Academically Talented and Gifted students at Rose Kidd Elementary School recently took their knowledge of the rainforest a step further by turning the school¹s science room into a tropical jungle. Source photo by Chris Willilams

The 18 students, all in fourth through sixth grades, decided to take their knowledge of the Amazon in a new direction by transforming the school’s science room into a vine-strewn, snake-infested and crocodile-guarded rainforest.

“This year they were learning about saving the world and originally they raised $135 for Netting Nations, which provides Malaria nets to countries throughout the world,” said teacher Jennifer Stuehmer. “Then they learned all about the Amazon Rainforest and decided they wanted to make one of their own.”

For several weeks during their hour-long TAG sessions, the student created papier-mache crocodiles, snakes and vines, construction paper trees and large murals depicting an Amazonian jungle. Students and parents then spent nearly seven hours setting the makeshift rainforest up on May 12, staying at the school until 10:30 p.m. to conduct the finishing touches.

“I had an idea of how I wanted it to look, but they really did everything,” said Stuehmer. “It became an after-school project where we would lay down all the murals. The kids couldn’t get all of the vines hung up themselves, so the parents helped out with that.”

With the rainforest ready to go, the students then invited every class in the school to come in and go on an expedition through their creation. Students also visited other classrooms to read the book “Under the Kapok Tree,” which tells of life in the Amazon rainforest. On April 4, the class was going to sell “Raindrop Cookies” to raise funds to help preserve the rainforests.

Stuehmer said the project captured the attention of the entire faculty and Rose Kidd students.

“I love it,” she said. “The whole staff was very excited about it and very willing to help out in letting everyone see it.”