Happy Rainy Wednesday!
 Warm-up
 CNN/STUDENT
News
 http://edition.cnn.com/studentnews/index.h
tml
Tropical Rainforests: The Amazon,
Zaire Rainforest (Africa), and
Asian Rainforests
Press Conference Debate Project
Today: Directions and insight
Thursday: media center research
Friday: media center research
Objective for Press Conference Debate Assignment:
ELA/ 3.01 Explore and analyze argumentative works that are read, heard and/or viewed by:
identifying the arguments and positions stated or implied and the evidence used to support them.
· recognizing bias, emotional factors, and/or semantic slanting.
· examining the effectiveness of style, tone, and use of language.
SS/ 5.01 Describe the relationship between the location of natural resources,
and economic development, and analyze the impact on selected cultures,
countries, and regions in Africa, Asia, and Australia.5.02 Examine the different
economic systems, (traditional, command, and market), developed in selected
societies in Africa, Asia, and Australia, and assess their effectiveness in meeting
basic needs.
Good websites to use for
research:
 http://rainforests.mongabay.com/20zaire.ht
m
 http://data.iucn.org/dbtwwpd/html/African%20primates/Chapter3.ht
ml
 http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/se_asian
_rnfrst.htm (Facts about Southeast Asian)
 http://www.rain-tree.com/facts.htm (facts
about the Amazon)
Zaire Rainforest
Cause of Problem:
 The
future of Zaire's forests is threatened
due to a population increase exceeding
3%. There is a high demand for fuel wood
and demand will exceed availability. The
growing population is expected to
accelerate slash-and-burn agriculture.
Plantation agriculture and commercial
mining threats Zaire's extensive forests.
Other Environmental Issues:
 "poaching
threatens wildlife populations;
water pollution; deforestation; refugees
responsible for significant deforestation,
soil erosion, and wildlife poaching; mining
of minerals (coltan - a mineral used in
creating capacitors, diamonds, and gold)
causing environmental damage" - CIA
More on Zaire:


Although the African rain forest (made up of moist and wet lowland forest ecosystems) occupies a
smaller area than the South American or Asian rain forests, and has a lower overall tree species richness
than those areas, it supports a very diverse mammal community, including about 50 primate species. As
in other parts of the tropics, the rain-forest zone is under intense pressure as a result of high rates of
human population growth, and agricultural and economic development. The annual rate of human
population growth in Africa for 1980–85 was estimated at 2.91%, greater than in South America (2.15%)
or Asia (1.91%); disturbingly, the future growth rate is predicted to remain high (2.70% annually in 2000–
2005, for instance) while rates decline further elsewhere (to 1.35% in South America and 1.39% in Asia,
for the same period) (World Resources Institute 1994). At the same time, environmental conditions,
inefficient techniques and a lack of capital resources are causing rates of food production in Africa to lag
behind those in other tropical areas. The resulting food shortages have led to an increase in subsistence
farming in many forest areas. Rates of logging are also increasing, with many new companies operating
(some from parts of the world not traditionally involved in tropical Africa) and logging spreading to ever
more remote areas with devastating effects for primates not only from habitat disturbance but also from
hunting and other factors (Wilkie et al. 1992).
In most parts of the African rain-forest zone primates are heavily hunted. Even where pressures on forest
land are not yet great, primates are often hunted for food and some populations are probably being
driven to extinction while their habitat is more-or-less intact. Thus, if the diversity of the African primate
fauna is to be maintained, major conservation efforts must be made in the rain-forest zone. Since
flourishing primate populations are usually good indicators of the general health of a rain-forest
ecosystem, successful efforts to conserve these primates will usually involve conservation of the system
as a whole. In relatively undisturbed African forests where there is low hunting pressure, it is not
uncommon to find 6–10 sympatric monkey species, together with 1–2 apes and 2–6 prosimians. Such
species assemblages are typical of the forests along the Guinea Coast of West Africa between Sierra
Leone and Nigeria, of the Cameroon and Western Equatorial regions stretching from eastern Nigeria to
the Oubangui River, and of the forests of the Congo Basin1 and eastern Zaire.
Amazon Rainforest (South
America)
Southeast Asian Rainforest
Asian Rainforest

The Southeast Asian rainforests are the
oldest, consistent rainforests on Earth, dating
back to the Pleistocene Epoch 70 million
years ago. It has a biological richness and
diversity unequaled by that of the Amazon or
African rainforests. Yet Southeast Asia is
losing its rainforests faster than any
equatorial region, and has the fewest
remaining primary rainforests. It is projected
that most of the primary rainforests of
Southeast Asia will be destroyed in the next
10 years.
Jobs for the Press Conference
Project




Reporters- Look up logical and thought provoking questions to ask the developers,
scientists, and activists Reporters on rainforest development- Students work in their
group to find out why the Amazon Rainforest is disappearing. The report should cover
development of the rainforest, and effects of loggers and builders. The reporters
should also explain the disappearance of rain forest plants and animals affects the
earth. (The will speak first during the press conference).
Audience: Look up research on why the rainforest should be preserved and take one
whole page of notes on this. Be an attentive and respectful audience. Activists- Be
ready to peacefully protest by making posters and other things.
Scientists Saving the Amazon Rainforest- This team will act as scientists who are
actively trying to save the Amazon rainforest. They will research plant life, animal life,
and present a fact based and science based argument petitioning for the preservation
of the rainforest. (this team should use library and classroom materials to create a list
of plants and animals unique to the rainforest; some of the listed plants and animals
should include species that can be used as medicine.
Builders Against Preservation of the Amazon Rain forest- This group will
research as much information about the reasons for the destruction of the rainforest.
They will be acting as builders who hope to turn forest land into housing
developments. This team will research the pros of cutting down the rainforest,
logging, and building; they will be lobbying for the acceptance of rainforest demolition.
Expectations:
 Respectful
arguments
 Fact based arguments
 Good behavior in media center
 Participation
 Professional dress on the day of the press
conference
Get your Job
 Now
Mrs. Caldwell will assign you a job
and team! 