Highland Elementary 5th grade student.
Highland Elementary students with painted faces, declaring their stand with the Achuar and the Amazon Rain Forest.
Below you will find some wonderful examples on how kids care. Touching and insightful, I am proud to share these with the world, so others may be inspired by their words.
May this be a shinning example of what's possible when the heart of a student is moved to make a difference. They decided as a school to donate money to Achuar schools as an expression of solidarity for saving the rain forest from distruction.
Best regards,
Dean
Dear Achuar,
March 1, 2013
We know you are going through tough times because outside
people want to cut down your trees . We kids at Highland want to prevent people
from coming in to your forest to cut all the trees down. We know that the trees
are your life and they provide food, transportation (canoes) and happiness. We
want to help you as much as we can. That is why Dean brought you school
supplies, pictures, and videos of us. This shows our support and that all of us
stand behind you.
Kids
at Highland know that you love your garden and your plants that grow in it too
and we don't want anyone to take that from you. If they cut down your forest
they will also kill the spiritual animals such as the anaconda, condor, and the
jaguar. The Amazon River will also suffer and it is where you play, shower, and
where you take a bath. You have survived a long time in the Amazon Rainforest
and thank you for keeping it safe.
If
the outside people cut down your trees the trees won't grow back because of the
clay underneath the six inch soil. If we preserve the trees you will be able to
enjoy your strawberries in the hot summer sun. We want to help save you trees
and your village. We know that you are fun, cool and clever so we stand with
you and all the trees.
Sincerely: Coehen and Cody
Dear Reader,
Hello Reader, our school
has recently had a school fundraiser, the Candy Grams. Candy Grams are when our
school sells candy and Teddy bears. After Candy Grams sales are over they
usually donate the money. We should give the money to the Achuar. The Achuar
are a small village of people. They live in the Amazon rainforest. They
live without heat, running water, and technology. They are very happy, but they
are poor. We think that we should donate the money to the Achuar.
The Achuar need simple
things like clothing to keep warm, and blankets to go to bed with. These simple
things can make a difference to them. They need a mosquito net so they don’t
get bitten at night time. Imagine if you were the Achuar people no blankets and
no new clothes. It would be hard. So that is why we should donate the Candy
Gram money to the Achuar.
They might need the money
for gas to run their chainsaws. They do not use their chainsaws that much.
Because they are poor they share the chainsaw with the other small towns close
to them. The cost of gas there is much higher than in the U.S.A Here it is 4-5
dollars a gallon. Where the Achuar live it is 8 dollars a gallon.
One more reason to give the
Achuar the Candy Gram money. They need shoes! We wear shoes why shouldn’t they?
Some of the Achuar wear shoes but some are too poor so we should help them. If
you didn’t have shoes in the rainforest you would be in a little pain. I think
we should really give them our candy gram money.
I think it would so nice if
we do this for the Achuar people. You can make your choice but I will
stick with my answer. We should give our candy gram money to the Achuar people.
Sincerely,
Sofia and Vasti
Dear Reader,
How would you like to earn money for school supplies for the
people in the Amazon Rain Forest? Thats what we want to do. The money that the
school earned from Candy Gram sales could be donated to the Achuar people. For
instance, if you were to run out of school supplies you will have enough money
to buy some more, and it will also make them happier. Like if your box of
markers dry out you can buy a new box.
The Achuar do not have much money, but they are happy with what
they have and don’t take anything for granted. If we give them money they will
not take it for granted and will be extremely happy that Highland Elementary
donated money to the Achuar people of Ecuador.
Your
Highland friends,
Ben
& Braden
3-1-13
Dear Readers,
How would you like if there were no trees in the
rainforest? What if it was your home? Well, there is a tribe in the
Amazon Rainforest that is in danger of losing their home . Here are some
reasons why we should save the rainforest.
