Capoeira - Brazil

by Julia C.

Hello Stoneleigh! This week we have reached Brazil! Do you want to know how Brazilian martial arts was developed? Well, it's really kind of like African Martial Arts. It was brought over from Africa by slaves and all of the movement in capoeira is based on how animals fight. Two people spar in a circle and they perform this martial art to music. If you watch a performance, it looks a lot like dancing. Mr. Barbosa came to our Jungle Club and taught us how to do capoeira. It was a lot of fun! You should try it - we think you'll like it, too.

Carnival Brazil

Alena B.

Carnival is a huge celebration that starts 4 days before Ash Wednesday which is the beginning of Lent for Catholics in Brazil. It's just like Mardi Gras which we celebrate in New Orleans at the same time. Many people believe that carnival means "farewell to meat" because so many people stop eating meat during Lent. In northeast cities, like Salvador, people parade in streets and follow floats through the city. The floats are giant trucks with speakers on all sides playing very loud music. On top, singers and dancers perform on a stage. As many as 4000 people play to be able to follow close to a truck. The population may double or triple during Carnival. Everyone participates from grandparents to little kids, from rich to poor. In Rio de Janero, the capitol of Brazil, Samba schools perform in a giant stadium called the Sambadrome for 4 nights. People buy a seat and they watch the dancers parade by. Schools spend all year planning for the parade in the stadium. Carnival is a very special time in Brazil.

French Guyana

by Catherine D.S.

Can you believe that French Guyana is the only country in South America without independence! it is a territory of France, so their currency, or money, is the French Euro. In the 1880s and early 1900s French Guyana was used as a penal colony for prisoners from France. Papillon was a famous prisoner that escaped even though two men claim to be him. Today, French Guyana is used as a launch site for space programs. Many different types of people live there! Africans married French to create "creoles," like in New Orleans. That's French Guyana.

Suriname

Sophia S. and Maya M.

Good morning, Stoneleigh! We're here to tell you about a small country in South American called Suriname. It's located in the middle of Guyana and French Guyana and was once ruled by the Dutch, but was traded for New Amsterdam. It got independence from the Dutch in 1975.

Did you know that 80% of Suriname is a Rainforest? That is so cool!

Most of the people who live in Suriname are from India, Africa, and Asia. Only 2% of the population is native of Suriname.

We'd like to tell you about a very interesting New Year tradition. The celebration is called Oud Jaar and stores compete to have the biggest and longest ribbon of fireworks. They set off these ribbons of fireworks in the middle of the streets where people dance and celebrate. It looks really neat!

The next time you hear about Suriname, we hope you'll think of these facts.

Maroons of Guyana and Suriname

by Emma R.

Good morning, Stoneleigh walkers!

Did you know that runaway slaves from the 1600s in Guyana and Suriname went into the jungle and recreated their African tribes? They kept their religion, customs, and music. Every once in a while, they would raid a plantation to free more slaves and steal food and livestock. They began to hunt and grow crops like they did in Africa. Some of these Maroons, as they are called, are still living in the jungle isolated from all people and society. However, some of the Maroons have moved to the city and have become part of the society. They have also become citizens of the country and now live in big cities. The maroons who still live in the jungle have the same religion, language, and music. They live in the same way their ancestors did in the 1600s.

Guyana

by Natalie M. and Anne Z.

Good morning Stoneleigh walkers. This week, the Jungle club learned about a small country that borders the Atlantic Ocean called Guyana. Guyana was colonized by the British until 1966 and as a result, it's official language is English. Most of this South American Country is covered by Rainforest, which houses some unique animals including a toad that weighs up to 2 lbs and can eat a bird in 2 gulps. But in areas without jungle inhabitants, a popular sport called cricket is played. it is very similar to baseball in America. Next time you see baseball, maybe you'll think of Guyana. Keep Walking, Stoneleigh.

Ecuador - An Eco Trip

by Genevieve S.

Last week, the Jungle Club had an amazing visitor - Dr. Glen Page came to talk to us about his research in Ecuador. Here is some of what we learned. Ecuador is along the equator and is extremely hot. Flamingos, dolphins and penguins all live in Ecuador. Almost all of the mangroves there were cut down to make shrimp farms for foreign shrimp companies. The mangroves were a nursery for many kinds of creatures like shrimp and plankton that filtered the water. All of the farms failed when the shrimp got a disease. Many local people in Ecuador are very poor, but they are working together to improve the ecosystem by making orchards, keeping bees, and raising fish where they once raised shrimp. Some of their ideas can even be used to improve the environment in the US.

The Pink Dolphin

by Catherine D. and Anne Z.

