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K–5 Grade Science Activities: Explore Rainforest Ecology Through Hands-On Learning
Mission: Rainforest!
STEM, Nature and Wildlife
12
Activities
Grades K - 5
Mission: Rainforest!
Go2Science
K - 5
10 Hours 25 Minutes
Join Go2Science in the rainforests of Panama in Mission:Rainforest! Use the video-based activities to follow along with Beth and Curtis to research a big question about blue Morpho butterflies. Get students ready to use their observation skills, they might find some surprises along the way!
Start the adventure with Dr. Mitra, learning about blue Morpho butterflies and stating a hypothesis. Then, continue learning about animals and plants in habitats like the rainforest and ocean.
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Go2Science has designed learning resources that enable students to conduct real science as they explore the world, test hypotheses, and publish findings—all while developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills! Hands-on activities and immersive field videos make learning science exciting and meaningful.
Available for free on the Mizzen platform, this immersive experience equips educators with field videos, printables, and ready-to-use activities that make it easy to bring science to life in classrooms, afterschool programs, summer camps, and out-of-school time spaces.
Thanks to generous partners and donors funding access and equity, all learning resources on Mizzen are available completely free.
To Panama
STEM, Nature and Wildlife
Grades K - 5
To Panama
K - 5
50 Minutes
With so many questions in science, where does research begin? The hypothesis! Students learn about the hypothesis from entomologist, Dr. Mitra. Then, follow along as Beth and Curtis travel to their field location. Students will then use interactive maps and satellite images to virtually compare locations related to the mission.
Discover Activity
Butterfly Camouflage
STEM, Nature and Wildlife
Grades K - 5
Butterfly Camouflage
K - 5
50 Minutes
Showing up bright and bold? Trying to blend in a bit? Butterfly wings can do both! In the field video, observe how animals use colors and patterns in their habitats. Next, create butterflies with wings that blend into a background when closed, but are flashy and attractive when open.
Discover Activity
Insect Traps
STEM, Nature and Wildlife
Grades K - 5
Insect Traps
K - 5
50 Minutes
Let’s research respectfully! Use scavenged materials to create a model insect trap. Students will think about how to safely capture and release a specific insect and then design a model trap. Before getting started, watch Beth and Curtis demonstrate how this is done in the field using butterfly traps in the rainforest.
Discover Activity
Life-size Animal Posters
STEM, Nature and Wildlife
Grades K - 5
Life-size Animal Posters
K - 5
50 Minutes
As they travel through new areas of the rainforest, Beth and Curtis share many of the animal species they see. Using their observations of rainforest animals, students will apply what they see by arranging and assembling life-size animal posters. Make just one or do them all. It’s up to you!
Discover Activity
Opposable Thumbs
STEM, Nature and Wildlife
Grades K - 5
Opposable Thumbs
K - 5
50 Minutes
Animals have many adaptations that help them in their habitat. The monkeys Beth and Curtis saw playing in the trees had opposable thumbs and opposable big toes! Have you ever stopped to think about how useful your opposable thumbs are? Students play a game to test completing different tasks with and without opposable digits.
Discover Activity
No-sew T-shirt Bags
STEM, Nature and Wildlife
Grades K - 5
No-sew T-shirt Bags
K - 5
50 Minutes
Beth and Curtis were surprised to see so much plastic waste washed up on a remote tropical island. Did you know many shirts are made with plastics? Students use their creativity to turn old t-shirts into a useful and reusable bag!
Discover Activity
Safe Sloth Crossing
STEM, Nature and Wildlife
Grades K - 5
Safe Sloth Crossing
K - 5
50 Minutes
Sloth crossing ahead! Beth and Curtis were worried the sloth they found would get hurt crossing the road. How can people help protect sloths? Design and construct a way for sloths to safely cross a road. Use observations from the video and new resources about sloths for the sloth crossing design.
Discover Activity
Sound Hide-and-Seek
STEM, Nature and Wildlife
Grades K - 5
Sound Hide-and-Seek
K - 5
50 Minutes
Have you ever wondered about all the ways animals find their way around in nature? One way is through sound! In this sound hide-and-seek game, imagine how field researchers can listen in on bat sounds even though most of their sounds are too high pitched for us to hear with just our ears.