First of all, people are planning to cut down their trees which will prevent
them from ever growing back.The reason that they can’t grow back is that the
roots of these trees hold the healthy soil in place so it won’t wash
away.This would leave only the clay soil left where nothing can grow. Therefore
if we don’t have trees we won’t have the oxygen we need. Another reason is that there is a tribe living there
(Achuar). How would they survive if there were no trees? The Achuar tribe can only get a specific kind
of vegetable/fruit at certain seasons, for example strawberries can only be
grown in the summer time. Where would the Achuar tribe be able to live? The
Achuar tribe do not have that many materials for example,
electricity, running water, TVS, school supplies and more but they seem to know
what happiness really means. Happiness doesn’t mean to take materials for
granted, it means that you can help others. Thats why we want to save the
rainforest for our friends The Achuar tribe. We stand for the Achuar!
From : Alannah, Haley, Jasmine
Dear
Readers,
Have you ever traveled to the Amazon river? Well people from
the outside world want to cut down trees in the rainforest of Ecuador. In the
rainforest of Ecuador there is a village with these people called the Achuar
people. The Achuar people are very poor people. Everything they make is
handmade.
The Achuar people have been living in the rainforest for
about 100 years. Under their trees is soil. Under the soil is clay. If we cut
down the trees the trees won't grow back. On top of the soil is a thin layer of
the nutrient. Their trees are like their grocery store. All their food, wood if
they want to make a house, is in the forest.
The
Achuar people and me don't want to get their trees cut down. They might have to
move to a different place. The beautiful rainforests are not going to have
animals or food for them to live. They should not cut down the trees.
We
should use the candy grams money to help the Achuar people. We raised so much
money. We raised the money for something. Its going to keep them alive and us.
That’s why I think we should not cut down the trees.
From
your friend from Highland
Melanie
March
2013
DEAR READER,
The
indigenous people of the Achuar tribes’ life is being threatened. People
are cutting down their life, history, and future (Amazon Rainforest). If they
do so, nothing will grow back ever because the ground has only six inches of
soil before it hits clay. It takes over 1,000 years for the trees to grow and
if someone cuts the trees down they will never grow back and the Achuar
will be left with nothing .
The Achuar people who live
in the Amazon rainforest hunt and fish for food. They also grow vegetables.
They love the rainforest like their family .
The Achuar have been living
without electricity, ovens, and cars all their life. So if that was changed
that would be hard for them. They help each other, care about each other, love
each other and the rainforest. That is all they need to be happy.
Please stand with the
Achuar tribe by protecting their home and their right to live their way !
By Noah, Matt, and Eliza
March
2013
Dear Readers,
If you have not
heard, the rainforest of Ecuador is being threatened by the outside world.
We would like you to help us and stand with the Achuar people.
The Achuar people are living in the Ecuador rainforest and may be
losing their homes. The Achuar have a different way of living life and
people are trying to change that.
They don’t have electricity, they have no television, they have no
telephones, they travel by canoe, but even though they don’t have as much
possessions or modern conveniences they are still happy about the way they
live. Every thing they know and love will be threatened if the outside
world is allowed to cut down their trees and destroy their homes and we want to
help prevent that .
Even though other people don’t care that the Achuar’s homes are
being taken away, me and my entire school care and we want to help save this
amazing tribe.
My entire school and
I care and are trying to help the Achuar by donating money from our Candy Grams
to buy school supplies for the children in their tribe. Even though
other people don’t care about the Achuar tribe, our school will always care.
Sincerely,
Kyan
and Jacob
Dear Readers,
This article is to help the Achuar people of the Amazon Rain
Forest (ARF) so if that sounds interesting read this!
To begin with, China is trying to get the natives of the
Amazon Rain Forest to leave so they can cut down the forest. They want to cut
down the forest because there is a lot of oil under it. But if we cut it down
it won't grow back up because their is only about six inches of soil. So
if they cut down the trees it won't grow back because the roots are like a net
that makes the soil stay, but if they cut it down the soil will go away.
The forest is an important part of the Achuar culture. They have a
spiritual connection to the forest. They believe that they are connected to the
spirits of the condor the jaguar and the anaconda that live in the rain forest.
In conclusion, that’s why it’s important to save the rainforest.