One of the most spectacular creatures found in Venezuela is the Pink River Dolphin. It's only habitat in the world is the Orinoco River. The color of the dolphin is pink due to it's diet of crustaceans, crabs, turtles, catfish and other fish and the waters it swims in. Scientists believe that the dolphins' pink color comes from a red pigment in the muscle tissue in the crabs and shellfish. Over time, as the dolphin eats these creatures found in the water, that red pigment builds up in their bodies, too, turning them more and more pink as they get older. Another really cool fact about their color is that the red blood cell count in the dolphin is higher that that in humans, which may explain the dolphins' unique ability to change to a bright pink when they get excited. The species is the only living pink dolphin in the whole entire world. This is a special animal because of it's pink color.

Galapagos Iguanas

by Emma F.

In the Jungle Club, we have been learning about the Galapagos Iguanas. They are the only Iguana that swims in the sea! They can dive 15 meters and will eat seaweed at 15 meters for 30 minutes before surfacing. They are the only Iguanas to eat seaweed. They are also the only Iguanas to live near the ocean. The Galapagos Iguana is a very unique Iguana. Its color is blueish green. I would love to see one in person some day.

The Fur Seal by Maya M. and Anne Z.

One of the Galapagos Islands native animals is the Fur Seal. The Fur Seal likes to live in rocky places that have a lot of shade because of it's thick fur. The face is shaped like a bear and it's eyes are slanted giving it a sad expression. It's fur is thick so it can survive in freezing cold weather, but when it comes out, it has to be careful not to lay in the sun too long or else it will overheat. We hope you enjoyed learning about the Fur seals!

The Galapagos Tortoise

by Catherine D.

The Galapagos tortoise is named because it is first on the Galapagos islands and second Galapagos means saddle and each lump in it's shell is shaped like a saddle. The tortoise also has a very strong curved mouth to comp it's food - cacti! The Galapagos tortoise is very slow so that when dry season comes, it doesn't need to do much. The tortoise is rare because it is only found on the Galapagos islands and only 200 of these tortoises exist there right now! The Galapagos tortoise is one of the most amazing creatures found on the islands.

Wealthy People in Venezuela

Natalie M. and Emma R.

Hello Stoneleigh Walkers!

Are you allowed to wlk to a friend's house alone? Well, if you were from a wealthy family and if you were a girl in Venezuela, that would not be an option. If a girl wanted to go out, all her male brothers and cousins had to surround her to make sure other males kept away.

At home, life is a lot better. No matter what gender, you are served and waited on. Cooking and cleaning are not allowed. Parties are frequent, but when you go to bed, enormous bugs and even small animals like chameleons come inside because there are no screens or glass over the windows!

Angel Falls - Venezuela

By Alena B and Genevieve S.

Breaking News, Stoneleigh!! Can you name one of the natural wonders of the world? You can't? We'll let us tell you...Angel Falls! Where is it? It's in the southern part of Venezuela. Angel Falls is the highest waterfall in the world!

It's so high that the water turns into mist on the way down because of the height and the winds. Angel Falls is hard to get to. If you want to see it, you have to take a plane and sometimes you don't see anything if it's cloudy. It costs a lot of money to see if from an airplane, so if you don't see anything, you waste a lot of money. And I mean a lot! You should go to Venezuela and see Angel Falls. That's all for now! Keep Walking Stoneleigh!

Food In Peru

by Alex Z.

Peruvians have many unusual foods that they eat such as guinea pigs and monkeys. The native Peruvian people named Indas grew potatoes which they are still growing today. The Peruvians make bread out of corn instead of wheat. This week at our Jungle Club meeting, we had a cookie called Alphajores. It had a caramel filling with coconut shavings on the sides. Some herbs in the Amazon Basin in Peru have medicinal qualities and are used as teas.

The Rainforest Region of Peru

By Sophia S.

Good morning, Stoneleigh Walkers!


This week the Jungle Club learned about Peru. Did you know that Peru has many rainforests? No? Well, there are! There are lots of mudslides, too. And the houses in these forests are open most of the time due to intense heat, humidity, and rain.


When you travel deeper into the rainforest, there are less and less inhabitants or people. Also, the natives dress differently than the city people and their clothes are made fun of. The water is very muddy and dirty and people have to drink from it! I wouldn't want to live in that area of Peru, but who knows, it might be lots of fun!

Weaving in Peru

by Ariel B.

Good morning, Stoneleigh! This morning, I'd like to talk about weaving in Peru. Our Jungle Club got to try weaving and it was so much fun! We wove a book mark with cardboard and string. That day, we also learned about how the people in Peru weave. This is what we learned...we learned that many boys and girls begin to weave between the ages of 6 and 7 years old.