Discover Activity
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To Panama
STEM, Nature and Wildlife
Grades K - 5
To Panama
K - 5
50 Minutes
With so many questions in science, where does research begin? The hypothesis! Students learn about the hypothesis from entomologist, Dr. Mitra. Then, follow along as Beth and Curtis travel to their field location. Students will then use interactive maps and satellite images to virtually compare locations related to the mission.
Discover Activity
Butterfly Camouflage
STEM, Nature and Wildlife
Grades K - 5
Butterfly Camouflage
K - 5
50 Minutes
Showing up bright and bold? Trying to blend in a bit? Butterfly wings can do both! In the field video, observe how animals use colors and patterns in their habitats. Next, create butterflies with wings that blend into a background when closed, but are flashy and attractive when open.
Discover Activity
Insect Traps
STEM, Nature and Wildlife
Grades K - 5
Insect Traps
K - 5
50 Minutes
Let’s research respectfully! Use scavenged materials to create a model insect trap. Students will think about how to safely capture and release a specific insect and then design a model trap. Before getting started, watch Beth and Curtis demonstrate how this is done in the field using butterfly traps in the rainforest.
Discover Activity
Life-size Animal Posters
STEM, Nature and Wildlife
Grades K - 5
Life-size Animal Posters
K - 5
50 Minutes
As they travel through new areas of the rainforest, Beth and Curtis share many of the animal species they see. Using their observations of rainforest animals, students will apply what they see by arranging and assembling life-size animal posters. Make just one or do them all. It’s up to you!
Discover Activity
Opposable Thumbs
STEM, Nature and Wildlife
Grades K - 5
Opposable Thumbs
K - 5
50 Minutes
Animals have many adaptations that help them in their habitat. The monkeys Beth and Curtis saw playing in the trees had opposable thumbs and opposable big toes! Have you ever stopped to think about how useful your opposable thumbs are? Students play a game to test completing different tasks with and without opposable digits.
Discover Activity
No-sew T-shirt Bags
STEM, Nature and Wildlife
Grades K - 5
No-sew T-shirt Bags
K - 5
50 Minutes
Beth and Curtis were surprised to see so much plastic waste washed up on a remote tropical island. Did you know many shirts are made with plastics? Students use their creativity to turn old t-shirts into a useful and reusable bag!
Discover Activity
Safe Sloth Crossing
STEM, Nature and Wildlife
Grades K - 5
Safe Sloth Crossing
K - 5
50 Minutes
Sloth crossing ahead! Beth and Curtis were worried the sloth they found would get hurt crossing the road. How can people help protect sloths? Design and construct a way for sloths to safely cross a road. Use observations from the video and new resources about sloths for the sloth crossing design.
Discover Activity
Sound Hide-and-Seek
STEM, Nature and Wildlife
Grades K - 5
Sound Hide-and-Seek
K - 5
50 Minutes
Have you ever wondered about all the ways animals find their way around in nature? One way is through sound! In this sound hide-and-seek game, imagine how field researchers can listen in on bat sounds even though most of their sounds are too high pitched for us to hear with just our ears.
Discover Activity
Rainforest Biodiversity Game
STEM, Nature and Wildlife
Grades K - 5
Rainforest Biodiversity Game
K - 5
50 Minutes
From the rainforests and pastures of Panama, Beth and Curtis observe a variety of animals in their habitats. What might happen if habitats change? Students play a game about biodiversity in changing habitats to learn more.
Discover Activity
Zip Line
STEM, Nature and Wildlife
Grades K - 5
Zip Line
K - 5
50 Minutes
Zip and zoom through this activity just like Beth and Curtis zip lined through the treetops of the rainforest! Teams create their own zip lines and test if they can transport Beth and Curtis from the highest point they can reach to the ground safely, stopping at platforms along the way.
Discover Activity
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Library
Categories
Collaborators
Explore
All Activities
All Collections
Community
Our Story
Team Mizzen
Events
The Mizzen Minute
Engage
Newsroom
Account
Create an Account
Mizzen for Teams
Copyright © 2026, Mizzen Education, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit on a mission to empower, uplift and support out-of-school time educators.