare
even
kinds
plants. Their
needs
for sun,The
water
sun,
water
warmth
allmore
met by
theofconditions
of the
rainforest.
and
warmth
are
all
met
by
the
conditions
of
the
rainforest.
The
excellent
excellent conditions allow them to thrive. There is an amazing amount and
conditions
allowin
them
.
There
is an
amazing
amount
and varietyaof
variety
of plants
thatto
one
location.
This
variety
makes
the rainforests
plants in one location, making rainforests a major source of Earth's overall
major source of Earths overall oxygen supply.
oxygen supply.
Tropical rainforests have layers of life. The uppermost layer is called
the canopy.
Very mature,
talllayers
treesofstretch
outuppermost
their branches
and
leaves,
Tropical rainforests
have
life. The
layer is
called
the
nearly
blocking mature,
out the sun
in some
places.
Manybranches
animalsand
live leaves,
high in this
Very
tall trees
stretch
out their
nearlyleafy
blocking
out the
places. Many
animals
highdifferent
in this
green,
habitat.
Yousun
caninsome
nd monkeys,
tree frogs
andlive
many
green, leafy
habitat. You can find monkeys, tree frogs, and many different
species
of birds.
species
of the
birds.
Below is
thea treetops
is a second
called the understory.
Below
treetops
second layer,
calledlayer,
the understory.
The
The
understory
is
shaded
by
the
canopy.
Not
as
much
sunlight
reaches
understory is shaded by the canopy. Not as much sunlight reaches thethe
plantsinthere.
Bushes andBushes
growingand
trees
make up
themake
understory.
is home to
plants
the understory.
growing
trees
up theItunderstory.
reptiles,
and reptiles
small climbing
animals.
The animals.
third layer, the forest floor, is
Itbirds,
is home
to birds,
and small
climbing
busy with life. Vines, shrubs, mosses, ferns, flowers, and large predator
The third layer, the forest oor, is busy with life. Vines, shrubs, mosses,
animals, such as jaguars, can be found there. Small animals burrow into the
ferns, owers and large predator animals, such as jaguars, can be found
ground and live in bushes. Leaf-cutter ants and other insects busily hunt for
there. Small animals burrow into the ground and live in bushes. Leaf-cutter
food and water.
ants and other insects busily hunt for food and water.
Rainforestscontain
containsome
someofofEarths
Earths
greatest
biological
treasures.
Rainforests
greatest
biological
treasures.
Many
medicines
are made
from plants
found there.
have used
them
to
Many
medicines
are made
from plants
found Scientists
there. Scientists
have
used
maketosome
drugs fordrugs
treating
AIDS.and
Food
sources
are
them
makepromising
some promising
for cancer
treatingand
cancer
AIDS.
Food
very rich,
too.
There
3,000
grow the
sources
are
very
rich,are
too.over
There
arefruits
overalone.
3,000 Rainforests
fruits alone.also
Rainforests
vegetables
and
grains thatand
make
up most
of the up
worlds
diet.
You can
find
also
grow the
vegetables
grains
that make
mostdaily
of the
worlds
daily
corn,
potatoes,
rice,
and
squash
there.
Spices
like
ginger,
cinnamon,
and
diet. You can nd corn, potatoes, rice and squash there. Spices like ginger,
chocolate grow
alongside grow
coffeealongside
and a variety
of nuts.
rainforests
cinnamon,
and chocolate
coffee
and aThe
variety
of nuts.produce
The
all
this
in
addition
to
providing
oxygen
for
Earth.
It
is
clear
that
the
rainforests
rainforests produce all this in addition to providing oxygen for Earth. The
have more are
value
than
can be to
measured.
rainforests
very
valuable
the planet.

Name:__________________________________
Name: ______________________________________

Answer the following questions based on the

reading passage. Dont forget to go back to

the passage whenever necessary to nd or

conrm your answers.

1) Some people want to cut down the rainforests to use

the land for buildings and businesses. What would you say
What is the canopy of the rainforest?
to 1)
them?
_______________________________________________

______________________________________

_______________________________________________
______________________________________
_______________________________________________
2) Why might a scientist be interested in the
2) rainforests?
Why might a scientist
be interested in the rainforests?
____________________________

______________________________________
_______________________________________________
3) Do you think you could survive alone in a

_______________________________________________
or why
not?
3) rainforest?
Do you think Why,
you could
survive
alone in a rainforest?
Why, or why not?
______________________________________
_______________________________________________

______________________________________

_______________________________________________
Describe
the conditions
thata make
a rainforest
a
4) 4)
Describe
the conditions
that make
rainforest
a good
place
for place
many living
things.living things.
good
for many
_______________________________________________

______________________________________

_______________________________________________
______________________________________
5) Why do you think the weather is warmer at the equator
than
other areas?are found near what imaginary line?
5) in
Rainforests
_______________________________________________

______________________________________
_______________________________________________

______________________________________

Copyright 2012 K12Reader - http://www.k12reader.com

Cross-Curricular
Reading Comprehension
Cross-Curricular
Reading Comprehension
Worksheets:Worksheets:
D-5 of 36 D-5 of 36

Rainforest
Ecosystems
Rainforest
Ecosystems
Cross-Curricular
Focus;
Cross-Curricular
Focus:Life
LifeSciences
Science

