Project 3 - Reasoning
"Reason is the capacity of consciously making sense of things, applying logic, and adapting or justifying practices, institutions, and beliefs based on new or existing information."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reason
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reason
Project 3 was another project where I didn't know how to begin. There wasn't anything that I was particularly interested in at the time. In doing research I wasn't really sure what to look at or what to focus on. A lot of the time the internet is full of information and it can be hard to focus on one topic or on one piece of information for a project. I ended up talking to my friend Emily and she gave me the idea to focus on the circle of life in the ecosystem in South America. I then took that idea and changed it to be how the ecosystem in South America is important to the world.
Social Studies
Social Studies was one of the easier topic to figure out for this project. I again wanted to combine English and Social Studies, so I choose to write an argumentative essay for my product. The actual writing and completion of the essay was the hard part. I at first started with research. I researched the animals in South America, good and exports that come form South America, I researched how those goods and resources benefit the world. I also looked at how the animals have interspecies relationships and how these relationships help the animals to survive.
My original thesis was "the ecosystem in South America is important to the world", and my first essay was 16 pages long! Upon meeting with the teachers I was advised to break up the essay. It combined both English and Social Studies, but some of the topics were not working together. I then broke the essay into two, and that is how I came up with separate English and Social Studies essay. However, when reviewing the Social Studies essay, things weren't working together again! I then called up my friend Emily again, (she's a great friend!) and she helped me to rework my entire essay. We changed the thesis, main idea, subtopics, and everything. I can say now that I really liked this essay and that it really highlights my research and ideas.
My official argument is, "Countries and people all around should expedite the measures that countries - Specifically in South America - can take to improve the climate, preserve the rainforests in South America, and reduce the amount of food waste the world produces." Global warming is a growing problem around the world. Because countries and people refuse to pay attention and to improve the environmental issues that are taking place, the rate of global warming is increasing. When the temperature of the Earth rises, big problems occur. These problems affect people all over the world, and if we are not careful to stop the environmental problems that we are causing, these issues that are caused by global warming can get worse.
The reason why I choose to single out South America is because South America can be a major player is reducing the rate of global warming. In the winter months the pressure to pull the carbon dioxide out of the air falls on the Southern Hemisphere because the trees and plants in the Northern Hemisphere are dormant during the winter. However, the percentage of land is very small compared to the Northern Hemisphere. But, South America specifically has beautiful rainforests, biodiversity, rare and unique plants that all can help reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the air, which will decrease the rate if global warming. Saving and restoring these biodiverse and rich rainforests, it can benefit all the ecosystems.
Additionally, the countries that are in South America understand the importance of reducing human interference with the ecosystem. There are several countries that are working to reduce the amount of excess carbon in that the release. There are countries in. South America that are trying to reduce the amount of deforestation and that are trying to use clean and renewable energy. Countries all over the world should follow after the example of these countries in South America. Improving the environment will help to again, reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the air which is causing global warming to occur.
Lastly, reducing the amount of food waste will help improve global warming. Food waste is a big problem all over the world. Not only is it just extremely wasteful, but when food rots in landfills it released methane into the air. Methane is more potent that carbon dioxide! Overall reducing the amount of food waste (especially in South America because it plays a huge part in reducing the global warming with it's flora), will help to drastically reduce the rate of global warming.
All theses reasons and more explained in depth in my essay. However the main reason why countries all over the world should follow after South America is because if we do not reduce the rate of global warming, then the problem will only get worst for the animals and plants of the world but for also the people.
My original thesis was "the ecosystem in South America is important to the world", and my first essay was 16 pages long! Upon meeting with the teachers I was advised to break up the essay. It combined both English and Social Studies, but some of the topics were not working together. I then broke the essay into two, and that is how I came up with separate English and Social Studies essay. However, when reviewing the Social Studies essay, things weren't working together again! I then called up my friend Emily again, (she's a great friend!) and she helped me to rework my entire essay. We changed the thesis, main idea, subtopics, and everything. I can say now that I really liked this essay and that it really highlights my research and ideas.
