Juliette the Bookworm is ready to explore the rain forests of the world. She needs your help to discover more information and spread the message about her findings. The first part of your mission is to learn more about what goes on in rain forests. The second part is to share the information with your community, to help them understand the effects that humans have had on this natural environment.

Note to Leaders: Since this program encourages girls to read and seek information, it may be helpful to have them meet at a library at least once while working on the patch.

Brownie Girl Scouts - Complete at least 5 activities, including the two starred.

Junior Girl Scouts - Complete at least 7 activities, including the two starred.

Cadette and Senior Girl Scouts - Complete at least 9 activities, including the two starred.

*1. Read a fictional or factual book about a rain forest and draw a picture of one of the scenes from the book. Tell others in your troop or group which part of the book it represents.

*2. Find out how and why humans have affected the fragile ecosystems of the rain forests (cutting down trees, for example).

3. Set up a display in your community (at a public library, for example) to let others know what goes on in a rain forest and about the plants and animals that live there. Be there to describe your display.

4. Find out about at least five species of plants and five species of animals that inhabit rain forests. Find out how they have been affected by the presence of humans in their environment.

5. Find out about the differences between the two major types of rain forest (tropical and temperate) and where each is located.

6. Make a troop scrapbook that deals with rain forests. Collect items from newspapers and magazines. Put your book on display at a local library.

7. Write a story from the point of view of an animal who lives in a rain forest. Share your story with others in your troop or group, or with a group of younger girls.

8. Find out about commercial crops that are grown in rain forests. Find out how the methods of planting are deteriorating the forest.

9. Find out about at least one organization that is trying to prevent the loss of rain forests. Get information from them on what you and your troop can do to help.

10. Find out about at least one of the countries where rain forests are located, including the people who live there, the language(s) they speak, and similarities and differences between living there and living in the U.S.

11. Take an imaginary trip to a rain forest. Make a journal of what you think you would see there. Find pictures in magazines to show what you might see.

12. Draw a poster encouraging other people to help save the rain forests. Display it in your community. Show others what steps they can take to make the situation better.

Resource books to look for in your local library:

In The Rainforest (1985); Catherine Caufield

The Last Rain Forests: A World Conservation Atlas (1990); Mark Collins, ed.

Tropical Nature: Life and Death in the Rain Forests of Central and South America (1984); Adrian Forsyth and Ken Miyata

Tropical Rain Forests of the Far East, 2d.ed. (1984); T.C. Whitmore