Vacation Bible School 2008 is a Rainforest Adventure
Outreach Project
Vacation Bible School's Outreach Project was our companion synod of Costa Rica which is located in the rainforest. The Lutheran presence in Costa Rica began in 1963 with arrival of missionaries from the USA. ILCO, Iglesia Luterana Costarricense is now served by Costa Rican pastors and missionaries. Through the generosity of those attending VBS, we raised $515 for ILCO.
Our outreach project will support infrastructure development of Manu Center, to meet the challenge of training youth for leadership. The Manu Center sits on the edge of the rain forest and is an incredible place to encounter God's creation. Read more about Manu Center ...
Our outreach project will support infrastructure development of Manu Center, to meet the challenge of training youth for leadership. The Manu Center sits on the edge of the rain forest and is an incredible place to encounter God's creation. Read more about Manu Center ...
Weekly Trivia
Test your Rainforest knowledge by figuring out the trivia questions of the week. Go on a discovery quest through the church each Sunday to locate the answers. Look for the questions in the leafy, green Rainforest box in the narthex or in the worship bags.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM JUNE 8
1. Experts estimate that we are losing _____ plant, animal, and insect species every single day due to rainforest deforestation.
a. 68
b. 137
c. 186
d. 217
The correct answer is b--137. That equates to 50,000 species being lost every year!
2. True or False: The soil of a tropical rainforest is only about 3-4" thick and is ancient.
The correct answer is True. Thick clay lies underneath the soil causing the trees to have very shallow and widely spread roots. Once the soil is damaged, it takes many years to recover.
3. True or False: The Blue Morpho butterfly has a wingspan of five to eight inches.
The correct answer is True. Wow! A piece of paper is 8.5 inches wide. That's one big butterfly.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM JUNE 1
1. True or False: Countless species usually thought of as ground dwellers have adapted to life in the canopy, including worms, crabs, frogs, and porcupines.
The correct answer is True. Because the canopy is such a rich region of the rainforest, these animals have adapted to life there where they feed on the abundance of fruits, seeds, and leaves.
2. True or False: The temperature in a rainforest never freezes and never gets very hot.
The correct answer is True. The range of temperature in a tropical rainforest is usually between 75 degrees F and 80 degrees F.
3. True or False: The Amazon Rainforest is sometimes described as the "Lungs of our Planet" because is continuously recycles carbon dioxide into oxygen.
The correct answer is True. While all rainforests together generate nearly 40% of the oxygen we breathe, the Amazon Rainforest, alone, produces more than 20% of that.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM MAY 25
1. True or False: More than half of the world's estimated 10 million species of plants, animals, and insects live in the tropical rainforests.
The correct answer is True.
2. True or False: One-third of the world's fresh water is in the Amazon Basin.
The correct answer is False. One-fifth of the world's fresh water is in the Amazon Basin.
3. The canopy of the richest region of the diverse rainforest and ranges in thickness from ________ feet.
a. 10-15 feet
b. 10-20 feet
c. 10-30 feet
d. 10-40 feet
The correct answer is d: 10-40 feet.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM MAY 18
1. True or False: The male and female parrot stay together until their young are grown. Then they part.
The correct answer is False. The male and female parrot pair stay together as long as they are both alive just like geese, swans, eagles, and penguins.
2. True or False: Researchers have seen monkeys in the wild inventing simple tools to catch food.
The correct answer is True. They have not only invented simple tools but have been seen teaching other monkeys how to use them.
3. ______ percent of life in the rainforest exists in the trees, above the shaded forest floor.
a. 30-50
b. 50-70
c. 70-90
d. 90-110
The correct answer is c: 70-90%.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM MAY 11
1. True or False: Before people could buy yeast at a store, they left a mixture of flour and water out to "catch" the yeast that is always floating around in the air.
The correct answer is True.
2. True or False: There are about 3,000 kinds of plants in the mustard family, including broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower.
The correct answer is False. A banana plant is actually an herb. Each year, a new stalk grows from a perennial root, produces fruit, and then dies.