My official argument is, "Countries and people all around should expedite the measures that countries - Specifically in South America - can take to improve the climate, preserve the rainforests in South America, and reduce the amount of food waste the world produces." Global warming is a growing problem around the world. Because countries and people refuse to pay attention and to improve the environmental issues that are taking place, the rate of global warming is increasing. When the temperature of the Earth rises, big problems occur. These problems affect people all over the world, and if we are not careful to stop the environmental problems that we are causing, these issues that are caused by global warming can get worse.
The reason why I choose to single out South America is because South America can be a major player is reducing the rate of global warming. In the winter months the pressure to pull the carbon dioxide out of the air falls on the Southern Hemisphere because the trees and plants in the Northern Hemisphere are dormant during the winter. However, the percentage of land is very small compared to the Northern Hemisphere. But, South America specifically has beautiful rainforests, biodiversity, rare and unique plants that all can help reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the air, which will decrease the rate if global warming. Saving and restoring these biodiverse and rich rainforests, it can benefit all the ecosystems.
Additionally, the countries that are in South America understand the importance of reducing human interference with the ecosystem. There are several countries that are working to reduce the amount of excess carbon in that the release. There are countries in. South America that are trying to reduce the amount of deforestation and that are trying to use clean and renewable energy. Countries all over the world should follow after the example of these countries in South America. Improving the environment will help to again, reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the air which is causing global warming to occur.
Lastly, reducing the amount of food waste will help improve global warming. Food waste is a big problem all over the world. Not only is it just extremely wasteful, but when food rots in landfills it released methane into the air. Methane is more potent that carbon dioxide! Overall reducing the amount of food waste (especially in South America because it plays a huge part in reducing the global warming with it's flora), will help to drastically reduce the rate of global warming.
All theses reasons and more explained in depth in my essay. However the main reason why countries all over the world should follow after South America is because if we do not reduce the rate of global warming, then the problem will only get worst for the animals and plants of the world but for also the people.
English
For English, I wrote an argumentative essay as well, but I also read and annotated the book, City of the Beasts. While the book is a good read, I was mostly focused on learning about the ecosystem of South America form the book. The book follows the experiences of a boy named Alex. He goes to the Amazon rainforest with his grandmother after his mother gets sick, and he has to go be with his grandmother. When traveling in the Amazon he learns a lot of life and South America. He goes on a lot of adventures, he meets a tribe of Native people in the Amazon. He ends up going to El Dorado, meeting the Beasts, and he learns all about who he is and how he can protect the Native people. While the book was fiction it was still a good read and it gives really good perspective as to what it is like to travel in the Amazon, and how people should really look into protecting the land and the people fo the Amazon.
A couple of main point that I took away from the book and reasons as to why we should protect the people of the Amazon:
The essay that I wrote focused on how the ecosystem in South America is important to to the sustainability of the region which supports and connects to the rest of the world. The world needs to protect the ecosystem in South America because the world receives so many resources from South America, the people in South America benefit from the exportation of goods from South America, and the animals in South America all depend on each other to live.
If countries and people don't protect the ecosystem then it can affect life all over the world. South America exports meat, cloth, food, plants, and so much more. Destroying the environment will not only decrease the production and growth of these good which will effect people all over the world and in South America, but it will decrease the exportation of these goods. The people in South America earn a living off of the production and exportation of goods. There are fishermen, farmers, factory workers and more that live off of these jobs. There are families that are affected. If we continue to destroy the environment, then these people will be out of work and they will not be able to support themselves and their families. Lastly, the animals are affected. There are numerous interspecies relationships in the ecosystem. The animals rely on one another not just for food but for survival. So many animal species will be affected by the lack of regard from humans.
All of these reasons and more about why we should protect ecosystem and environment in South America are explained in my essay, and my annotations for the book explain some of the major ideas that I got from the book.
