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Time Machine,

Into the Amazon

Pink dolphins. Deadly frogs. Lifesaving plants. Welcome to the largest rainforest in the world.

By Tricia Culligan
From the March/April 2023 Issue
Lexile® measure range: 600L-700L, Easier Level
Guided Reading Level: Q
Featured Skill: Knowledge Building,

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Think and Read: Knowledge Building

As you read, imagine what it would be like to visit the Amazon Rainforest.

Whoosh! A tiny monkey swings past you on a branch, screeching as it goes. Ssss! An orange-and-black snake slithers up a tree. Look out! A giant eagle, as tall as a small child, swoops down looking for a snack.

Where are you? You’re in a dazzling place unlike anywhere else on Earth. Welcome to the Amazon Rainforest.

Whoosh! A tiny monkey swings on a branch. It screeches as it goes by. Ssss! An orange-and-black snake slithers up a tree. Look out! A giant eagle flies down from the trees. It’s as tall as a small child.

Where are you? You’re in an amazing place. It’s not like anywhere else on Earth. Welcome to the Amazon Rainforest.

Jim McMahon/Mapman ®

The Amazon Rainforest stretches across much of South America.

Among the Trees

Among the Trees

The Amazon Rainforest is the largest tropical rainforest in the world. High in the treetops, sleepy sloths hang upside down while birds with red, yellow, and blue feathers perch in the branches. The air is hot and humid. 

But down on the forest floor, it’s dark and cool. The treetops above you are close to one another. They act like an umbrella, blocking both rain and sun.

Suddenly, a jaguar jumps to the ground, just a few feet away from you. You freeze in place, holding your breath. But the giant spotted cat slinks past you into the shadows. Phew!

You think you’re safe when plop! A tiny yellow frog hops onto a leaf next to you. Don’t touch it! It’s the golden poison dart frog. This colorful creature may look cute, but it’s one of the deadliest animals in the world.

The Amazon Rainforest is the largest tropical rainforest in the world. High in the treetops, sleepy sloths hang upside down. Birds with red, yellow, and blue feathers sit in the branches. Up here, the air is hot and humid. 

But down on the forest floor, it’s dark and cool. The treetops above you are close together. They act like an umbrella. They block both rain and sun.

Suddenly, a jaguar jumps to the ground. You freeze in place, holding your breath. But the giant cat slips past you into the shadows. Phew!

You think you’re safe when plop! A tiny yellow frog hops onto a leaf next to you. Don’t touch it! It’s the golden poison dart frog. This colorful frog looks cute. But it’s one of the deadliest animals in the world.

PM Images/Getty Images (Piranhas); Shutterstock.com (Dolphin)

A pink river dolphin and piranhas

A Smooth Chocolate Treat 

A Smooth Chocolate Treat 

© German Chavez

Newly discovered chocolate frog

Ahead you see a mighty waterway: the Amazon River. It stretches more than 4,000 miles. That’s longer than the distance between Los Angeles and New York City! 

Like the rest of the rainforest, the Amazon River is filled with life. Splash! A playful dolphin jumps out of the river. It has pink skin that shimmers in the sunshine! Nearby, two piranhas pop out of the water. The giant fish flash their razor-sharp teeth at you before swimming away.

Boats filled with people travel along the river too. A scientist jumps out of one to talk to you. She explains that many of the plants and animals here can’t be found anywhere else in the world. Plus, new plants and animals are discovered here every year. Scientists recently discovered a frog that looks like a smooth chocolate treat!

Speaking of chocolate treats, the plant used to make chocolate grows here too. So do plants used to make thousands of items like tea, lotion, and lifesaving medicines.

Like the rest of the rainforest, the Amazon River is filled with life. Splash! A playful dolphin jumps out of the river. It has pink skin that gleams in the sun! Nearby, two piranhas pop out of the water. The giant fish show their razor-sharp teeth, then swim away.

Boats filled with people travel along the river too. A scientist jumps out of one to talk to you. She explains that the plants and animals here are special. Many of them are found only in this rainforest. Plus, new plants and animals are found here every year. Scientists recently discovered a frog that looks like a smooth chocolate treat!

Speaking of chocolate, the plant used to make chocolate grows here too. So do plants used to make thousands of other items. They include tea, lotion, and medicine.

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THE LAYERS OF THE RAINFOREST Like most rainforests, the Amazon has four layers. Each layer is its own world, bursting with life.

More to Learn

More to Learn

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Golden poison dart frog 

As the moon rises, a whole new world of animals wakes up. You see fluffy honey bears, see-through glass frogs, and bloodsucking vampire bats. Don’t worry, these bats don’t bite humans . . . usually!

Sadly, rainforests like the Amazon are in danger of disappearing. Trees are cut down or burned to clear land for farming. Wildfires destroy large parts of the forest each year. 

But people from different countries are working together to try to protect this special rainforest. And scientists are still learning new things about the Amazon. Maybe one day you’ll visit this wondrous place. You may even discover a new poisonous frog, colorful dolphin, or lifesaving plant! 

The moon rises. A whole new world of animals wakes up. You spot fluffy honey bears and see-through glass frogs. You see bloodsucking vampire bats. Don’t worry, these bats don’t bite humans . . . usually!

Sadly, rainforests like the Amazon are in danger. Trees are cut down or burned to make land for farming. Wildfires destroy large parts of the forest each year. 

But people from different countries are working together. They’re trying to protect this special rainforest. And scientists are still learning new things about the Amazon. Maybe one day you’ll visit this incredible place. You may even discover a new poisonous frog, colorful dolphin, or lifesaving plant! 

THINK AND WRITE

Would you want to visit the Amazon Rainforest? Using details from the story, write a paragraph explaining why or why not.

THINK AND WRITE

Would you want to visit the Amazon Rainforest? Using details from the story, write a paragraph explaining why or why not.

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Can't Miss Teaching Extras

Have students turn to this issue’s Infographic, “Hanging With the Honey Bear,” to get acquainted with the kinkajou, or “honey bear,” one of the Amazon Rainforest’s many amazing animals.  

Learn more about one of the animals mentioned in the article, the glass frog, in “This Frog is See-Through!”

Students can travel to a different rainforest while reading the compelling story “How to Save a Baby Orangutan.”

After learning that the plants used to make chocolate grow in the Amazon Rainforest, share a 3-minute video about how chocolate is made. You can find the video in the Resources tab of “The History of Yum” and “When Chocolate Tasted Yucky.”

Visit a very different but equally fascinating ecosystem in our Time Machine feature “Welcome to Antarctica.”

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