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This innovative new program, an exciting collaboration between The Rainforest Alliance and Creative Connections, was launched in 2004.

Rainforest Connection features the formation of unique classroom partnerships between 3rd through 7th grade students from the United States and countries in the Rainforest regions of Latin America - Ecuador, El Salvador, Brazil and Belize.

Partner classes exchange a pair of scrapbooks that include pen pal letters, photographs, drawings and other illustrative materials that allow students to get to know one another and share information on how the environment affects the day-to-day life in their communities.

An overview of the project

• Dates: Spring 2008 (February-May)
• In February we send classes details on their overseas partners together with our comprehensive Rainforest Connection Handbook. The handbook includes deadlines, clear guidelines on what is expected of both exchange partners, suggestions for scrapbook projects, and approaches to the teaching process when dealing with culture.
• For school in the regional area, we come to your class to offer an introductory workshop. IP teleconferencing is also available.
• In March, partner classes produce and ship two scrapbooks
  • The letter scrapbook consists of a set of pen pal letters and photographs completed by each student, together with other colorful drawings, stamps, coins, labels, and other "flat" items.
  • The environmental culture scrapbook includes student created pages on a variety of topics designed to help students explore and share their discoveries on how the environment they live in affects their day-to-day lives. Sample topics include our common wildlife, our climate, how our environment affects our clothing, our food, our home life, and our traditions.
    Each page includes brief paragraphs and captions together with plenty of photographs, magazine cutouts, student drawings, and art work.
• In April, classes receive and read their partner's scrapbooks. Then they are encouraged to interact with one another with positive feedback and questions (and later answers) by telephone, the Internet, and/or mail. (technology permitting).

What it costs:

The $500 fee covers all facilitation expenses and all international shipping costs. For local classes (in the CT, NY, NJ area) they will receive two workshops led by CC staff. IP Teleconferencing is also available for "out of region" Participant classes.

Interested in joining us? Please fill in the enrollment form.

Feel free to contact us with any questions.

We support our partners by:

We support our partner teachers by...

• Linking classes based on grade level and age providing teachers with comprehensive information on their partners
• Providing teaching materials that include clear guidelines outlining expectations for participating classes, a calendar of program deadlines, ideas for scrapbook projects as well as suggestions for teaching about different cultures.
• Facilitating the exchange process in every way we can. We keep in regular communication with participanting teachers, offer an introductory workshop for our local classes, and take care of all necessary shipping.
• Building global community spirit through our interactive ExchangeOnline site or by phone, enabling t ers and students to exchange ideas and best practices.