A couple of main point that I took away from the book and reasons as to why we should protect the people of the Amazon:
- People like to trade guns, drugs, and other illegal substances through small towns and cities in the Amazon and in South America. Because in the jungle there is not a huge military presence, people are able to traffic a lot of illegal things
- The Native people of the lands want to protect and care for the land but the new people do not
- There are a ton of plants in the Amazon that can have medicinal benefits but the new people in the land don’t know all the treatments, and they are killing and misplacing the Natives that do
- New people are deforesting and killing a lot of animals which disrupts the environment and the circle of life.
- The Native people know the land very well. Many travels get very lost if they don’t have Native people to guide them.
- The racism towards the Native people is also a problem. Especially considering the fact that they are so helpful.
- The culture of the Native people is very dependent on the environment in South America. They believe in the land and they have more respect for the animals and resources that they use.
- New people bring strong diseases to the Native people that causes them to get very sick and die
- The Native people know how to get across the land very well due to old lessons and teachings being passed down over the generations. (ex. How they were able to climb the waterfall)
- There are protections for the Native people because they are so very knowledgeable and resourceful but not many people follow those protections.
- Journalism can play an important role in protecting the Native people and ecosystem of South America.
- There are groups and organizations in place to help protect the Native people and the ecosystem of South America, but we have to support these groups and listen to their guidelines and regulations.
The essay that I wrote focused on how the ecosystem in South America is important to to the sustainability of the region which supports and connects to the rest of the world. The world needs to protect the ecosystem in South America because the world receives so many resources from South America, the people in South America benefit from the exportation of goods from South America, and the animals in South America all depend on each other to live.
If countries and people don't protect the ecosystem then it can affect life all over the world. South America exports meat, cloth, food, plants, and so much more. Destroying the environment will not only decrease the production and growth of these good which will effect people all over the world and in South America, but it will decrease the exportation of these goods. The people in South America earn a living off of the production and exportation of goods. There are fishermen, farmers, factory workers and more that live off of these jobs. There are families that are affected. If we continue to destroy the environment, then these people will be out of work and they will not be able to support themselves and their families. Lastly, the animals are affected. There are numerous interspecies relationships in the ecosystem. The animals rely on one another not just for food but for survival. So many animal species will be affected by the lack of regard from humans.
All of these reasons and more about why we should protect ecosystem and environment in South America are explained in my essay, and my annotations for the book explain some of the major ideas that I got from the book.
Art
For my art project I created a painting. I painted a leopard, a bird, and a fish on a blue background and in leaves. The process of painting the image itself was a little challenging but I was able to get the painting done. I am pretty proud of it because this is the first time I have ever really painted an animal. I choose to paint these animals because I wanted to represent the land, sea, and air animals of South America. All of the colors in the painting has a special meaning that ties into why we should protect the ecosystem in South America. The painting also ties into the essays that I have wrote. It is almost like the visual accompaniment of the essays and of my thesis that we should protect the environment.
Color Reasoning and Explanation:
Blue: Blue represents connectivity.
Reasoning: Blue is the base color that I used in almost everything in my painting. The background has a large percentage of blue, and I even under-painted the panther a blue color. I choose to let blue represent connectivity and for it to be the main color in the painting because I wanted it to symbolize how the animals are connected to one another. There are so many symbiotic relationships in the ecosystem of South America. There are many plants and animals that rely on one another to help them to live. For example, the animals use the plants for various reasons whether that be for food or for other purposes, and the plants use the animals for many reasons. Many animals help spread the seeds of the plants allowing the plants to reproduce. In one way or another the plants and animals of Latin America are connected. They help each other survive, and I wanted to represent that by using blue as a continuous color in the painting.
Purple: Purple represents importance.
Reasoning: Purple to some people represents royalty, so I wanted to add purple into my piece and to use the idea of royalty for my reasoning. However, instead of choosing royalty specifically, I decided to say that purple represents importance. There is a certain dominance that comes with royalty. There are various countries that rely and look up to the royalty that are in power. I connected that to how people all over the world rely on the animals and plants of South America. The same way that the royalty in different countries help their people, and how the people rely on them, countries all over the world use the resources and the organisms that are in South America. There is a huge amount of natural resources, cash crops, food, plants, and animals that are exported from South America to places all over the world. The importance of South America’s ecosystem is often overlooked which is why I wanted to add purple into my painting. I want the purple to represent the lack of understanding that the world has on just how important South America is.
