Explain that the bottle represents the earth and the lamp represents the sun. Using the globe and the lamp, show the students how the sun shines on the earth. Ask questions about the differences in temperature and climate around the globe and relate these questions back to the plastic bottle model. Help students locate the equator on the map and the globe and explain the difference between a map and a globe. Point out the warmer areas of the earth on the map based on the students' previous answers.
Distribute world maps outlining tropical rainforests.
Students may wish to color the maps or do preliminary research about countries that have large rainforest areas. Libraries and travel organizations are very good resources for countries in South America, Asia and Africa.