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Jean-Michel Cousteau's Return to the Amazon (04/12/08)
Description:
Thanks to the Celebration of Teaching and Learning Conference, we heard Jean-Michel Cousteau discuss issues with the Amazon River and rainforest. You were then asked to watch the two part program, "Return to the Amazon." Tell us what you learned.
1. Name at least 5 animals or plants that can be found in the Amazon. What did you learn about these plants and animals?
2. Explain why the Amazon is so important to the rest of the world.
3. How are humans, specifically we here in the Western world, responsible for the destruction of the Amazon? What can we do to change the situation?
4. Give a brief review of the show. What did you think of it? Who should watch it? Do you think it will help change the situation?
Please be sure to stay focused and organized, use high level vocabulary, and edit carefully. This assignment is due on Friday, April 18th.
Article posted April 18, 2008 at 01:07 AM GMT0 •
comment • Reads 921
by Zeeshan
The show Return to the Amazon hosted by Jean-Mitchell Cousteau tought me a lot about the Amazon River.
In the Amazon River there are tons and tons of animals and plants.
Some animals are the Anaconda, the Manatee, the Vampire Bat, the Jaguar, and fish.
The Anaconda snake is a very violent snake. It will fight you if he/she sees you. It is also known as the water boa. Usually, Anaconda snakes are found in water and swamps surrounding the Amazon river. Be careful with this creature if your going to the Amazon like Jean-Mitchell Cousteau.
Another animal is the Vampire Bat. The vampire bat usually lives near hollow trees, on the Amazon river and on caves. They are very small and they are very popular for people who know about them.
The Manatee is a very interesting animal. It is like a water-ox. The manatee is the largest marine mammal in the Amazon. It is very cool to see them swimming in the water.
Jaguar, Jaguar, Jaguar. Jaguars are very ferocious. They can kill a person easily. Jaguars is the king of the food chain around the Amazon. You can find Jaguars near the river, in forests usually during nightfall. But there is a big chance you will ever see him in the day. If people see one they better be careful because Jaguars can attack.
Fish are very big in the Amazon. People including Jean-Mitchell Cousteau found more than 3,000 species of different fish. Isn't that amazing. Imagine what it would be like.
Even though the Amazon is a great thing, now its becoming a bad factor. Global Warming. Now trees and plants are dying because of this. This is because our air is getting polluted. Also, we're cutting down more trees and other natural resources because we are not recycling a lot. What we can do about this situation is that we can have more recycling ads and we are going to try to force people not to pollute air. Also, if this continues all the water will go bad and it will be very hard for us to live if we don't have the water in the Amazon.
I think the show Return of the Amazon was a good television show. If i were to rate it I would rate it 10-10. Also, this show will show people what is going on in the world at this time and that will tell people to be nice to our earth. Also, Jean-Mitchell Cousteau is a very inspiring person. This is what I know about the Amazon.
Article posted April 18, 2008 at 01:07 AM GMT0 •
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Article posted April 12, 2008 at 11:40 PM GMT0 •
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by Andrew
I saw an interesting video about the Amazon by Jean Michel Cousteau. Jean Michele Cousteau is the son of Jacque Cousteau, a famous oceanographer. Jean Michele went to the Amazon Jungle 30 yeas ago. Now he came back. The Amazon is much different. The Amazon used to be all Jungle but over the years people have been destroying the Amazon. When Jean Michel came for the first time (30 years ago) there was a small town. Now that town became a lot larger and other towns were created. There is also a type of moss growing in some parts of the Amazon that is covering lakes and animals that live there. Those animal are now dying out. So what is happening to the Amazon is mostly humans fault but some of it is natures fault.
Here are some animals and plants that live in the Amazon:
Pink River Dolphin: A dolphin that lives in the rivers of the Amazon and is pink. Some Brazilians think that it is the most beautiful animal living in the Amazon. It stays near the surface of the water in the Amazon.
Cats-claw: A plant/branch that has pointy ridges on it. If you break the branch/vine of a Cats-claw, water comes pouring out. It is a good source of drinking water.
Camou-Camou: A fruit that looks like an apple. It grows on some trees in the Amazon and if halve of the trees' trunks are in water, the Camou-Camou dies. It might be a cure for life-threatening diseases in the future. Obviously, it is quite healthy.
Anoconda: A snake that hunts/feeds on pray. It can climb branches, slither around the Amazon floor and can even swim well!