3. True or False: A banana plant is actually a tree.
The correct answer is True. Surprise! Bet you didn't know that!
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM MAY 4
1. True or False: The rainforests are home to nearly 1/4th of the world's plant and animal species.
The correct answer is False. The rainforests are home to nearly half of the world's plant and animal species.
2. Rainforests produce nearly _____ of the oxygen we breathe.
a. 15%
b. 30%
c. 40%
d. 70%
The correct answer is c: 40%.
3. True or False: Almost 40% of the medicines we use come from the rainforests.
The correct answer is False. It is actually 25%, which is quite astounding when you realize that the rainforests only cover about 6% of our earth (last week's trivia).
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM APRIL 27
1. True or False: Some farmers leave several rows of crops unharvested on the edges of their fields to share with the wild animals.
The correct answer is True.
2. True or False: While rocks can be recycled many times during our lives, plants take millions of years to go through their cycle.
The correct answer is False. Plants can be recycled many times during our lives but rocks take millions of years.
3. Rainforests cover _____ of the earth's surface.
a. 6%
b. 15%
c. 25%
d. 35%
The correct answer is a: 6%.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM APRIL 20
1. True or False: The many vines weaving the canopy together cause problems for the rainforest.
The correct answer is False. The vines connect the canopy to create a healthy canopy environment and provide a means of travel for many of the canopy creatures.
2. Over ______ fruits exist in the rainforest and only about _____ are used in North America.
a. 500 fruits; 120 used
b. 5,000 fruits; 900 used
c. 1,000 fruits; 300 used
d. 3,000 fruits; 200 used
The correct answer is d: 3,000 fruits; 200 used.
3. True or False: One and a half acres of rainforest are lost every second.
The correct answer is True.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM APRIL 13
1. Dead plants and animals rot quickly in this major part of the rainforest sending nutrients back into the soil. What part is it?
a. The Forest Floor
b. The Canopy
c. The Emergent
d. The Understory
The correct answer is a: The Forest Floor.
2. At least ______ of the world's food originates in the tropical rainforest.
a. 10%
b. 30%
c. 50%
d. 80%
The correct answer is d: 80%.
3. True or False: Because trees in the canopy can be over 100 feet tall, they have special roots that grow above the ground to give them support.
The correct answer is True. There are two types: Prop Roots and Buttress Roots. Learn more about plants in the rainforest.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM APRIL 6
1. The Kinkajou lives in the rainforest canopy. It is also known as the "Honey Bear" because of its honey-colored coat. It is related to the _______.
a. Monkey
b. Ferret
c. Raccoon
d. Squirrel
The correct answer is c: Raccoon. It is nocturnal and sometimes mistaken for a ferret or a monkey but is not related to either. Learn more about the Kinkajou.
2. The top layer of growth is what major part of the rainforest?
a. The Forest Floor
b. The Canopy
c. The Emergent
d. The Understory
The correct answer is b: The Canopy.
3. Animals like the Woolly Monkey "hang out" in what major part of the rainforest looking for food?
a. The Forest Floor
b. The Canopy
c. The Emergent
d. The Understory
The correct answer is d: The Understory.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM MARCH 30
1. The Coco-de-mer seed (also known as a Double Coconut, Coco Fresse, or Seychelles Nut) is the biggest seed in the world. It is as big as a _______.
a. Chicken
b. Rat
c. Opossum
d. Mocking Bird
The correct answer is a: Chicken. Some are even larger. Rare, the seed sells for hundreds of dollars and the export of it is strictly controlled by the Seychelle government. It is only found in two of the 115 Seychelle Islands. It is used for all types of decorative keepsakes. View pictures of the raw bean/seed and items made from it.
2. True or False: Jaguars, the fastest animal on earth, can be found living in the rainforests of Central and South America.
The correct answer is True.
