Finding Wallace-Weber in Pangaribuan

Miduk Gultom, a social studies teacher at SMPN 2 Pangaribuan, North Tapanuli, uses the forest, rice field and bush surrounding the school, as learning resources.

I USED this model to teach a basic competency on tropical animals and plants. The theory of the division of regions of tropical animals and plants was developed by Alfred Russell Wallace and Max Carl Wilhelm Weber. I did not want just to teach my students the theory. I wanted to give them a chance to see Wallace-Webber's ideas out in the field. I started the lesson with a friendly greeting. I motivated my students, whose parents are mostly farmers. I promised them an exciting adventure, and told them that they would be able to classify different kinds of animals and plants around them. You could see excitement and curiosity on their faces.

I gave each of them a text book, and then I asked them to read about and find different kinds of tropical animals and plants. I briefly explained about the Wallace-Webber theory. The students were then asked to work in groups, to analyze what they found in their reading before they were asked to present the result of their discussion. Even though they came up with interesting conclusions, I still think that it was not enough.

I asked my student to find the animals and plants that found in their reading. They had to look for the animals and plants in the forest, rice paddy and the bush surrounding the school or their homes. I also asked them to make a simple mock-up of the forest, as well as a distribution map of animal and plants based on the Wallace-Weber theory. Students showed their skills in catching animals and recognizing plants. Frogs, birds, lizards and even a snake are some of the animals they managed to catch.

They were also able to recognize the plants without difficulty. Once they found the animals and plants, students proceeded to making a model and a map. They used old plywood and wood to make the model in the form of a box. Students planted plants, such as ferns and mushroom in sand and soil in the box to create their own forest. To make the map, students used cassava and starch. They cooked the cassava and then mixed it with the starch and molded it into the shape of a map of Indonesia. The map was then painted using oil colors. The lesson for this competency was divided into two sessions. Session one used the text books, while session two was more interactive and students worked in the field.

This lesson was completed with presentations. The students brought their work into the classroom and explained the types of animals and plants they had found. It was followed by an explanation of their Wallace-Weber distribution map. Wallace divided Indonesia into two geographical regions, which are the Asian and Australasian animal regions. The west side of the line is the Asian species region, while the east is the Australasian region.

This line is named after Alfred Russel Wallace, who learned about the different species in each region during his visit to the East Indies in the 19 century. This line runs through the Melayu Archipelago, between Borneo and Sulawesi, and between Bali (west) and Lombok (east). This line was also recorded by Antonio Pigafetta, who observed the biological differences between the Philippines and Maluku Archipelagoes. This was recorded in the journey of Ferdinan Magellan in 1521.

This line was later improved and moved to the east of Sulawesi island by Weber. The div The division of the Asian flora and fauna was determined based on their types. This line is therefore called 'WallaceWeber'. Overall, I am satisfied with the efforts my students put in. It turns out that living in a rural part of the country can be an advantage for us!