Destruction of the Amazon Rainforest

1. Entry Task:
In your opinion, what natural
resource is the most
valuable/important on Earth?

2. Interactive Notebook:
•Date =
•Title = Rainforests
•Page # =

3. Table Group Discussion:
•What is a rainforest?
•Record your ideas in your
Interactive Notebook.

4. What is a rainforest?
• Woodland characterized by lush vegetation,
comparatively high temperature, and rainfall throughout
the year.
• The world’s most biologically diverse ecosystem.
• Account for less than 7% of the land surface on earth, but
contain more than 50% of its plant and animal species.

5. • Emergent Tree – the tallest trees
which enjoy unfettered sunlight.
• Canopy Layer – absorbs as much
as 90% of the sunlight, darkening
the lower regions.
• Understory – receives little
sunlight, therefore boasts cooler
temperature and higher
humidity.
• Forest Floor – home to many of
the rainforest’s insects, reptiles,
and amphibians.

6. • Most plants found in the
rainforest are unique to
that biome.
• Many of these plants are
eaten by the indigenous
people and/or used for
medicine.
• Millions of plant species
exist in the rainforest.

7. • In 15 sq km (6 sq mi) of
rain forest, as many as
100 different mammal
species may be found.
• Many rainforest
animals are nocturnal,
sleeping during the
heat of the day.

8. • Almost 90% of the
rainforest animal
species are insects,
and of these, most
are beetles.
• Some estimate that
as many as 30
million insect species
may live in the

9. • Indigenous, or native people
have lived in the rainforest
for many thousands of years.
• Much of their food,
medicines, and clothing come
from the rainforest.
• Besides hunting, gathering
wild fruits and nuts and
fishing, they also plant small
gardens.

10. The problem is…
The Amazon Rainforest is in DANGER . . .
This beautiful and important physical
environment is under serious threat. For
decades people have been cutting down
the trees for a variety of reasons.
What are the reasons for deforestation?

12. How much of the Amazon
Rainforest has been destroyed?
•http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/press/relea
ses/2014/Amazon-deforestation-rates-decrease-from-last-
year/
•http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-
way/2016/11/30/503867628/deforestation-of-the-
amazon-up-29-percent-from-last-year-study-finds
•https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/jun/07
/amazon-deforestation-illegal-logging-brazil

13. Videos:
• Please take notes in your I.N.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=9eFiZbB9aJQ
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=hllU9NEcJyg

14. Learning Task:
• Read the text called, Destruction of the
Amazon Rainforest.” This text is posted on
the Google Classroom.
• Take notes in your I.N.
• Complete the “Amazon Rainforest
Questions,” which are posted on the Google
Classroom.