3. Almost ______ of tropical rainforest in South America is in the Brazilian Amazon.
a. 15%
b. 30%
c. 40%
d. 55%
The correct answer is c: 40%.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM MARCH 16
1. What are the four major parts to a Rainforest?
a. Top Layer, Canopy, Undergrowth, Forest Floor
b. Emergent, Tree Line, Brushy Layer, Ground Layer
c. Emergent, Canopy, Understory, Forest Floor
d. Sky Line, Tree Line, Brush Line, Forest Line
The correct answer is c: Emergent, Canopy, Understory, Forest Floor.
2. The Tropical rainforests can get about _____ feet of rainfall each year.
a. 3.75 feet
b. 6.5 feet
c. 8.25 feet
d. 10.50 feet
The correct answer is b: 6.5 feet.
3. The tallest trees grow in what major part of the rainforest?
a. The Forest Floor
b. The Canopy
c. The Emergent
d. The Understory
The correct answer is c: The Emergent.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM MARCH 9
1. True or False: The rain stick was used in tribal ceremonies to pray for rain. In South America, it was made from a dried cactus and thorns.
The correct answer is True.
2. The rainforest canopy receives most of the sunlight. The leaves of the trees use energy from the sun and the process of photosynthesis to generate simple sugars (food) to nourish the plants and animals of the rainforest. How many feet above the forest floor does the canopy start?
a. 80 feet
b. 100 feet
c. 120 feet
d. 140 feet
The correct answer is 100 feet.
3. A vine that starts at the forest floor, reaching for the light in the canopy as it climbs and spreads from tree to tree is called a ___________.
a. Chain vine
b. Major vine
c. Minor vine
d. Liana vine
The correct answer is the liana vine.
Liana vines play an important role in forest dynamics including suppressing tree regeneration, increasing tree mortality, providing a valuable food source for animals, and physically linking trees together, thereby providing canopy-to-canopy access for arboreal animals. Read more about liana vines.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM MARCH 2
1. As many as _____ insects live in the rainforest, including ants, bees, mosquitoes, moths, beetles, and butterflies.
a. 30 million
b. 80 million
c. 160 million
d. 230 million
The correct answer is 80 million
2. True or False: Toucans nest in hollow trees. Their eggs rest at the bottom of the tree on top of woodchips.
The correct answer is True. The babies are born blind. They are fed by both parents and leave the nest after about eight weeks.
3. Deforestation (the destruction of trees) accounts for the loss of nearly two-thirds of Central America's rainforests. That's nearly _____ acres a year.
a. One million acres
b. Two million acres
c. Three million acres
d. Four million acres
The correct answer is one million acres.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM JUNE 8
1. Experts estimate that we are losing _____ plant, animal, and insect species every single day due to rainforest deforestation.
a. 68
b. 137
c. 186
d. 217
The correct answer is b--137. That equates to 50,000 species being lost every year!
2. True or False: The soil of a tropical rainforest is only about 3-4" thick and is ancient.
The correct answer is True. Thick clay lies underneath the soil causing the trees to have very shallow and widely spread roots. Once the soil is damaged, it takes many years to recover.
3. True or False: The Blue Morpho butterfly has a wingspan of five to eight inches.
The correct answer is True. Wow! A piece of paper is 8.5 inches wide. That's one big butterfly.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM JUNE 1
1. True or False: Countless species usually thought of as ground dwellers have adapted to life in the canopy, including worms, crabs, frogs, and porcupines.
The correct answer is True. Because the canopy is such a rich region of the rainforest, these animals have adapted to life there where they feed on the abundance of fruits, seeds, and leaves.
2. True or False: The temperature in a rainforest never freezes and never gets very hot.
The correct answer is True. The range of temperature in a tropical rainforest is usually between 75 degrees F and 80 degrees F.
3. True or False: The Amazon Rainforest is sometimes described as the "Lungs of our Planet" because is continuously recycles carbon dioxide into oxygen.
The correct answer is True. While all rainforests together generate nearly 40% of the oxygen we breathe, the Amazon Rainforest, alone, produces more than 20% of that.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM MAY 25
1. True or False: More than half of the world's estimated 10 million species of plants, animals, and insects live in the tropical rainforests.