These children learn by watching their relatives. They are also taught different patterns that have been passed down from mother to daughter. Weavers get their wool from the sheep, alpaca, and lamas that they raise. A long time ago, the yarn was colored or dyed by using flowers, roots, and minerals. Weavers had to make their own looks and some looms could be as big as a room!

You can try weaving at home. Here's a link with some suggestions...
http://www.craftstylish.com/item/2546/how-to-weave-on-a-cardboard-loom

Belly Button of the World

by Julia C.

Good morning, Stoneleigh Walkers. Have you ever heard of the TV show, the Emperor's New Groove? Well, the main character or emperor's name is Cuzco, which is a capital of Native South american, the Incas. Cuzco means "belly button" of the world. Incas believe that all life started at the Belly Button of the world. Cuzco ruled in 1438. The Spanish Government destroyed about all of their empire 100 years after 1438. Keep Walking, Stoneleigh.

Children in Chile

By Maya M., Sophia S. and Catherine D.

Have you ever wondered what Chilean children do for fun? Well, it's your lucky day because you will find out! They do things just like us, such as talk on cell phones, go to the mall, surf the Internet, go to the movies, and hang out at the beach. Some sports they play are soccer - or as they like to call it...futbol. They also like to hike, climb, mountain bike and ski in the winter. Rodeos are a very common event. In Chile, people celebrate with very delicious food and festive clothes and dancing. The people also visit Antarctica! Really! It's very close to the tip of Chile. The people travel there by boat or plane. Those are the things that Chilean children like to do.

Children go to school in Chile too! In fact 96% of the population can read and write. Education there is public, that means that it is paid for by the government, just like Stoneleigh! Their school months are reversed so they have no school from December until March. This is because their summer is during our winter and their winter is in our summer. It is caused because they are below the equator. Its wacko!

Remembering the traditions of Chile is a big and important part of the education. During school they learn the native language and traditional myth. These are stories handed down from generation to generation and on and on. During school most children wear uniforms. For girls it’s a white shirt and blue jumper and boys wear white shirts, grey pants and blue jackets. Once a child gets past high school they have a couple of choices. One is to go to college and study for a technical or vocational job. Another is study art or music. So that's what Chilean kids call school.

Easter Island

By Alena B.

Today I'm going to tell you about an amazing island that is part of Chile. The island is called Easter Island and is located on the Pacific Ocean about 2,000 miles from Chile. Yes! 2,000 miles!
The nearest island is 1,000 miles away. We're about 1,000 miles from Florida, can you imagine having your closest neighbors THAT far away?

The natives settled here 1,500 years ago and they called their island Rapa Nui because the island was shaped like a canoe paddle and Rapa Nui means canoe paddle.

Easter Island was discovered on Easter by Dutch Explorers in 1722, and that's how it got its name.

The island is surrounded by enormous statues called Moai that were carved from volcanic rock found on the island. The native people moved the statues all around. Most of the statues are 13 feet tall but one is 72 feet high and another is 32 feet high and weighs 82 tons.

887 Moai have been found around the island. One interesting fact is that the statues face towards the center of the island not toward the ocean. Eventually, the native people all died.

You can visit Rapa Nui or Easter Island today to see these amazing statues.

The Atacama Desert in Chile

By Genevieve S.

I'm here to tell you about the driest place on the earth! This desert is located in Northern Chile between the Andes Mountains and the Coastal Mountains along the Pacific Ocean. It's called the Atacama Desert, it is 600 miles long, and it is the driest place on the planet.

It is the driest because of something called a rain shadow. Warm moist air that rises up the mountainside where it cools and loses water before reaching the desert. This makes the desert really dry because of the mountains on both sides.

The desert has several salt lakes that formed long ago. Now, they are evaporating and concentrating the mineral salts in the water. The Atacama is one of the only places on earth that rain has never touched. Plant life in the desert is supported by marine fog called camanchaca.

One really neat fact is that the soil that is found in the Atacama desert is like soil found on Mars!

Chile – the National Dance and Mapuche People

By Julia C. and Ariel B.

The national dance of Chile is called the Cueca. The Cueca has Spanish and African influences. The dance looks like a rooster attracting a female chicken. The rooster acts crazy and the female chicken looks embarrassed and shy while they are doing the dance. When a boy likes a girl, instead of asking her out on a date, he will ask her to dance the cueca at festival or celebration.