Caiman (KAi-MeN): The Amazon's version of a crocodile. It can be dangerous and is really spiky. It hides underneath the water searching for prey.
Well, not only Brazilians and the moss is hurting the Amazon. The whole world is! If you are sitting at a wooden desk or table or you own wooden bookshelves ect. well guess where the wood comes from. The Amazon. A company called "The National Market" is cutting down hundreds of trees a month in the Amazon. The National Market is also making furniture out of the wood and shipping it all over the world. That is a big problem. But, America happens to be getting the most furniture form The National Market.
Well, the way we can help is preserving wood. If a newborn has an older brother or sister, you can reuse the older sibling's baby furniture to suite the newborn. Just like that you can save a tree. A tree gives off fresh air and if we keep on cutting more trees down pollution will win the battle and we will have nowhere to breath. And the Amazon is very beautiful and you might want to visit it one day. So, to save the Amazon reuse/recycle paper and furniture.
I thought highly of the show. If scientists watch it they can find out about the Camou-Camou and experiment on it so they could find a cure for life-threatening diseases. And actually anybody can watch this movie because anybody can help save the Amazon. Just start recycling and instead of driving ride a bicycle. We really need to keep our Amazon healthy. Here are some reasons why it is so important.
-20% of the world's fresh water comes from the Amazon.
-1/4 of the animal species on earth live in the Amazon.
-The Amazon has twice as many species of fish than the Atlantic ocean.
Article posted April 18, 2008 at 02:56 AM GMT0 •
comment (2) • Reads 471
by Cameron
I watched a TV show called Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Return to the Amazon. When he goes to the Amazon he encounters a lot of animals and plants. Here are some animals that I watched.
Anaconda: The anaconda is the largest snake in the world and if you think Anacondas will kill you they are actually harmless. If you were to be bitten by an Anaconda it would just be a bite and they are not venomous. The Anaconda is part of the Boa Constrictor family and uses its huge body and power to subdue and eat it’s pray.
The Cape Fur Seal: The largest of the southern hemisphere's fur seals, the Cape Fur Seal spends much of its life at sea, feeding on pelagic fish, squid and rock lobster. Cape fur seals are very agile and can grab their pray easily.
Caiman: The Amazon rainforest caiman is a very large reptile, often reaching four meters long. The name of this species comes from the bony ridges across its snout. The caiman is nocturnal, like many of the animals in the Amazon. It lives in fresh water, such as the lakes and rivers around the Amazon rainforest.
Pink River Dolphin: Of the five freshwater species of dolphins in the world, the pink Amazon River dolphin is considered to be the most intelligent. These friendly, sensitive, mammals with a brain capacity 40% larger than that of humans, who have lived in harmony with the people of the Amazon and its tributaries for centuries, now face extinction in some tributaries. What was considered to be one of the least threatened species of dolphins 20 years ago has now become one of the most endangered species due to the accelerated and commercialized hurting of the Amazon basin and the destruction of the South American tropical rainforest.
Galapagos shark: The Galapagos shark is dark grey on top with an off-white belly and a black tail edge, its snout is long and rounded. Their average length is around 10 ft. They are benthic feeders, meaning they hunt prey from the sea floor, such as fish and octopuses. Adult Galapagos sharks are also cannibalistic, feeding on their own young if encountered.
The Amazon is important to the rest of the world because the desk your computer is on is probably from the Amazon it is one of the most wood suppliers in the world.
The people in the western world are damaging our Amazon Rainforest because we the Amazon connects to the Atlantic Ocean and if we keep polluting the Atlantic Ocean we are also hurting the Amazon. We are also hurting it by taking wood for desks and wood for our houses.
I think that the Amazon show taught me a lot about what is there and what lives there it also took me to a place I have never been before so it was pretty exciting. The people who should watch this are people who think that they can make a difference in this world. I’m talking about the GOVERNMENT. They should realize how much they are hurting our Amazon and they should make a difference because they have the power to do that. I don’t think this changes the situation because not everyone watched it. Then no one knows about it, there is nothing they can do. Jean-Michel Cousteau really should inspire everyone. He is showing us the things we need to hear and see. I look forward to watching his next Ocean Adventure.
Article posted April 18, 2008 at 02:56 AM GMT0 •
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Article posted April 27, 2008 at 11:08 PM GMT0 •
comment (1) • Reads 369
by Joshua
I saw an interesting show on T.V about a famous oceanographer named Jean Michel Cousteau. he had went to the Amazon river for 30 years and now had finally returned form his journey. The show was about how the Amazon was a huge jungle but over the past years it has been getting destroyed. It used to be beautiful but now it is not very pleasant. There is moss growing that is covering lakes and going on animals and also animals are dying out. This is not good and it is not happening by itself. It is because we humans are doing it.