The correct answer is True.
2. True or False: One-third of the world's fresh water is in the Amazon Basin.
The correct answer is False. One-fifth of the world's fresh water is in the Amazon Basin.
3. The canopy of the richest region of the diverse rainforest and ranges in thickness from ________ feet.
a. 10-15 feet
b. 10-20 feet
c. 10-30 feet
d. 10-40 feet
The correct answer is d: 10-40 feet.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM MAY 18
1. True or False: The male and female parrot stay together until their young are grown. Then they part.
The correct answer is False. The male and female parrot pair stay together as long as they are both alive just like geese, swans, eagles, and penguins.
2. True or False: Researchers have seen monkeys in the wild inventing simple tools to catch food.
The correct answer is True. They have not only invented simple tools but have been seen teaching other monkeys how to use them.
3. ______ percent of life in the rainforest exists in the trees, above the shaded forest floor.
a. 30-50
b. 50-70
c. 70-90
d. 90-110
The correct answer is c: 70-90%.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM MAY 11
1. True or False: Before people could buy yeast at a store, they left a mixture of flour and water out to "catch" the yeast that is always floating around in the air.
The correct answer is True.
2. True or False: There are about 3,000 kinds of plants in the mustard family, including broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower.
The correct answer is False. A banana plant is actually an herb. Each year, a new stalk grows from a perennial root, produces fruit, and then dies.
3. True or False: A banana plant is actually a tree.
The correct answer is True. Surprise! Bet you didn't know that!
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM MAY 4
1. True or False: The rainforests are home to nearly 1/4th of the world's plant and animal species.
The correct answer is False. The rainforests are home to nearly half of the world's plant and animal species.
2. Rainforests produce nearly _____ of the oxygen we breathe.
a. 15%
b. 30%
c. 40%
d. 70%
The correct answer is c: 40%.
3. True or False: Almost 40% of the medicines we use come from the rainforests.
The correct answer is False. It is actually 25%, which is quite astounding when you realize that the rainforests only cover about 6% of our earth (last week's trivia).
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM APRIL 27
1. True or False: Some farmers leave several rows of crops unharvested on the edges of their fields to share with the wild animals.
The correct answer is True.
2. True or False: While rocks can be recycled many times during our lives, plants take millions of years to go through their cycle.
The correct answer is False. Plants can be recycled many times during our lives but rocks take millions of years.
3. Rainforests cover _____ of the earth's surface.
a. 6%
b. 15%
c. 25%
d. 35%
The correct answer is a: 6%.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM APRIL 20
1. True or False: The many vines weaving the canopy together cause problems for the rainforest.
The correct answer is False. The vines connect the canopy to create a healthy canopy environment and provide a means of travel for many of the canopy creatures.
2. Over ______ fruits exist in the rainforest and only about _____ are used in North America.
a. 500 fruits; 120 used
b. 5,000 fruits; 900 used
c. 1,000 fruits; 300 used
d. 3,000 fruits; 200 used
The correct answer is d: 3,000 fruits; 200 used.
3. True or False: One and a half acres of rainforest are lost every second.
The correct answer is True.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM APRIL 13
1. Dead plants and animals rot quickly in this major part of the rainforest sending nutrients back into the soil. What part is it?
a. The Forest Floor
b. The Canopy
c. The Emergent
d. The Understory
The correct answer is a: The Forest Floor.
2. At least ______ of the world's food originates in the tropical rainforest.
a. 10%
b. 30%
c. 50%
d. 80%
The correct answer is d: 80%.
3. True or False: Because trees in the canopy can be over 100 feet tall, they have special roots that grow above the ground to give them support.
