The Largest River on Earth Is in the Sky

Provided by: Be Smart |Published on: April 27, 2021

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Synopsis

This video from Be Smart explains how the trees in the Amazon rainforest release twenty trillion liters of water into the air every day, creating a "river" in the sky above Brazil.
Students will learn that trees play a vital role in the Earth's water cycle and also release varying amounts of organic compounds that act as seeds for raindrops.

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Subjects: Biology, Earth and Space Sciences

Authors: Be Smart

Region: South and Central America

Languages: English

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Teaching Materials

Positives

Students may be amazed to find out that Amazonian trees release more water into the air than the Amazon River contains.
This could provide an aha moment for students who sometimes forget that trees are alive and responsive to their environment.

Additional

The video begins with an advertisement and the video's content ends at 5:33.
In the comments section, Be Smart explains that the video incorrectly stated that the Amazon rainforest produces twenty percent of the world's oxygen.

Differentiation & Implementation

Science and geography classes can use this video for a lesson about rainforest biomes. After watching the video, students can list three facts they learned about the Amazon rainforest. In small groups, students could compare their answers and decide if the facts apply to all rainforest biomes or if they are specific to the Amazon rainforest.
Advanced biology classes can read the linked study, "Biogenic potassium salt particles as seeds for secondary organic aerosol in the Amazon," to learn more about the compounds that trees release to produce rain.
Other resources on this topic include this article on the creation and destruction of rainforests and this video on climate change and the global water crisis.

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The Largest River on Earth Is in the Sky

Synopsis

Teaching Materials

Scientist Reviewed

Related Teaching Resources