Educational Resources
Free lesson plans, activities, and materials for teaching about Costa Rica's trees and forest ecosystems
For Teachers and Educators
These educational resources are designed to help teachers integrate Costa Rica's rich biodiversity into their curriculum. All materials are free to use and adapt for educational purposes, available in both English and Spanish.
📋Lesson Plans
Introduction to Biodiversity
Students explore what biodiversity means and why Costa Rica is one of the most biodiverse places on Earth.
Learning Objectives:
- •Define biodiversity and explain its importance
- •Identify at least 5 native Costa Rican tree species
Tree Identification Skills
Learn to identify trees using leaves, bark, flowers, and fruits through hands-on observation.
Learning Objectives:
- •Use a dichotomous key to identify tree species
- •Describe key features that distinguish different trees
Conservation and Threats
Understand the threats facing tropical forests and the conservation efforts protecting them.
Learning Objectives:
- •Analyze human impacts on tropical forest ecosystems
- •Evaluate conservation strategies and their effectiveness
Ecosystem Services
Discover how trees provide essential services like clean air, water filtration, and habitat.
Learning Objectives:
- •List ecosystem services provided by tropical trees
- •Calculate the value of ecosystem services in a given area
🎯Classroom Activities
Tree Journal
Adopt a tree and track observations with weather, wildlife sightings, and earn badges!
IndividualTree Scavenger Hunt
Team-based missions to find trees with specific characteristics. Compete for points!
Group WorkLeaf Collection
Create a pressed leaf collection and identify species using the atlas.
Field ActivityCompare & Contrast
Use the comparison tool to analyze similarities and differences between species.
Classroom🎮Interactive Learning Tools
Engage students with these interactive features designed to make learning about Costa Rica's trees fun and memorable.
Costa Rica Map Game
Learn Costa Rica's regions and discover which trees grow where in this interactive quiz.
Field Trip Mode
Take your learning outdoors! Track tree sightings, add notes, and build your observation skills.
Classroom Leaderboard
Create a virtual classroom, track student progress, and see who's learning the most.
Achievement Certificates
Celebrate learning milestones with printable certificates that showcase your tree knowledge.
Teacher Dashboard
Access lesson plans, answer keys, curriculum alignment guides, and extension activities.
My Progress
Track your learning journey, earn badges, and see your accomplishments.
🖨️Printable Resources
Download and print these resources for classroom use. All materials are free for educational purposes.
💡Using the Atlas in Your Classroom
Explore the Directory
Browse trees by family, conservation status, or characteristics. Use the A-Z index for alphabetical exploration.
Try Tree Identification
Take photos during field trips and use the identification feature to find matching species in the atlas.
Compare Species
Use the comparison tool to display multiple trees side-by-side and analyze their differences.
Ready to Start?
Explore our collection of Costa Rican trees or try our tree identification feature with your students.