The correct answer is True. There are two types: Prop Roots and Buttress Roots. Learn more about plants in the rainforest.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM APRIL 6
1. The Kinkajou lives in the rainforest canopy. It is also known as the "Honey Bear" because of its honey-colored coat. It is related to the _______.
a. Monkey
b. Ferret
c. Raccoon
d. Squirrel
The correct answer is c: Raccoon. It is nocturnal and sometimes mistaken for a ferret or a monkey but is not related to either. Learn more about the Kinkajou.
2. The top layer of growth is what major part of the rainforest?
a. The Forest Floor
b. The Canopy
c. The Emergent
d. The Understory
The correct answer is b: The Canopy.
3. Animals like the Woolly Monkey "hang out" in what major part of the rainforest looking for food?
a. The Forest Floor
b. The Canopy
c. The Emergent
d. The Understory
The correct answer is d: The Understory.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM MARCH 30
1. The Coco-de-mer seed (also known as a Double Coconut, Coco Fresse, or Seychelles Nut) is the biggest seed in the world. It is as big as a _______.
a. Chicken
b. Rat
c. Opossum
d. Mocking Bird
The correct answer is a: Chicken. Some are even larger. Rare, the seed sells for hundreds of dollars and the export of it is strictly controlled by the Seychelle government. It is only found in two of the 115 Seychelle Islands. It is used for all types of decorative keepsakes. View pictures of the raw bean/seed and items made from it.
2. True or False: Jaguars, the fastest animal on earth, can be found living in the rainforests of Central and South America.
The correct answer is True.
3. Almost ______ of tropical rainforest in South America is in the Brazilian Amazon.
a. 15%
b. 30%
c. 40%
d. 55%
The correct answer is c: 40%.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM MARCH 16
1. What are the four major parts to a Rainforest?
a. Top Layer, Canopy, Undergrowth, Forest Floor
b. Emergent, Tree Line, Brushy Layer, Ground Layer
c. Emergent, Canopy, Understory, Forest Floor
d. Sky Line, Tree Line, Brush Line, Forest Line
The correct answer is c: Emergent, Canopy, Understory, Forest Floor.
2. The Tropical rainforests can get about _____ feet of rainfall each year.
a. 3.75 feet
b. 6.5 feet
c. 8.25 feet
d. 10.50 feet
The correct answer is b: 6.5 feet.
3. The tallest trees grow in what major part of the rainforest?
a. The Forest Floor
b. The Canopy
c. The Emergent
d. The Understory
The correct answer is c: The Emergent.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM MARCH 9
1. True or False: The rain stick was used in tribal ceremonies to pray for rain. In South America, it was made from a dried cactus and thorns.
The correct answer is True.
2. The rainforest canopy receives most of the sunlight. The leaves of the trees use energy from the sun and the process of photosynthesis to generate simple sugars (food) to nourish the plants and animals of the rainforest. How many feet above the forest floor does the canopy start?
a. 80 feet
b. 100 feet
c. 120 feet
d. 140 feet
The correct answer is 100 feet.
3. A vine that starts at the forest floor, reaching for the light in the canopy as it climbs and spreads from tree to tree is called a ___________.
a. Chain vine
b. Major vine
c. Minor vine
d. Liana vine
The correct answer is the liana vine.
Liana vines play an important role in forest dynamics including suppressing tree regeneration, increasing tree mortality, providing a valuable food source for animals, and physically linking trees together, thereby providing canopy-to-canopy access for arboreal animals. Read more about liana vines.
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS FROM MARCH 2
1. As many as _____ insects live in the rainforest, including ants, bees, mosquitoes, moths, beetles, and butterflies.
a. 30 million
b. 80 million
c. 160 million
d. 230 million
The correct answer is 80 million
2. True or False: Toucans nest in hollow trees. Their eggs rest at the bottom of the tree on top of woodchips.
The correct answer is True. The babies are born blind. They are fed by both parents and leave the nest after about eight weeks.
3. Deforestation (the destruction of trees) accounts for the loss of nearly two-thirds of Central America's rainforests. That's nearly _____ acres a year.
a. One million acres
b. Two million acres
c. Three million acres
d. Four million acres
The correct answer is one million acres.
