Fifth Grade
Worksheets
Layers of the Rainforest
A rain forest is like a layer cake. We usually say that a rain forest has four layers. Each layer has its own distinct features. Each layer houses different kinds of animals and plants.
- Forest floor - All trees in the rain forest start their lives here in this layer. On the damp ground, we see lots of fallen leaves and fruits. We see some decaying trees. We see many fungi. They are food sources for many animals. Fungi also help enrich the soil. They provide the nutrients for young plants to grow. Tapirs, termites, and scorpions are among many of the animals that we can find here.
- Understory - Directly above the forest floor is the understory. The understory contains tree trunks, saplings, small ground plants (such as dwarf palms), and vines. Animals here include bees, snakes, frogs, and leopards.
- Canopy - Moving up from the understory, we are now in the third layer, the canopy. Treetops in rain forests have leaves packed so closely together that they form a "green blanket" in mid-air. We call this "green blanket" the canopy. The canopy keeps sunlight from reaching the forest floor and the understory. This causes both of those layers to be very shady. Most of the rain forest animals live here, including toucans, parrots, sloths, and monkeys.