Some animals that are living in the Amazon are:
Anaconda: A snake that hunts/feeds on pray. It can climb branches, slither around the Amazon base and can even swim pretty good also.
Pink River Dolphin: A dolphin that lives in the waters of the Amazon and is pink. Some Brazilians think that it is the most beautiful animal that is alive in the Amazon. The pink river dolphin stays near the surface of the water in the Amazon
Cats-claw: A plant or branch that has pointy ridges on it. If you break the branch or vine of a Cats-claw, water comes pouring out. It is an excellent source of drinking water.
Camou-Camou: A fruit that looks like an apple. It grows on some trees in the Amazon and if halve of the trees' trunks are in water, the Camou dies. It might be a cure for life-threatening diseases in the future. Obviously, it is healthy.
Caiman (KAi-MeN): The Amazon's type of a crocodile. It can be dangerous and is really spiky. It hides underneath the water searching for its prey.
Not only is moss and some people hurting it everyone is killing it. An example is when you are sitting on a wooden chair you know where it comes from? It comes from a company named "National Market" which cuts over hundreds of trees per a month and sell it. But we need to stop that because it is changing the environment around us.
I thought the show was great for everyone and teaches things to different people around the world and I would recommend it to scientists to watch because it would help them do a better job in helping the environment. It has come to a point where we have to start changing things around and helping the earth
Article posted April 27, 2008 at 11:08 PM GMT0 •
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Article posted April 18, 2008 at 03:55 AM GMT0 •
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by Thomas
Thanks to the Celebration of Teaching and Learning Conference, we heard Jean-Michel Cousteau discuss issues with the Amazon River and rainforest. You were then asked to watch the two part program, "Return to the Amazon."
Pink river dolphins are one of the four types of river dolphins in the world. The Mata Mata turtle has a snorkel like nose. It is the best camouflaged animal in the Amazon. Regular turtles have been depleting for a very long time, and there are efforts to bring them back. The Camen crocodile is the Amazon version of the crocodile, and they are hunted for the fashion industry. The Jararoca snake is one of the two hundred Amazon snakes. It is a harmless snake.
The Amazon is important to the rest of the world because we use it for water. 20% of the world’s water is from there. It also controls the world’s climate.
Humans in the Western world are responsible for the destruction of the Amazon because we use wood from the Amazon to build doors, decks, desks, etc. If we want to stop the destruction we could stop buying things made out of wood from the Amazon. Also we can stop buying fish and pets from the Amazon, so the people that catch and sell them will not catch as many.
The show describes all the problems in the Amazon and what needs to be done to fix it. People that are destroying the Amazon probably have never even seen it, or know that they are destroying it. Everyone should watch it. It will change the situation a little bit if some people start cutting back on using wood. Conditions at the Amazon will improve.
Article posted April 18, 2008 at 03:55 AM GMT0 •
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Article posted April 18, 2008 at 03:49 AM GMT0 •
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by Rohan
I just watched an amazing show about the Amazon river/forest called “Return to the Amazon” by Jean-Michel Cousteau. It was about an ocean scientist name Jean-Michel Cousteau and how he, his children, and a group of scientists venture into the Amazon, again, to see Amazon and what has changed since the last time they saw the Amazon. This show was very exciting. It is a great show for anyone concerned about the Amazon River and the type of animals that are found there. This show will also give an insight to all people who are worried about the future of our planet.
This show explained the consequences of the Amazon being destroyed and I think that this show helped people understand the importance of deforestation and the human destruction of many species of fish, birds and animals which is leading towards their extinction.
I learned that there are many animals found in the Amazon. Among them are the Pink River Dolphin, the Margay cat, the Piraruku, the catfish, and the Monk Saki. There are many interesting facts about these animals which I discovered after watching this show. The Pink River Dolphin is nearly extinct in the Amazon since fishermen use dolphin meat as bait for catching catfish. The Piraruku fish is one of the largest freshwater fish in the world. The Margay cat is one of the many illegally smuggled animals that are taken from the Amazon and sold to private animal collectors all over the world. Large catfish have been caught in the Amazon River that have weighed over 200 pounds! The Monk Saki is a monkey that’s unique by its absence of a tail.
