|
Overview:
What is the difference between public and private lands? Why does the government set aside lands for parks, forests, and wildlife refuges? In some cases, such as Yosemite and the Grand Canyon, the lands display unique geological formations. Other lands are home to magnificent ecosystems, such as the Everglades and Olympic National Parks. In some cases, such as prairie remnants and old-growth forest stands, the preserved lands represent the last of their kind. Other areas are set aside primarily for recreation or aesthetics.
Although most students have probably enjoyed a park or seashore sometime in their life, they may not know the reasons that such places are preserved. In this lesson, students will consider clues about the scenic, biological, and historical treasures of some United States public lands. They will use the clues to help identify and locate them on a map.
Connections to the Curriculum:
Geography, earth science, biology, language arts
Connections to the National Geography Standards:
Standard 4: "The physical and human characteristics of places"
Standard 5: "That people create regions to interpret Earth's complexity"
Standard 6: "How culture and experience influence people’s perceptions of places and regions"
Standard 18: "How to apply geography to interpret the present and plan for the future"
Time:
One hour
Materials Required:
- Computer with Internet access
- Map of the United States highlighting public lands from the MapMachine (see U.S. Themes/Physical/Managed) or a U.S. atlas
- Photographs of creatures found on public lands
- Written clues to accompany each picture (examples included)
Objectives:
What is the difference between public and private lands? Why does the government set aside lands for parks, forests, and wildlife refuges? In some cases, such as Yosemite and the Grand Canyon, the lands display unique geological formations. Other lands are home to magnificent ecosystems, such as the Everglades and Olympic National Parks. In some cases, such as prairie remnants and old-growth forest stands, the preserved lands represent the last of their kind. Other areas are set aside primarily for recreation or aesthetics.
Although most students have probably enjoyed a park or seashore sometime in their life, they may not know the reasons that such places are preserved. In this lesson, students will consider clues about the scenic, biological, and historical treasures of some United States public lands. They will use the clues to help identify and locate them on a map.
Geographic Skills:
Acquiring Geographic Information
Organizing Geographic Information
Analyzing Geographic Information
S u g g e s t e d P r o c e d u r e
Opening:
Begin by writing the words "public" and "private" on the board or overhead. Ask students if they know what the words mean. Brainstorm examples of things in the school that are "public" and "private." Encourage students to identify private property, such as backpacks and jackets, as well as private spaces, such as individual desks, shelves, bins, or cubbyholes. Public property might include library books or cafeteria trays, while the gymnasium and the playground are public spaces.
Ask students to think of a public place they have visited and enjoyed. Explain to them that parks, beaches, forests, and wildlife refuges are all public places owned by the citizens of the United States and managed by various government agencies. Ask them if they think these places should be preserved, and why they feel that way.
Tell students that in this activity, they will be getting to know some of the public places in the United States that are known for their beauty or the special animals and plants that inhabit them.
Development:
Provide each student with a copy of a map of the United States that shows the locations of public lands. Describe various types of public lands (e.g., parks, forests, wildlife refuges, national monuments, and marine sanctuaries). Tell students that you will provide clues about a specific feature or creature that can be found on public lands. They should try to guess where it belongs. As you read the clues, show a picture of the mystery feature or creature (refer to the Geography Action! photo gallery America's Backyard for some terrific choices that match the clues below). Read the clues one sentence at a time, giving the students time to guess the location. After they have answered correctly, have students find the public land on their map.
Examples of Clues:
- "I can be found in southern Colorado, right near the border of New Mexico. I host North America's tallest hills of sand shaped by wind."
(Answer: Great Sand Dunes National Monument & Preserve [Colorado].)
- "Long ago rivers wore away at rocks here, carving deep canyons. What remains are flat-topped mountains that look like islands in the clouds. This place is not as famous as Grand Canyon National Park, but it is equally as beautiful. This park protects the area where the Colorado and Green Rivers meet, near Moab, Utah."
(Answer: Canyonlands National Park [Utah].)
- "My many spine-covered stems grow so close together that they look like organ pipes. I bear delicious fruit and have provided food for people for centuries. I have a national monument established to protect my habitat in southwestern Arizona, along the Mexican border."
(Answer: Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument [Arizona].)
Closing:
Look at the map to locate other kinds of public lands not mentioned in the clues. Ask students to consider what kinds of creatures and features they might find on them. What are some of the outstanding creatures and features found on the public lands in their state or community?
Suggested Student Assessment:
Use the Web sites in the Related Links section of this lesson to provide students with descriptions of other public lands. Have them prepare clues about a specific feature or creature of one of the properties. Let students try to stump their classmates, then find the public land on a map of the United States for everyone to see.
Extending the Lesson:
- Use the clues that the students made up about various public lands to create a Jeopardy-like game. The creatures and features will be the answers. Students will identify the public lands where they can be found—in the form of a question, of course.
- Have students write letters or e-mail letters to request brochures from interesting public lands around their state or around the country. Collect the information and create a binder of the resources available to students and their families. They might want to use the information in planning their vacations.
Related Links:
| 
Check out:
