1 We hear about the rainforests on the news. We hear that they are getting smaller and smaller. Some people are worried about that. Do you know why?
2 When the first explorers saw the forests, they were amazed. The trees were so tall. They thought the soil must be very rich. They thought the soil would be good for farming. They were wrong.
3 The trees were useful. Many men came to cut them down. The wood was made into lumber. They cut it like it would not run out.
4 There was a problem with that. The lumber was useful, but they forgot what trees do. Trees help clean the air. Trees make oxygen. Rainforests are called the "lungs of the earth." They make much of the oxygen in the world. We need it to breathe.
5 Not all rainforest areas are thick jungle. There are many useful things we get from rainforest areas. Can you guess what they are?
6 There is one thing from the rainforest you like to drink in the winter. You make it hot and add marshmallows. You might also eat it in a solid bar. Do you know what it is? It is chocolate!
7 Another rainforest treat is a kind of bark. Sometimes a stick of it is put into hot apple cider. Perhaps you like it powdered and added to apple pies. Mmmmmm. Do you know what it is? It is cinnamon.
8 Another rainforest plant helps cars move. They could not roll without it. It is also made into hard balls that bounce high. Airplanes need this to cover their wheels. It starts out as a white sap. Do you know the answer to this? It is rubber.
9 Some medicines come from the rainforest, too. Many years ago explorers saw natives hunting with blow guns. They put poison on the tip of the dart. The poison would kill quickly.
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