The Amazon is very important to the rest of the world. Its foliage plays a big role in the world’s climate. The Amazon decreases the world’s temperature by one or two degrees Celsius. It also helps balance the humidity and rain in many places around the world. The Amazon supplies 20% of the world oxygen and consumes poisonous carbon dioxides.
Its tragic that the Amazon is being destroyed slowly but steadily. This is because people cut down trees in the forest to meet the ever increasing demand of tree bark which is used to make paper, furniture, ect. Most of this demand comes from the affluent nations of the West. To prevent any further destruction we should cut down trees in preserved areas only. By doing this only a certain amount of trees are cut down. After all the trees are cut down we would plant more trees. Recycling paper is an indirect way to help prevent anymore destruction of the Amazon. This show made me realize that our day to day life is affecting nature indirectly.
Article posted April 18, 2008 at 03:49 AM GMT0 •
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Article posted April 18, 2008 at 12:17 AM GMT0 •
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by Jasmine
I watched Jean-Michel Cousteau on PBS. He was talking about how the Amazon Rain forest is being destroyed along with the plants and animals that live there. The bush baby, jacari, capybara, camen and the tapir are all losing their homes due to the destruction we have caused. We humans are destroying their habitats.
The Amazon River is the largest source of fresh water on the map. The Amazon River is one whole fifth of the entire worlds river water. That’s a lot of water so it can affect the people of the Amazon, Europe and North America. This affects everyone because the Amazon River leads into the Atlantic Ocean.
If we all help out we can save the Amazon. I would recommend this program to anyone who wants to make a difference. I hope you will understand that everything we do makes a change for us and others. If we make a difference now we will have a better future for ourselves and everyone else. Save the Amazon.
Article posted April 18, 2008 at 12:17 AM GMT0 •
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Article posted April 26, 2008 at 09:14 PM GMT0 •
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by Karen
I have watched the show Jean Michel Cousteau Ocean Adventures Return to the Amazon. I have learned many things about the Amazon The show was mainly about how the amazon was being destroyed and how we are responsible for it, also I have saw and learned many animals in the amazon.
Pink River Dolphin It is nicknames Bouto, fisherman's use the dolphin meat as a source to catch catfish. It's brain is larger than a humans brain!
Another animal I learned was the Galapagos Shark It has a dark gray on the top, with an off white belly. Their average length growth is about 10 ft. They hunt down in the sea floor.
Another animal is an Anaconda. They can grow up to 30 feet long. It's the worlds biggest snake. It can be very dangerous.
Caiman an amazon crocodile. They are very large reptiles in the amazon.
The largest grow up to 20 feet, but most Caiman's are smaller. By reputation they are not aggressive. They are the rivers most ancient lizards.
The last animal is the Cape Fur Seal,it eats fish squid, and rock lobster. It's a carnivorous marine animal.
We effect the amazon because we waste a lot of trees coming from the amazon. We keep using paper and we waste a lot of paper! Also they use trees for our supplies not thinking of the trees we have used from the amazon and other places. If we try to recycle or reuse paper and other stuff thats made out of wood then we might save plenty of trees!
The amazon river flow to the Atlantic Ocean so the destruction of the amazon can effect Europe and North America. We drink the amazons fresh river water too. If the Amazon is destroyed then we can't use many paper each day because the trees (wood) is mainly from the Amazon too! If it's gone then the supply of paper and other stuff made out of wood would be lacking. There won't be sufficient supply of paper and goods made out of good.
I recommend this show to the company who cuts down wood (trees) and the people in the world. I want them to know how much the amazon is needed including the trees. I hope many people would understand the need of the amazon.
Article posted April 26, 2008 at 09:14 PM GMT0 •
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Article posted April 16, 2008 at 03:16 AM GMT0 •
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by Kyra
I have watched the “Return to the Amazon” show where Jean-Michel Cousteau talked about the destruction of the Amazon forest and the Amazon River. Humans are responsible for the destruction of the Amazon forests because of deforestation for farmland and hard wood. By destroying the forests and trees, we are destroying the ecosystem of the Amazon- plants, birds, animals, and insects. We can change this situation by asking the government to make deforestation of every forest against the law. We need to educate the people about the importance of Amazon and rain forest. This will prevent people from killing trees. The rareness of the bush baby, jaguar, capybara, squirrel monkey and the tapir is caused by the destruction of the Amazon because we are destroying the habitats of these animals. The rareness of the sword flower, lily plant and bougainvillea are also caused by the Amazon destruction.
Since this river is the biggest source of freshwater in the world, the forests surrounding it are the most diverse environments in the world. The importance of the Amazon will rise when you hear that it is the source of 1/5 of the WORLD’S river water! Not only will the destruction destroy the animals and the global economics, it affects the indigenous people of the Amazon. The Amazon River has major impact on the Atlantic Ocean since so much water flows from it into the Ocean. This can impact North America and Europe!
When I saw this show, I thought that it was really interesting. I would recommend this to people that are interested in saving earth because this show tells how the world situations are affecting the Amazon. I think that this will help change the situation because people will start to understand how everything is connected and the impact being felt by the plants, animals, and fish of the ocean will eventually impact us all.
Article posted April 16, 2008 at 03:16 AM GMT0 •
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Article posted April 13, 2008 at 12:49 AM GMT0 •
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by Benjamin
My class had to watch a show on PBS about the Amazon jungle. The team who was going there was Jean-Michel Cousteau and many other people. The main theme of the show was to show the world that anything that has an impact on the Amazon, has an impact on the world because it has lots of trees. It is the most biodiverse place on the planet. Biodiverse means it has different types of life. In one scene one man describes how he captured the eggs from fish and puts them together with the sperm to create many more fish than what would occur naturally. This is to replace all the fish that have been lost because of farming. There are also people who sell exotic animals in the markets. This is some people make money. They said the best way to discourage people from taking these animals from the wild is not to buy them in the markets. We need to start taking better care of the Amazon to prevent more damage to the global environment.
Article posted April 13, 2008 at 12:49 AM GMT0 •
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Article posted April 18, 2008 at 02:44 AM GMT0 •
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by Caitlin
1. The first animal that I learned about is the Pink River Dolphin also known as the Bouto. I learned that fishermen use dolphin meat as bait to catch catfish. The second animal is the Pirarucu. The average size for a Pirarucu is six feet long and 200 pounds. The biggest it can get is 10 feet and 400 pounds. The third animal is the Margay. This animal in the cat family is often sold illegally. The fourth animal is the Akarlonia fish. The biggest this animal can get is twenty centimeters. This fish is commonly found in pet stores in Japan. The last animal is the Anaconda. It is one of the largest snakes in the world.
2. The Amazon rainforest is important to the rest of the world because it plays an important role in the climate of the world. It helps balance the humidity and rain in different parts of the earth.
3. The Western world is responsible for the destruction of the Amazon because they are using up all of its resources. Humans are taking away things such as its trees for lumber, fish and other animals in order to sell them. Also, they are cutting trees to make farms for cattle.
4.I thought the show was very interesting. It was fun to see all the different animals and plants that are in the Amazon. I would recommend this show to people who like animals like I do and to people who care about our earth and want to help make a difference. I think it will help the situation because in the show they show you all these poor people and all these dead animals. This might encourage people to help save the Amazon and our earth.
Article posted April 18, 2008 at 02:44 AM GMT0 •
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Article posted April 30, 2008 at 02:29 PM GMT0 •
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by Allison
Over this past week we watched a show about the "Amazon Jungle" Thanks to Jean Micheal Cousteau's.
My favorite part was the Egwanas, they can swim very well. There are these flies that drink the fluids from their eyes and
The longest Egwana is a male a it is 5 feet long, and weighs 20 lbs. I also learned that Egwanas are not meat eaters.
The 2nd part I liked was the Tadees, Tadees is a type of bird that is very colorful,and when it can it snatches flies off
of leaves to eat.Tadees originally come from the Carribean,but now live in Cuba.
OOOHH... Flamingos,I love Flamingos and they seem to always need to be with each other.They flock together in groups
to bathe. Did you know that flamingos get their pink color from eating shrimp? Flamingos are very tall and have really thin
legs.
Turtles are one of my favorvites. They are so cute. Turtles were born in Cuba over A million years ago, and they are even older
then Cuba. I did'nt know that turtles lay their eggs on dry land and after they lay them, they cover them up with dirt so that
know other animals will eat them.
I really enjoyed watching this show, because I absolutely love animals(any kind).I would tell people that hunt and kill animals
and destroy their homes,to watch this show and see how benefical animals can be to our Earth! Maybe it would change there minds.
