rain forrsest essays

rain forrsest essays Rain forests may be grouped into two major types: tropical and temperate. Tropical rain forest is evergreen trees that form a closed canopy, below which is found a zone of vines and epiphytes where plants grow on trees, a relatively open forest floor, and a very large number of species of both plant and animal life. The largest trees have buttressed trunks above the continuous canopy, while smaller trees form a layer of more shade-delicate species beneath the upper canopy. The maximum height of the upper canopy of tropical rain forests is usually around 100 to 165 ft, with some individual trees rising as high as 200 ft above the forest floor. Conifers such as redwood and Sitka spruce tend to predominate in North America, while their counterparts in the southern hemisphere include various species of eucalyptus, Araucaria and Nothofagus. Th rain forest is home to many species of rare animals and plants. In the past and present history it has also been the home of over one hundred and twenty over the counte r prescriptions. All of this information has brought up the question that is on many minds, Should economic organizations, buisnesses and individual governments be allowed to continue the use and at times the abuse of the brazilian rain forest? Is economic advancement more important than the preservation of the rainforest. This is why we are the government has called on us. To find the facts and give it how it should be. Medicinal uses of the rain forests are a huge part of everyones lives. The rain Forrest has over 120 over the counter prescriptions and has made 12 billion dollars in sales. They say that the tropical rainforests cover seven percent of the earth and hold just about half of the world's animals. Also there is data that there may be about ten percent of useful Amazon plants now, and scientist's think that also there may be a cure for the AIDS ...

Taoism Essays - Taoism, Tao Te Ching, Tao, Laozi, Wu Wei

Taoism Essays - Taoism, Tao Te Ching, Tao, Laozi, Wu Wei Taoism Throughout history, Taoism has been one of the most influential religions of Eastern culture. This is certainly one of the most unique of all religions. Many Taoists, in fact, do not even consider it a religion; and in many ways it is not. Taoists make no claim that the Tao exists.1 That is what essentially separates Taoism from the rest of the world religions: there is no heated debate or battle over Taoist doctrine; there have been no crusades to spread the religion. The very essence of Taoism is quite the opposite. Taoism?s uniqueness and open-endedness have allowed the religion to flourish almost undisturbed and unchanged for over two thousand years. The founder of Taoism was a man named Lao Tzu, who lived around the year 604 B.C.E. According to Chinese legend, Lao Tzu was an archivist in the imperial library at Lo Yang was known for his knowledge, although he never taught.2 When Lao Tzu left his position at the library, he went to the Chinese province of Chou. At the border, however, he was stopped and forced to write down his teachings. During this time, he wrote the Tao Te Ching, the major scripture of Taoism.3 After Lao Tzu?s death, a man named Yang Chu (440-366 B.C.E.) took up his teachings.4 A naturalist and philosopher, Yang Chu believed highly in self-regard and survival as the core of human nature and direction. His ideals were personal integrity and self-protection, and said that he was unwilling to pluck one hair from his head even if all humanity were to benefit from it.5 The next influential Taoist philosopher was Chang Tzu, who lived from 350-275 B.C.E. He defined existence using Lao Tzu?s teachings.6 He wrote fifty-two books in response to the Tao Te Ching, thirty-three of which still survive today.7 Using exaggeration and fantasy, he illustrated Lao Tzu?s teachings and how the Tao acted in nature. His theories spoke of a cosmic unity which encompasses all reality and guides it naturally, without force, to its proper end.8 The Yin and Yang theory became part of Taoist philosophy around 300 B.C.E. when they were mentioned in the Hsi tz?u, an appendix to the I Ching.9 Yin and Yang are defined as the two forces in nature. They are often called the two ?breaths? or ch?i.10 Yin is the feminine principle, representing darkness, coolness, and dampness; Yang is the masculine principle, representing brightness, warmth, and dryness.11 Neither principle is good or bad; they are not opposites, but each is needed to maintain stability in the universe.12 This belief holds that everything is defined through opposition; consequently, the virtues of balance and understanding are highly valued.13 Taoism became an official religion between 100 and 200 C.E.14 Due to competition from Buddhism, Taoists adopted many Buddhist beliefs. During this pivotal point in the religion?s history, searching for self-knowledge and wisdom were replaced by searching for solutions to sorrows and other physical problems.15 Alchemy and superstition became highly popular during this period of time, as Taoists tried to escape reality rather than to control the artificial and unnatural. Many Taoists used magic and the concept of Tao to try to extend the physical life rather than to focus on the afterlife.16 Gradually the religion becomes more complicated, with a wide pantheon of gods and a ruling hierarchy.17 The leader Chang Ling took the title ?Heavenly Teacher? in 200 C.E. He created a dynasty of high priests who manipulated Taoism to support a superstitious doctrine of magic and mysticism.18 Seizing higher power as a religious leader, he pioneered a merging of Taoism and Zoroastrianism into a system called Five Bushels of Rice Taoism. Eventually this developed into a society based on Mazdaism, a Zoroastrian sect, where every believer was charged five bushels of rice.19 Although the believers followed the basic Zoroastrian worship format, they worshipped different gods: the Tao instead of Ahura-Mazda, and the various Chinese folk gods in place of the Persian Angels.20 Three hundred years later, the philosopher Honen moved away from Mazdaism and combined Taoism with Buddhism. This simplified religion he created became known as the Pure Land School, or Amidaism. Gradually, however, Taoism again became tied to magic, and it failed as a religion.21 Today, only its original philosophies survive and there are very few followers of Taoism, mostly found in Taiwan.22 Although Taoism?s religious practices deteriorated with advancing Western influence, its philosophical aspects have outlasted those of Confucianism and Zen Buddhism.23 For centuries, Taoism has been known as the Way of Harmony.24 This is because Taoists believe that the Tao leads all nature toward a natural balance. The Tao, however, is not

