National Parks

National Parks

Introduction:

In the story Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech, Salamanca Tree Hiddle begins a cross-country trip with her grandparents to visit her mother in Idaho. Along the way, Sal entertains her grandparents with stories about her friend Phoebe and in the process begins to learn about herself and her mother.

Tasks:

Taking a trip is an activity which is enjoyed by many people. During this quest you will have the opportunity to visit places in our country via the Internet, plan a trip, and learn about maps.

Resources:

MapQuest! Road Trip (Activities 1 and 2)
Badlands National Park (Activity 3)
Yellowstone National Park (Activity 4)
Inside Old Faithful (Activity 5)
Old Faithful Myths (Activity 6)

Activities:

1. Click on the link for "Road Trip." Follow the directions and type your home address as the starting point and 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, D.C., as the destination. Using the directions, how many miles will you travel were you to take this trip? How many states would you pass through on this trip?
2. Continue to use MapQuest! and click on the link for "Maps." Type your home address, city, state, and zip code to make a map of your area. Is the map accurate? Is anything important missing? Could you use this map to provide directions to your home?
3. Where is Badlands National Park located? What are some special features of this park?
4. On what date was Yellowstone National Park established? What are the special features of this park?
5. Approximately how often does Old Faithful erupt?
6. What are some misconceptions about Old Faithful?

Evaluation:

What is a favorite area that you have visited? See if you can find information about the place you have visited. Include a map to help your classmates visualize the area you have chosen.

Conclusion:

Traveling is an exciting way to learn. A trip does not have to be a long drive across country to have merit. Sometimes the best journeys are the short trips that are taken as a family.

Updated October 09, 2004

All graphics used on these pages are assumed to be free
and/or public domain. If I have used a copyrighted graphic in error,
please contact me at my e-mail address immediately so
that I may give proper credit or remove the graphic from my site.

This web site created and maintained by Guelda Harris.