Article posted April 30, 2008 at 02:29 PM GMT0 •
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Article posted April 17, 2008 at 12:47 AM GMT0 •
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by Nicholas
1 - On the Jean-Michel Cousteau documentary "Return to the Amazon", I learned about many different plants and animals of the Amazon in Brazil. There are Cacau plants that grow beans for dark chocolate. Dark chocolate helps the heart. In the last few years, deforestation has reduced the number of trees in the Amazon by 50 percent. Now the people of the amazon are planting soy beans. People eat soy beans around the world so the people of Brazil can sell them. You can also make milk and other products from soy beans. In the amazon river there are anaconda snakes. Anaconda snake grow to 7 feet long and kill their prey by squeezing them to death. Anaconda also kill humans. In the amazon Cayman crocodiles grow to about 5 feet long and are not too agressive. Cayman crocodile are hunted illegally for their skins for purses and shoes. There are Mata Mata turtles in the amazon that breath through their noses like a snorkle. Their is an area in the amazon called Mirawa. In Mirawa the Mata Mata turles are protected. The local people of the area are taught how to protect the baby turtles. Mirawa is a tourist area, so the local people can make money working there and taking care of the turtles. Of the 1200 baby turtles that are born each year, only 30 percent survive. There are twice as many species of fish in the amazon as there are in the Atlantic ocean. In the amazon there are 20 species of stingrays. These stingrays adapt to the dark light of the amazon river. Amazon water is cloudy from the silt.
2 - The amazon rain forest is so important to the entire world because it protects us from global warming. The Amazon needs to be preserved because if there are fewer trees, there is less rain. Less rain created global warming. The amazon needs to be preserved to protect the ego-system of the earth.
3 - Humans are responsible for the distruction of the amazon because there are so many lumber companies that are cutting down all the tress to sell for furniture and building. There are no laws in Brazil to stop the builders from cutting down the tress in the amazon. This is called deforestation. The local people of the amazon are very poor. So they just keep cutting down trees to make money. Programs like Jean-Michel Cousteau help educate the people of the world of how important the amazon is and how we have to stop deforestation. We need to tell the people of the Brazil government to stop cutting down the trees. Also, when a new lumber company comes to Brazil, them cut dowm more trees to make roads. They also put up dams for energy.
4- I loved the show so much. I learned so much about deforestation. I also learned that with deforestation not only do the trees get cut down and detroyed, but also the plants do. We need to save the plants of the amazon for new medicines. I would recommend the people in charge of all the governments of the world to watch the show and try to do something to stop deforestation and global warming.
Article posted April 17, 2008 at 12:47 AM GMT0 •
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Article posted April 13, 2008 at 08:03 PM GMT0 •
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by Melinda
On television I watched the show called “Return to the Amazon”. It was very informative it talks about how you can save the Amazon and the animals and plants in it.
Some of the animals are snakes, camons, birds and a lot more!! These animals are endangered!
The Amazon holds all of these animals. So why are they important to the rest of the world?? Well the Amazon is important because it holds the natural and beautiful parts of the world! It is also important because the Amazon holds all of the precious animals. Without the Amazon where would those animals go??
Did you know that humans are mostly the cause of the destruction of the amazon? This is because people destroy parts of the amazon for
buildings and malls. We can help the Amazon by not cutting down the natural glory of the Amazon.
I thought the show was once again very informative about the Amazon . I think however loves nature and saving the planet should watch this show . I also think that this show might help save the planet and the Amazon!!
Article posted April 13, 2008 at 08:03 PM GMT0 •
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Article posted April 17, 2008 at 02:08 AM GMT0 •
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by Thushara
After watching the show “Jean-Michel Cousteau: Ocean Adventures Return to the Amazon” I have learned many things.
I have learned about lots of animals. One animal is the Camen also known as the Amazon version of the crocodile. It is one of the Amazons most ancient residents. The largest they grow is 20 feet. Most are smaller and they are not aggressive. But they have huge teeth.
Another animal is the Anaconda. They are the world’s biggest snake and also the most dangerous. My favorite animal was the pink river dolphin. They are the largest and most colorful of the species of dolphins that live world wide. It is born red but as the males get older they become pinker. The more they fight with other pink dolphins they become pinker. As they age they often turn gray again or close to white.
Another animal is a Cape fur seal. It is a carnivorous marine mammal that lives along the coasts of South Africa and southeastern Australia and eats fish. It can weigh up to 730 pounds. They also have external ears. I also like the Galapagos shark. It is an aggressive shark that grows to be about 10 feet long. It swims likes in schools (Fish that stay together) and lives in deep, tropical waters and feeds on smaller fish.
