Once Upon A Book ~ Over In The Jungle

Over in the Jungle, a Rainforest Rhyme

by Marianne Berkes

Summary:  Learn about the flora, fauna, and habitat of the rainforest while you count, clap, and rhyme in this bright and creative children’s book.
 

Bible Verses

"You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you." (Nehemiah 9:6)

"How many are your works, O Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number-living things both large and small. (Psalm 104:24-25)

I honestly am so thankful that Totally Tots chose the theme of jungle for the month of June.  I never would have checked many of these delightful books out of our local library had I not been forced encouraged to.  Just kidding.  But seriously . . . the boys and I have had a GREAT time learning about the rainforest! 

We also read, and I give you this list because these books greatly enhanced our learning:

• If I Ran the Rainforest by Bonnie Worth, which was my FAVORITE of all our rainforest books.  The Cat in the Hat teaches you, I mean, your child all about the layers of the rainforest, animals, and even deforestation! 
• Rain, Rain, Rain Forest by Brenda Z. Guiberson, who relates the long and arduous journey that a sloth takes just to go to the bathroom!  It does talk about other things . . . but having three boys, they focused on the potty talk!
• The Rainforest Grew All Around by Susan K. Mitchell, is an adaptation of the song, The Green Grass Grew All Around.  The book is filled with detailed pictures, fun facts, and a recipe for rainforest cookies. 
• Wild Rainforest by Kathy Ross, which also exists as an e-book through your library system that can be checked out with your library card and viewed via the internet, the way that we viewed this book and made the below crafts. 

Crafts

Rainforest Layers

Supplies:

• lid
• modeling clay or play dough
• green and brown tissue paper
• glue or tape
• 3-5 sticks
  

Directions:

• Flatten play dough onto the lid
• Poke sticks through the dough and form dough around the base of the sticks to support your imaginary tree.  Make sure that you have tall sticks and short sticks to demonstrate the various layers of the rainforest.  (There are actually four layers which you can view at Enchanted Learning.
• Crumple tissue paper and attach it to the top of the stick with tape or glue.
• Add any animals you have on hand that might live in the jungle, such as jaguars, sloths, toucans, bats, boas ants and poison dart frogs.  Or help your child draw and cut out some rainforest creatures. 
  

Spider Monkey Mobile

 
Supplies:

• large tree branch
• tape
• tissue paper in green and brown, cut up into squares
• brown construction paper
• brown chenille wire
• glue or stapler
• string to hang the stick
  

Directions: (I simplified this craft from how the book explained.)

• Have child tape tissue paper onto the stick.  (“Honey,” who is almost 4, got a little tired doing this and received some help from his older brother.) 
• Meanwhile, I cut out ovals for the body and circles for the face (with ears) to make the monkeys.  I allowed the boys to decorate their monkey, face and all. 
• Each monkey needs 5 (4-inch) pipe cleaners for the hands, feet, and tail.  I stapled the appendages to the monkey’s body.  Make sure your child curves the monkey’s tail so that it can hang from the branch!
• Attach the string to the branch and hang your spider monkey mobile wherever works best!  Ours went in our school room.  

Songs 

Rainforest Layers (sung to the tune “If You’re Happy and You Know It”)

There are layers in the forest, yes indeed Yes indeed

There are layers in the forest, yes indeed Yes indeed
Emergent, canopy and the understory
There are layers in the forest. Yes indeed!

The emergent's home to birds and butterflies Butterflies!
The emergent's home to birds and butterflies Butterflies!
The trees are so high that they almost touch the sky
 The emergent's home to birds and butterflies. Butterflies!

The canopy is like a big umbrella Big Umbrella
The canopy is like a big umbrella Big Umbrella
Monkeys, sloths, orangutan Eat all the fruit they can
The canopy is like a big umbrella Big Umbrella!

The Understory's home to many snakes Many snakes!
The understory's home to many snakes Many snakes!
They eat cats and rats and bats And they like the gnats for snacks
The understory's home to many snakes! Many Snakes!

The Forest Floor is dim and dark and wet Dark and wet
The forest floor is dim and dark and wet Dark and wet
The ants go marching by as they watch the birds up high,
The forest floor is dim and dark and wet. Dark and wet!

Want to see what's coming next (and books we've done in the past)? Click here to see our Once Upon a Book webpage!