The Mapuche people live in Central and Southern Chile. Traditional Mapuche live in big wooden huts with thatched roofs, which only one family can live in that is called a ruka. Before Spanish invaders, the Mapuche lived in rukas that were built far away from each other, but war and other fighting taught the Mapuche that it was safer to live closer together. The Mapuche Indians create instruments that are known as zamonas (pan flutes) and kultrunes (drums) which are used in special ceremonies. These talented indians sing folk songs, or tonadas, and these folk songs are often sad.

Letters to World's Finest Chocolate

Here are some letters our jungle club members wrote to the 8th largest chocolate company in the U.S. and the leading manufacturer of chocolate for fundraisers in schools, churches and community groups. The letters are meant to encourage World's Finest Chocolate to use Fair Trade cocoa in their products. You can see from the emotion in these letters that the students were anxious for change after learning about the problems facing chocolate farmers in South America and other countries where cocoa is grown:

Edmond Opler, Chairman and CEO
World's Finest CHocolate
4801 Lawndale
Chicago, IL 60632-3062
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Dear Mr. Opler,
I love chocolate. But the way you get chocolate makes me not want to eat chocolate. I am 10 years old and I can go to school, but the children who are forced to make chocolate cannot go to school.
You should consider the well being of all children who are working for you. Please make it possible that they can go to school.
Please try doing fair trade chocolate. And stop forcing children to work on your cocoa farms.
Sincerely,
Sophia S.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Dear Mr. Opler,
I am beside myself that coca farmers do not have a choice like me. So you need to help them and start selling Fair Trade Products.
START SELLING FAIR TRADE PRODUCTS!
From,
Emma F.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Dear Mr. Opler,
I love chocolate but don't like the way you do it. You shoud let children go to school. I am also disappointed that cocoa farmers don't get paid enough money. Also you shouldn't use child slaves. Please use Fair Trade Chocolate.
Sincerely,
Emma B.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Dear Mr. Opler,
I feel really disappointed that children are working on cocoa farms instead of going to school. I am also disappointed that the farmers who are working on the farms aren't getting paid enough. But if you use fair trade chocolate, farmers will get paid more and then their cildren will be able to go to school and get an education. PLEASE USE FAIR TRADE CHOCOLATE!
Sincerely,
Ariel B.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Dear Mr. Opler,
It makes me very mad that the children are not able to go to school since all cocoa farmers are poor. The children aren't able to go to school so they will be poor and so will their children. I HATE the way that you use children slaves.
For these reasons you should start selling Fair Trade chocolate.

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!

Sincerely,
Emma R.

Where Does Chocolate Come From?

Have you ever thought about where chocolate comes from? Well, even though chocolate tastes good, the story isn't so sweet. Chocolate comes from the dried beans of the cocoa tree and one of the places where this tree grows is Bolivia. Cocoa trees need about 80 inches of rain per year. A cocoa tree grows near the equator and grows between 50-200 feet tall.

Many cocoa farmers are very poor and only get about $.25 per pound of cocoa. Because families are so poor, many children have to work to help support their families. Even worse, some children have to work as slaves on these farms. These children support their families by working in fields all day long instead of going to school. Some cocoa farmers don't care about the land and hurt the rainforest by cutting down trees or using chemicals on plants to grow the cocoa.

But there is something that we can do to help! We can buy fair-trade chocolate. When we buy fair-trade chocolate, we help to pay a fair price for the farmer's hard work.

We wrote lots of letters to companies asking them to sell their chocolate fair-trade. We hope it will help!
Keep walking, Stoneleigh.

Women Wrestlers in Bolivia

by Catherine D. and Maya M.

La Paz is the highest capital city in the world at 11, 913 feet above sea level. In Bolivia, woman's wrestling takes place in a small town called El Alto high in the Andes mountains near La Paz. This is where woman's wrestling originated. The natives in this village are called Aymara and they participate in this event. The traditional costume is a ruffles skirt, petticoats and bowler hats.
Both men and women fight against each other. This Bolivian hobby helps the people forget they are very poor.

Welcome to Bolivia!

By Natalie M.

At our last Jungle Club meeting we learned about Bolivia. Some of the features include a small portion of the Amazon Rainforest, deserts called Chaco, and a type of plateau called altiplano. The Andes Mountains also run through this South American country, as well as vast plains of salt mineral called salt flats.

Although rain is rare at these white expanses of land, when it does rain, the water spreads like a sheet and gives the appearance of a lake. After the water evaporates, small pyramids form from wind and other elements.

Tourists come to see these unique attractions. While visiting, many stay at the Salt Hotel, a building created from large blocks of salt. There are 10 billion tons of salt that make up Bolivia's Salt Flats today.