Sincerely,
Dylan
I Stand With the Achuar
The Achuar is a
native tribe in Ecuador, South America. They speak a foreign language. Their
problem is people from the government are chopping down the rain forest where
their food lives. We all knew about the tribe because of a teacher in my
school, her name is Mrs. Tharp, and she knew a man named Dean, Dean Jacobs.
He has pretty
much gone around the world meeting new people, eating new foods and learning
the cultures of other regions of the world. His latest discovery was in Ecuador.
He saw the sights and he made friends. Those friends were called the
Achuar, a tribe that probably has never seen a T.V. or never heard of Mcdonalds
but they don't care. They're happy.
They hunt for
their own food, humble people if you ask me, but they have a problem. The
forest, the very arms of mother nature, the source of their culture, may be cut
down. Imagine waking up one morning and not having anything to eat. This is
what will eventually happen to the Achuar. So please stand with me, no
not with me, with the Achuar.
By: Scott
Save Ecuador!
Ecuador has the
second highest deforestation (chopping down the rainforest) rate in the entire
continent of South America. If they keep chopping it down it will never grow
back because it has taken thousands of years to get that big. (So in thousands of
years it may grow back.) If you want that much land, build it in space.
If you’re gonna give me “Well, we wanna use it for a farm (any kind as long as
its plant related) land.” as an excuse you are DEAD WRONG. Nothing (except
plants that root outwards not downwards) can grow there. The soil is 6 inches
thick, then it is just clay (not that nutritious for plants) all the way
down...
Aiden D.
March 2013
Save The Trees In The Amazon Rainforest!
The Amazon Rainforest is
important to many tribes. But the most important thing to them is the trees.
The trees are important to them because they need them to get bamboo for their
blowguns, need the animals that live there to get food, they need the trees for
fruits, they need them to survive.
Now as you can see these
tribes cannot survive without these trees. But some people go to the Amazon
Rainforest and chop down these trees. That just ruins the lives of these
people. How would they like it if somebody came and took their house? Well
that’s what these people do. Isn’t it horrible how these people treat these
tribes? This needs to stop..
If these people come and
chop down trees the soil will be gone. There is about six inches deep of soil.
Under the soil there is clay. If this soil is removed it would be nearly
impossible to grow the trees back.. The trees roots spread out to find
more nutrients from the soil in the ground. People have to understand that
these people need these trees. It’s their life.
Another reason the
tribes need these trees are for their houses, schools, and desks. Their
education is important to the adults of these tribes. The kids in these
tribes really love to learn. If you asked them what their dream is, I
guarantee they will say i want to go to school one day with new supplies and
clothes.
Some of these people
don’t understand. It is their home, and they need it. They don’t need tv to be
happy. They have the best show in the whole world at their home in the Amazon
Rain forest. This writing is also to tell people to be happy and to be happy
with what they have.
Mario Falconi Arias
March 2013
Save the Spirit
Keeping rainforests standing is the first step in the
fight against climate change. You can cut CO2 emissions today by
protecting endangered forests with Cool Earth. With so many ways to
get involved there’s something to suit everyone.
When we cut down the rainforests of Ecuador we are
ruining the Achuar’s (an indigenous tribe) way of life. For example, the
Achuar bathe in the rivers. When you cut down the trees, the ground
vibrates. pushing dirt into the river. If the rivers get dirty two things
happen that affect the Achuar people. First, the river will be too dirty
for fish to live there. The dirty rivers will drive the fish away.
Second, with dirty rivers the Achuar can’t bathe. Even if they do,
they could catch diseases from the bugs that lived in the dirt. Think of
the children!
Thinking of children, when you hurt the rainforests you
hurt them. The forest is a part of their heart. They treasure it
deeply. The children of the Achuar tribe depend on the forest to help
them grow up. They also depend on the forest to keep them busy. The
rainforest keeps them company. Achuar children, adults and elders can
tell the trees secrets, knowing that the secrets will stay hidden forever.