A gray whale is a marine mammal that can grow to 45 feet long and 40 tons. It feeds on krill and amphipods and lives in the eastern North Pacific. It migrates about 12,000 miles from Alaska to Mexico yearly. Formerly also inhabited the Atlantic Ocean, but was probably hunted to extinction there.
Just imagine the earth with out the Amazon. What would it be like? The Amazon is important to the rest of the world because Tropical forests and woodlands exchange enormous amounts of water and energy with the atmosphere. Water released by plants into the atmosphere through evaporation and plant transpiration and to the ocean by the rivers, influences world climate and the circulation of ocean currents. This works as a feedback mechanism, as the process also sustains the regional climate on which it depends.
Did you know that there is lots of destruction going on in the Amazon? Most of it is done by humans. How are humans specifically we here in the Western world, responsible for the destruction of the Amazon? If rainforests are not able to be maintained there will be fewer forests for humans to draw upon. Chain saws and bulldozers are used as skilled ways to destroy many acres of rainforest at a time. Bulldozers are often used to clear land in order to prepare it for slashing and burning. One of the most widely used methods to destroy rainforests is using slash and burn agriculture. With this type of agriculture, all of the trees and plants in the selected area are uprooted or cut down. This is very bad for the Amazon. Some ways we can help is by trying to recycle everything you can like newspapers, cans, glass bottles, jars, aluminum foil, motor oil, scrap metal, and more. Also you can re-use brown paper bags to line your trash can instead of plastic liners. You could re-use bread bags, butter tubs, and any thing else that you can. Also if you are cold turn your heat down, and wear a sweater. Another way is to turn off the lights, TV, or other electrical appliances when you're out of a room.
I think that many people should watch this show. Some kind of people who should watch it is someone who likes to help the environment and can do something about saving the rainforest and help stop pollution. I think this would help the environment a lot more. I think this because if some one saw all of these horrid things that are happening in the earth they might want to do something about. They could start a recycling program or use some of the tips in saving the rainforests. If they do they really can make a difference. They can give a wonderful future to the prosperity.
Article posted April 17, 2008 at 02:08 AM GMT0 •
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Article posted April 12, 2008 at 03:33 PM GMT0 •
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by Frank
The Ocean Adventures of John Cousteau is about him and his team exploring the Amazon Rainforest. Also, he met native tribes there and found plants that they used to cure sicknesses. One of the plants he found was if you cut it open you had water. Another plant was hanging off a tree and if you cut it open inside of it you will find this white hard substance and if you eat it you get more blood cells. Also, the snakes that I saw weren’t aggressive so they didn’t attack John Cousteau or any of his team members. There were fishermen that I saw that were catching this huge type of fish that is almost extinct. When the fish is fully grown it weighs almost 400 pounds! So every time they caught one they had to put a tag on it to show where in the Amazon they caught it. When they were in the ocean they saw this pink dolphin. Also I saw this crocodile called the Black Caiman, it is one of the largest species of crocodiles. Also I saw the red-bellied piranha. Also the natives that they saw made die from berries and painted John Cousteau’s team with it. The natives didn’t get scared of him because they had a permit to be able to explore the Amazon. Another plant I saw is the Curare. The Curare is a large poisonous vine rich in alkaloids. The alkaloids relax muscles and are used as an arrow poison. Also I saw the coca tree which is one of my favorite plants because I'm a chocolate lover. The Annatto tree has many uses. Rainforest people have used the plant for things from insect repellant to lowering blood pressure. In South America, it is used to treat bruises, and fever. It is also used as an anesthesia. The Amazon is very important to the rest of the world because it has most a lot of different kind of animals and if it got wiped out most of the world’s climate would change. We are helping cause the destruction of the Amazon because we buy the paper so they have to cut down more of the trees. We can stop this by recycling our paper and plastic and other things. The show about John Cousteau was really exciting. I think that the government should watch this show because it would show them how much damage we are doing to the Amazon and maybe he’ll stop buying so much paper.
Article posted April 12, 2008 at 03:33 PM GMT0 •
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Article posted April 17, 2008 at 11:57 PM GMT0 •
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by Brian
I had learned many things on the T.V. show return the Amazon. I learned about many animals and different plants. In the Amazon there is a bat called the Vampire Bat. They can float on water and mostly they live in places where you can hardly see. For example live dark caves and hollow trees. They are mostly found dead when the weather turns cold. They are thinking of a way to stop this horrible event to happen again.