Yellow: Yellow represents ability/ importance.
Reasoning: Yellow in come cultures represent energy and positivity. I wanted to relate this to the animals that I was studying for this project. Many of the groups of species that are in South America, are not recognized as important. For example, the birds and the fish in South America. However, these animals do play a very important role in the balance of nature and in the biodiversity of the world. There are the symbiotic relationships, predator and prey relationships, and food for humans but there are other reasons why these animals are important. Similar to the reasoning for the blue, I wanted the yellow to highlight the ability of so many of the animals in Latin America. The fish help the coral in the ocean, they help the abundance of sea life, and they give people jobs in fishing and in trading. The birds in South America, the trees and plants by eating the predators, the birds also add to the overall beauty of the region. The yellow represents these small reasonings plus an abundance of other reasons as to why all the animals in South America have special abilities and why they are instrumental in the balance of the ecosystem.
Orange: Orange represents a willingness to help.
Reasoning: In Latin America orange is considered a sunny color. People in Latin America tend to relate the color orange with the ground because of the reddish-orange color. I connected this with how the people are willing to help and to protect the Earth. Humans take so much from the environment all over the world. We use fossil fuels, the natural resource, and the overall layout of the land to our advantage. People also eat the animals and plants, we kill the bugs, and we affect so many parts of the world. Humans tend to constantly take from the Earth without thinking about how it is affecting the land that we rely so heavily on. The color orange in my painting represents how we should work to protect and to restore the land that we take so much of. There are people who are working to help the global warming crisis, deforestation, and other causes that are harming the environment. The orange is meant to represent how we should protect the land and to celebrate the people that are taking steps to restore the ecosystems.
Green: Green represents value.
Reasoning: Green in America is often synonymous with money. The money that we use in America is a green color so it only makes sense that we associate the color green with value or worth. (Even though gold is actually what gives our money worth, and gold is not green.) I wanted to use that connection and to apply that to my painting. The green symbolizes how all of South America is valuable. Even though South America is taken for granted the entire world benefits from this continent so greatly. Everything from the animals, plants, people, history, and culture are all beautiful. I wanted my painting to help people to see just a small part of the vast beauty of South America.
White: White represents willingness.
Reasoning: The color white ties in with the color orange in symbolism. I want the color white to represent willingness to make things better. Willingness to work towards a better future. There are a lot of threats that are facing the South American region. Global warming and deforestation are two of the major problems that are threatening Latin America. These problems not only affect the ecosystem but people all over the world. The people in South America will obviously experience the negative consequences of the environment suffering, but everyone will see a drastic change. Form a lack of food, to an increase in global warming, to even an increase in the extinction of animals all over the world. Protecting South America is very important because it is tied to everything and everyone around the world. People will lose their jobs due to a decrease in cash crops production and trading. There will be less paper, beef, music, and so much more all over the world. Countries and people need to be more willing to work together and protect South America because it will affect all of us.
Pink: Pink represents opportunity.
Reasoning: Pink is often seen as a preppy color. It is seen as a very juvenile and positive color. Oftentimes pick is seen as a “girly” color, but I see pick as a positive and uplifting color. I wanted to use that perspective and apply that to the environmental situation in South America. Human interference is affecting many in South America. There are a lot of things that are affected by the problems that humans are causing but there is an opportunity for things to get better. There are countries that are working to decrease their carbon footprint and to decrease the amount of deforestation in the Latin American countries. There are seven steps that people can take outside of South America that can help assist the region. There is an opportunity for things to get better and I wanted the pick to represent the positive things about the environmental issues that are going on in South America. There are countries that are already working to get things together and there are things that the world can do to help the environment.