Lesson Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Lesson Plan - Assignment Example This study aims: This section of the study as aimed would bring out the possibility of having the children understand the basics of sun activities. To do so, a history on how the sun positions had been predicted by ancient groups of people and how these particular activities actually helped them to tell the time of the day. The history on the use of Stonehenge could be cited alongside this particular discussion. To make the discussion more interactive, through the help of modern technology, a presentation on how and where the sun rises and sun sets would very much help in the explanations. [a perfect source for this is the presentation shown in Astronomy.com: http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspxc=a&id=2270] Since the lecture would last for 15 minutes, the educator is expected to make most of the time, keeping the attention of the children towards the subject through making the presentations rather interesting on the part of the students. Objectives: this section of the lesson plan shall enable the students experience the positioning of the sun as it rises and as it sets on their own personal noting. To be able to do so, the teacher shall give the students a chance to get out during the first day of the lesson and go to their own appointed groups, plan for the process they are to take, appoint individuals to certain tasks and proceed with the process for the next three days as part of both their homework and their class activity. Materials Needed: Note pads/ Chart record Film for eye protection on observing the sun Activities: Depending on the size of the class catered to, the teacher shall divide the children into several groups that would best fit their number. After the groups are formed, they would be instructed to go out and set their own place in the grounds, have that area marked and they would observe the sun from there. Since the time when children are allowed to stay in the school territories is limited, the teacher shall ask if it would be possible for the students to keep their records with them and based from that record, they would be asked to preempt the next positions of the sun during the rest of the day, which includes both the sunset and sunrise. For a three day period, observation of the sun would be pursued. At the end of the third day, the students are to be asked to collect their completed data so as to have them prepared for a presentation on the fourth day of the lesson. PART 3: Presentations of Understanding Duration: 1 hour 20 minutes Type of Teaching: Group Presentations Objectives: To help the children see the situations happening on the sun and why these things happen in their own ways, through their own