Kapok trees and rain forests can launch numerous educational, interesting activities for school projects, homeschooling units or just for fun. There is an abundance of materials applicable to kapok trees and rain forests, such as research topics, writing assignments, stories and hands-on activities.

Share a Story

Lynne Cherry’s book “The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest” is centered around a young man who travels to the forest with his ax in order to chop down trees. Cherry’s story features exquisite illustrations, and it creatively delivers an excellent message about eco-responsibility. This book is the winner of the International Reading Association Teacher’s Choice Award and the Charlotte Award.

Create a Lapbook

A lapbook is a cost-effective educational tool that can serve as the basis of a multifaceted, detailed project. In order to make a lapbook about kapok trees and the rain forests, several items can be placed inside of a file folder, like a kapok tree booklet, folded world map with rain forests marked, rain forest animal flashcards in an envelope and a rain forest layers flip book.

Cultivate Budding Activists

Inspired children can become rain forest advocates. Have the children create posters about rain forest protection and preservation. They can also make postcards to send to friends and family about the importance of rain forest conservation. For computer-based activities, children can build a website page or blog about the subject with links to rain forest preservation charities.

Give a Writing Assignment

Give the children a writing/research assignment regarding the use of kapok trees in cultures across the East Indies, Africa and the Americas. Or assign a comparison paper about temperate rain forests versus tropical rain forests. For creative writing assignments, students can write a note to the main character in “The Great Kapok Tree,” explaining the reason why he does not want to chop down the trees.