Reading Response 2

The Land and Wildlife of SOUTH AMERICA
Author: Marston Bates and The Editors of Life
Publisher: Rhett Austell
ISBN: QH111.B42
Genre: Natural History
Location: West Texas A&M University Library






Summary: South America stretches from the tropical Caribbean to storm-swept Cape Horn. This Book describes the size of this continent which is a little bigger than half of Africa but at the same time it has the greatest continuous tropical Rain Forest in the world. South America also has the longest continuous chain of mountains, largest river in the world and vast diversity in climate. The continent is depicted as a beautiful environment where plants and animals flourish. Human involvement came later in time but South American history is a fascinating, colorful and often violent one but this book doesn’t really get in to it. The book is more concerned of the land and its features, and the animals and plants in all their wonderful variety.

Personal Comments: I was amazed on how many diverse climates there are in South America. There are about ten different types of vegetation zones that lay across the land. The vast numbers of species which live in these lands are unique and can’t be found in any other place. The most intelligent monkey in the world is called Capuchin and it lives in the forest of South and Central America and the largest snake in the world called the anaconda also resides in those lands. So from monkeys and snakes to insects and plants these creatures of these lands are one of kind and are really a site to see.

Suggested Use in the Classroom: I would use this book to introduce a new found appreciation of the rain forests and the vast lands of South America. I would engage my students in activities and discussions on why we need our rain forests and how they are important to the wildlife that live in that environment. I would break up the class into groups and have them select a topic over South America in the book and research the topic. In the end each group will provide a presentation to the class using any type of media, poster board and handouts to explain their topic. Then as a reward I would take the class on a field trip to the IMax Theatre to watch a documentary on the land and wildlife of South America. This field trip will allow my students to have an opportunity to experience the continent of South America as if they were there in real life.