Open Up - Grade 5 - ELA - Module 2 - Mid Unit 1 Assessment - Formative Library | Library

Read the article “Saving an Important Resource” and answer the questions that follow.

Saving an Important Resource

Rainforests are important to people around the world. They produce the oxygen we need to breathe and clean our atmosphere. They provide plants that we use to make medicines that cure diseases. Yet, humans are destroying thousands of acres of rainforest each day for wood, to grow crops, to build roads, to mine, and to find oil. This can affect the earth’s climate. When rainforests are cut down, many plants and animals living in the rainforest disappear. Some species are even at risk of becoming extinct. This disrupts the balance of the ecosystem. Rainforest destruction can have serious consequences for people, plants, and animals.

There are steps we can take to reduce the human impact on the rainforest. Governments can create preserves where people can’t cut down trees. We can harvest the trees responsibly to not endanger wildlife. For example, logging companies can be prohibited from “clear cutting” (cutting down all the trees in an area). Logging companies can also be required to plant a new tree for each old tree they cut down.

We all need to be careful about the way we consume rainforest products like coffee, chocolate, products made from palm oil, and cashews. We should buy these products from companies that are environmentally responsible. We can also walk, bike, or use public transport rather than traveling by car to save oil.

Human activity can have a great impact on the rainforests. But, there are things we can do to help protect this precious natural resource.

Sources:
“Preserving the Rainforests.” Learning about Rainforests. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Jan. 2016. .
“8 Easy Ways to Green Your Home.” Rainforest Alliance. Rainforest Alliance, n.d. Web. 19 Jan. 2016.
“10 Things You Can Do to Save the Rainforest.” Rainforest Foundation US. Rainforest Foundation US, n.d. Web. 19 Jan. 2016. .

Which best describes the structure of this text? Underline your answer. (RI.5.5)

In the space below, create and complete a graphic organizer that summarizes the main ideas and supporting details of the article. You may use your Text Structures Resource Page to help you design the graphic organizer. (RI.5.2, RI5.5)

Using the information in the graphic organizer, write a brief summary of the text below. (RI.5.2)

“Saving an Important Resource” describes some of the problems caused by human activities in the rainforest and offers possible solutions. Activities like clear cutting, farming, building roads, and mining are destroying the plants and animals in the rainforest. We can solve this problem by reducing the human impact. Governments can set up natural preserves, and companies can log responsibly and replant the trees they cut down. Finally, we should only buy rainforest products like coffee, chocolate, products made from palm oil, and cashews from companies that are environmentally responsible. If we take these steps, we can help protect this valuable resource."

Read the article “Natural Events and the Rainforest” and answer the questions that follow.

Natural Events and the Rainfores
Rainforests are a precious natural resource, yet every day thousands of acres of rainforest are destroyed. Human activities such as logging, farming, and hunting are responsible for much of this destruction. Did you know that natural events like fire, drought, and storms can also destroy wildlife in the tropical rainforest? Damage to the rainforest from natural causes is very different from damage caused by human activities. Some scientists think that these natural events may even help to keep the rainforest healthy!

DROUGHT
Drought is a long period with very little or no rain. Drought can make it hard for plants and animals to get the water they need. Some studies have shown, though, that drier conditions can be good for fruit production. Scientists are concerned that climate change will decrease the amount of rainfall in forests and that droughts may become more severe in years to come. This may make forest fires more likely.

FOREST FIRES 
Forest fires may happen in the rainforest during a period of drought. Lightning can spark the fire. Forest fires usually burn the ground vegetation, leaving the taller trees of the canopy. Fires like this destroyed 9 million acres in Indonesia in 1982–83. Although fires like these can be extremely destructive, they can also clear the forest floor and make room for new species to grow. This can increase biodiversity.

STORMS 
During storms, high winds can blow down smaller trees, causing damage in the rainforest. Trees in the rainforest are often connected by a series of vines and lianas. As a result, when a tree falls, it can bring down others. Most rainforests recover from moderate storm damage in a few months or years. Fallen trees and leaves decompose, allowing new plants and trees to grow. These new plants and trees can increase biodiversity and reinvigorate the rainforest. Flooding also happens quite often in some lowland rainforests during the rainy season. Many of the trees and plants have adapted to this and remain undamaged.

Natural forces like storms, drought, and fire can cause significant destruction in the rainforest. The damage caused by these natural events is generally quite different from destruction caused by human activities. Usually in natural events, parts of the ecosystem still continue to function. From the parts of the ecosystem that remain, the forest can usually regenerate. The forest can be healthy, with as much or even more diversity of life than it had originally, just a few years after an event.

Written by EL Education for instructional purposes

Sources:
Butler, Rhett. “Natural Threats to Rainforests.” Mongabay.com. N.p., 27 July 2012. Web. 19 Jan. 2016. .
“Rainforest Stability and Disturbance.” Rainforest Conservation Fund. Rainforest Conservation Fund, n.d. Web. 19 Jan. 2016.

Which best describes the structure of this text? Underline your answer. (RI.5.5)

Which sentence best states a similarity between the way information is presented in “Natural Events and the Rainforest” and the way information is presented in “Saving an Important Resource”? Underline your answer. (RI.5.5)

Which sentence best states a difference between the way information is presented in “Natural Events and the Rainforest” and the way information is presented in “Saving an Important Resource”? Underline your answer. (RI.5.5)

Source: Open Up Resouces (Download for free at openupresources.org.)