They believe that the trees possess a spirit of their own. You take
that belief away from them and you too will feel you destroyed something great
because obviously you have.
As you can see, the Amazon Rainforests need to be saved.
Remember, save the spirit!!
By:
Rebecca
The Ecuador Rainforest
Filled with lots of plants, mammals, insects, fish, birds, and
reptiles the amazon rainforest is one of the most beautiful places in my
opinion. I love how there trees are so green, I wonder what they use.
Fertilizer? Special seeds? Maybe they know a guy. But, what I learned about it,
is more terrifying than when the cold water starts running in the shower. The
thing I learned about the green is that there soil is not good. And 6 in under
the soil is clay, so the roots don't grow properly. :(
Over two-thirds of the earth's water
supply is found in the amazon basin. And over 20% of oxygen on the earth comes
for the amazon. This is mostly why we need to help the amazon rainforest.
People are thinking of cutting down all the trees in the amazon. We may not
care if the amazon is cut down the trees. I mean, I can agree that it won't
really hurt our way of living. But it will for the achuar, and you may think,
so still not us, but they're people too. They’re more of people then we are.
While we’re in our house, watching T.V. and playing video games, they’re living
like a real person. The have the best life ever in my opinion. So, to sum up,
you shouldn't take away their culture.
So as you can see, I love the amazon
rainforest.. And how the achuar live. So, I am asking you to stand with me, and
to plz not kill their culture. I hope you stand with me and DO NOT cut down the
trees.
Singed: Rachel :)
START
GAME P1
OBJECT
SAVE THE
AMAZON RAIN
FOREST
IN THE
AMAZON
RAIN
FOREST
OF ECUADOR
THERE IS A
TRIBE
CALLED
THE ACHUAR
AND THEY
NEED
YOUR HELP.
PEOPLE ARE
CUTTING
DOWN
THEIR HOME
(RAIN
FOREST)
THAT THEY
HAVE
LIVED IN
FOR
THOUSANDS
OF
YEARS.THEIR
ONLY
DEFENSE
IS
US.THERE IS
ALSO
DIFFERENT
ANIMALS
LIVING
IN THOSE
TREES
ANIMALS
LIKE THE
GLOWING
BEETLE
OR THE
JAGUAR.
THEIR
LIVES
ARE IN DANGER
TOO.WRITE
AN
ARTICLE
AND
PASS IT
ON.
PLAY
By:
Brett
Save the Rainforest!
The rainforest needs to be saved because the animals, plants, and
tribes depend on the rainforest. Here are three reasons why the
rainforest needs to be saved.
If someone were to cut down the plants, trees, and habitats the
rainforest would just be clay because the soil is only six inches deep. That
means that the rest is clay and there is no nutrients in clay.
The rainforest has many great features like lots of plants for oxygen.
The plants take in carbon dioxide and put out oxygen. We do the
exact opposite. The plants give the Achuar people berries and other kinds
of food for them for feasts. Also the Amazon plants give the Achuar
people medicines for cuts or bites.
If people come and cut down the plants and trees the animals will
go away and then the Achuar people will have to move and all there will be is
clay where plants cannot grow and dust where the village was.
Those are three reasons why people should not cut down the trees
or damage the habitat. I STAND WITH THE ACHUAR!
Gabe
March
2013
Help the Achuar
Highland should give
money to the Achuar people so they can find a way to be successful and preserve
their way of life. The Achuar are a tribe in Ecuador's rainforest. The Achuar
hunt food with blow darts and they get money somehow so they have clothes
but they don't have shoes.
from
Kylee
Stand With the Achuar
I am here to tell you why you should not chop down the
rainforest. First of all, you should not chop down the rainforest because
it is located on a tribe called the Achuar’s home. Would you like it if
someone came and destroyed your home? Didn’t think so.
Secondly, the Achuar get their food from the forest.
I mean they don’t have a King Soopers or Walmart down the road.
They depend on the forest to help them survive. They believe that
the anaconda, condor and jaguar are the spirit of the forest.
This is why you should stand with the Achuar.
By:
Vince
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