Rainforest
are found
the equator,
the center
Rainforestecosystems
ecosystems have
more near
rain than
other areas.
Tropicalimaginary
line
of latitude
runs
east
west around
Earth. Tropical
rainforests
rainforests
arethat
found
near
theand
equator,
the imaginary
line of latitude
that runs
have
more
rain
than
other
areas.
The
weather
is
warm
and
humid
year
east and west around the widest part of Earth. The weather is warmalland
long.
There
is lots
sunlight.
humid
all year
longofnear
the equator. There is lots of sunlight.
Living things are abundant in the rainforests. There are thousands
Living of
things
are
in thekinds
rainforests.
There
areneeds
thousands
of species
animals
and even more
of plants.
Their
for of
species
of and
animals,
andare
even
kinds
plants. Their
needs
for sun,The
water
sun,
water
warmth
allmore
met by
theofconditions
of the
rainforest.
and
warmth
are
all
met
by
the
conditions
of
the
rainforest.
The
excellent
excellent conditions allow them to thrive. There is an amazing amount and
conditions
allowin
them
.
There
is an
amazing
amount
and varietyaof
variety
of plants
thatto
one
location.
This
variety
makes
the rainforests
plants in one location, making rainforests a major source of Earth's overall
major source of Earths overall oxygen supply.
oxygen supply.
Tropical rainforests have layers of life. The uppermost layer is called
the canopy.
Very mature,
talllayers
treesofstretch
outuppermost
their branches
and
leaves,
Tropical rainforests
have
life. The
layer is
called
the
nearly
blocking mature,
out the sun
in some
places.
Manybranches
animalsand
live leaves,
high in this
Very
tall trees
stretch
out their
nearlyleafy
blocking
out the
places. Many
animals
highdifferent
in this
green,
habitat.
Yousun
caninsome
nd monkeys,
tree frogs
andlive
many
green, leafy
habitat. You can find monkeys, tree frogs, and many different
species
of birds.
species
of the
birds.
Below is
thea treetops
is a second
called the understory.
Below
treetops
second layer,
calledlayer,
the understory.
The
The
understory
is
shaded
by
the
canopy.
Not
as
much
sunlight
reaches
understory is shaded by the canopy. Not as much sunlight reaches thethe
plantsinthere.
Bushes andBushes
growingand
trees
make up
themake
understory.
is home to
plants
the understory.
growing
trees
up theItunderstory.
reptiles,
and reptiles
small climbing
animals.
The animals.
third layer, the forest floor, is
Itbirds,
is home
to birds,
and small
climbing
busy with life. Vines, shrubs, mosses, ferns, flowers, and large predator
The third layer, the forest oor, is busy with life. Vines, shrubs, mosses,
animals, such as jaguars, can be found there. Small animals burrow into the
ferns, owers and large predator animals, such as jaguars, can be found
ground and live in bushes. Leaf-cutter ants and other insects busily hunt for
there. Small animals burrow into the ground and live in bushes. Leaf-cutter
food and water.
ants and other insects busily hunt for food and water.
Rainforestscontain
containsome
someofofEarths
Earths
greatest
biological
treasures.
Rainforests
greatest
biological
treasures.
Many
medicines
are made
from plants
found there.
have used
them
to
Many
medicines
are made
from plants
found Scientists
there. Scientists
have
used
maketosome
drugs fordrugs
treating
AIDS.and
Food
sources
are
them
makepromising
some promising
for cancer
treatingand
cancer
AIDS.
Food
very rich,
too.
There
3,000
grow the
sources
are
very
rich,are
too.over
There
arefruits
overalone.
3,000 Rainforests
fruits alone.also
Rainforests
vegetables
and
grains thatand
make
up most
of the up
worlds
diet.
You can
find
also
grow the
vegetables
grains
that make
mostdaily
of the
worlds
daily
corn,
potatoes,
rice,
and
squash
there.
Spices
like
ginger,
cinnamon,
and
diet. You can nd corn, potatoes, rice and squash there. Spices like ginger,
chocolate grow
alongside grow
coffeealongside
and a variety
of nuts.
rainforests
cinnamon,
and chocolate
coffee
and aThe
variety
of nuts.produce
The
all
this
in
addition
to
providing
oxygen
for
Earth.
It
is
clear
that
the
rainforests
rainforests produce all this in addition to providing oxygen for Earth. The
have more are
value
than
can be to
measured.
rainforests
very
valuable
the planet.

Key
Name:__________________________________
Name: ______________________________________

Answer the following questions based on the

reading passage. Dont forget to go back to

the passage whenever necessary to nd or

conrm your answers.

1) Some people want to cut down the rainforests to use

Actual wording may vary.
the land for buildings and businesses. What would you say
What is the canopy of the rainforest?
to 1)
them?
_______________________________________________
the top layer

______________________________________

_______________________________________________
______________________________________
_______________________________________________
2) Why might a scientist be interested in the
because
of the
plants,
2) rainforests?
Why might a scientist
be interested
in the
rainforests?
____________________________

animals and possible medicines

______________________________________
_______________________________________________
3) Do you think you could survive alone in a

_______________________________________________
or why
not?
3) rainforest?
Do you think Why,
you could
survive
alone in a rainforest?
Why,
or
why
not?
students choice
______________________________________
_______________________________________________

______________________________________

_______________________________________________
Describe
the conditions
thata make
a rainforest
a
4) 4)
Describe
the conditions
that make
rainforest
a good
place
for place
many living
things.living things.
good
for many
_______________________________________________
It is warm with a lot of sunlight and rain.

______________________________________

_______________________________________________
______________________________________
5) Why do you think the weather is warmer at the equator
than
other areas?are found near what imaginary line?
5) in
Rainforests
_______________________________________________

the equator
______________________________________

_______________________________________________

______________________________________

Copyright 2012 K12Reader - http://www.k12reader.com