Another animal I learned about is the Jaguar. They like to live in mostly sheltered places. They like eating fishes that come from the water of river. Guess how they sharpen their claws? They scratch their paws on the tree trunks. They are an expert hunting of land and trees. Jaguars don't like eating humans. 6,000 jaguars are killed in this manner every year.
Another animal I learned about is the fished that live in the Amazon River. They use these 10 feet 400 pound fish as bait. It is just a waste using these big fish as bait.
Also there is the Anaconda snake. It is the world’s largest snake. They mostly can live up to 10 years but some of then can live up to 30 years! Can you believe that if the female Anaconda is larger than the male they will eat each other. They give birth to a few dozen at a time.
One more animals I learned about are Brazilian Animals. There are so many that I can't even list all of them. But mostly live in different places. Maybe like birds, they can live in the trunk of the tree.
Humans are responsible for the destruction of the Amazon because we are always cutting down trees for paper and other thing that need trees. We can try not wasting paper or supplies.
Well I really like this TV. show. It is mostly about animals and Indian tribes that live near it. But because of this TV. show I am now interested in learning more about the world. I think that the people that should watch it are people that are worried about our world. I think there are some ways we can change the situation. Maybe like working together about our environment. I you didn't watch it, this might be the chance to read more about it and help the Amazon.
Article posted April 17, 2008 at 11:57 PM GMT0 •
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Article posted April 17, 2008 at 09:22 PM GMT0 •
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by Katherine
Do you know who Jean-Michael Cousteau is? He travels around the world. He and I had learned a lot in our "trip" to the Amazon.
We are part of this destruction becuase are very skilled at wasting wood and paper.
The Amazon effects us, and is part of providing us our wood supplement. If the Amazon is destroyed, or paper supply MAY run low. But we hope this own't happen. Please, don't waste paper!
I think the show mad a good point, and sends a strong message, without telling it. I hope everyone tries to take action little by little.
Article posted April 17, 2008 at 09:22 PM GMT0 •
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Article posted April 29, 2008 at 12:30 AM GMT0 •
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by Gina
A few days ago, I watched Jean Michel Cousteau’s Return to the Amazon. From the show, I have learned many things about the Amazon. The show was about how the Amazon was being destroyed, and how we are responsible for it. Also, the show described the animals of the Amazon Rainforest. I learned a lot about many different animals.
One of the most interesting animals are the Pink River Dolphins, also known as Bouto. The dolphins have a larger brain capacity than humans! Fishermen use the dolphins' meat as a source to catch catfish.
Caiman’s are crocodiles found in the Amazon. Caiman crocodiles are not known to be aggressive. The largest known Caiman crocodile was about 20 feet. The Caiman crocodiles are usually smaller.
Another animal I learned about by watching Jean Michel Cousteau’s show was the Galapagos Shark. It is dark gray on the top, with an off white belly. The sharks usually grow up to about 10 feet. The sharks get their food by hunting; they go deep down on the bottom of the sea.
The Anaconda is another animal I saw on the show. This is the world’s longest snake! It is very dangerous. They can grow up to 30 feet long.
The last animal is the Cape Fur Seal It's a carnivorous marine animal. It eats fish squid, and rock lobster.
The show also discussed how we affect the Amazon. In the US we use many trees that are from the Amazon, many more then we need. So, the people that work in the Amazon forest cut down more then they need. This can lead to the Amazon losing all it’s trees!
The Amazon River leads into the Atlantic Ocean. So, polluting in the Amazon River can lead to the Atlantic Ocean being polluted. The Atlantic Ocean leads to many places, including North America. We drink and bathe in the water that comes from the Atlantic Ocean, technically we are drinking the Amazon River, too. So, if the Amazon River is polluted the Atlantic Ocean might be polluted
I think that the companies that cut down trees in the Amazon should watch this show. But even more, I recommend that the people of the USA and other countries watch this show and stop buying wood from the Amazon. If we stop buying wood they might stop cutting trees. I hope people will learn that the Amazon is very important to us.
Article posted April 29, 2008 at 12:30 AM GMT0 •
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About the Blogger
Our class is run by our two teachers, Mrs. Parisi and Ms. Southard. They are a collaborative team. Together, they get us excited about learning through website creations, podcasts, our SmartBoard, and now blogging. The fun and learning never end!
Our class is run by our two teachers, Mrs. Parisi and Ms. Southard. They are a collaborative team. Together, they get us excited about learning through website creations, podcasts, our SmartBoard, and now blogging. The fun and learning never end!
