The Last Survivors

1. Set Focus 
Pose this essential question: Who has a right to claim ownership of land?

2. Read and Discuss 
Have students read the article, marking key ideas and questions. Then ask them to answer the following questions, citing text evidence:

• What is the central debate surrounding Tamandua and Pakyi Piripkura? According to the article, what is the other issue at stake in the argument? (The central debate surrounding Tamandua and Pakyi Piripkura is whether they have a right to keep the land their tribe once called home. The other issue is whether the ranchers and loggers who have government titles to the land should be allowed to clear large portions of the Brazilian rainforest.) 

• According to the article, why have the numbers of Indigenous people declined so sharply? (The article says that centuries of deforestation and genocide have drastically reduced the number of Indigenous people, leaving many tribes with only a few dozen members.)

• In the final section, Jair Candor describes the girls in another Indigenous village as being ”wrapped up in [their smartphones].” What can you infer from this statement about the future of the Piripkura people? (Based on this statement, the future seems bleak for the Piripkura population because the members of other Indigenous communities seem to have moved on from traditional practices. And without the birth of a new generation, the Piripkura people will die out.)

3. Core Skill Practice
Assign, print, or project the activity Take a Stand. Have students use it to plan and then write a persuasive essay arguing for or against supporting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People.

4. Writing Prompt
Write a brief essay, based on your own research, explaining the Amazon rainforest’s role in regulating  the Earth’s climate

5. Classroom Debate
Should the Brazilian rainforest, also known as the Amazon, be protected at all costs?

6. Quiz & Skills
Use the quiz to assess comprehension and Be the Editor to review grammar skills.