National Parks - Wyoming & Utah
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National Parks of Wyoming & Utah – A Journey Through Geologic Wonders! 🏔️🌄
What do steaming geysers, towering mountain peaks, and breathtaking stone arches have in common? They’re all part of the incredible National Parks of Wyoming and Utah! From the geysers of Yellowstone to the soaring cliffs of Zion, and from the majestic Grand Tetons to the otherworldly hoodoos of Bryce Canyon, your elementary students will embark on a breathtaking virtual adventure through some of the most geologically fascinating landscapes in the U.S.!
📽️ “National Parks: Wyoming & Utah” is a visually stunning, curriculum-aligned educational video that takes students on a thrilling journey through the natural beauty and scientific wonders of these National Parks. Whether watching Old Faithful erupt, hiking through deep canyons, or standing beneath delicate stone arches, this adventure will leave students in awe of the power of nature!
💡 What Your Students Will Learn:
✅ The geological forces that created fault-block mountains, deep canyons, and bizarre rock formations
✅ Yellowstone National Park (WY) – The world’s first national park, famous for Old Faithful geyser, colorful hot springs, and massive waterfalls
✅ Grand Teton National Park (WY) – Home to the dramatic Teton Mountain Range, rising nearly 7,000 feet straight up!
✅ Bryce Canyon National Park (UT) – The land of hoodoos, thousands of tall, skinny rock spires carved by erosion
✅ Zion National Park (UT) – Home to towering sandstone cliffs, deep slot canyons, and the stunning Virgin River
✅ Arches National Park (UT) – Featuring the largest collection of natural rock arches in the world!
✅ How ancient seas, volcanic activity, and erosion shaped the land over millions of years
✅ The wildlife of the parks, including bison, elk, bears, bald eagles, and mountain lions
🌟 Why Teachers Love This Video:
🕒 No-Prep, Standards-Aligned Content – A ready-to-use, engaging lesson!
🎥 Visually Captivating & Adventure-Filled – Keeps students excited and curious.
🎯 Brings Science & Geography to Life – Helps students understand ecosystems, geology, and conservation.
📚 Perfect for Social Studies, Geography & Earth Science Lessons – Encourages critical thinking and environmental awareness.
💡 Take Your Students on the Ultimate National Park Expedition!
Give your students a front-row seat to the breathtaking landscapes, ancient history, and extreme environments of Wyoming and Utah’s National Parks—without ever leaving the classroom! Subscribe today and bring the adventure to life! 🚀
Video length: 22:40 minutes
Learning Resources with this Video*
Quizzes – PDF & Online
Weathering and Erosion Identification
Draw a Landscape – National Parks
National Parks WebQuest – Wyoming and Utah
Models of Majesty
National Parks – Junior Rangers
Comparing National Parks
Universal Resources
National Standards
*Links are active on Full Video page.
Classroom Ideas
National Parks – Wyoming & Utah
Pick a Park
Students will choose another National Park (not in the video), maybe the one they would most like to visit. Students will then research it, and present it to the class.
Landforms
Identify and make a list of the landforms in these National Parks.
Background Research
Ask students to find out how many National Parks there are in the United States and
Mapping
Have students print out a map of the National Parks and identify where the sites in the video are located.
Cloze Practice
A cloze piece has full sentences used in the virtual field trip with blanks where students can write in the information that is missing. This task requires close listening to the trip in order to complete it.
Example: Coral reefs are the _______ type of ecosystem in the world. They’ve been around for over _____ million years.
Answers: oldest; 240
Alternatively, you could have students create 5-10 cloze statements and they could share those with the class.
A third alternative is to distribute the cloze worksheets before watching the video. Students can fill them in as they watch.
National Park Service
Ask students to look into the different classifications of the National Park Service. For example, what is the difference between a National Park, a National Monument, a National Preserve, etc.
Pick a Favourite
Have each student choose an interesting site from the video, and make a replica of it as well as writing a paragraph to explain why that site was chosen.
Road Trip!
Tell students they are going to take a “trip” to 4 National Parks in the United States.
Which One is Closest?
Students will determine which National Park is closest to where they are located. Use mapping skills if needed. Students will then research it and write about it.
A National Park is Born
Research how various national parks are created. Choose one of the National Parks in the video and discuss how it came into being.
Create Quizzes
Students create a quiz based on the information presented for their peers. This can be used as a review for a test, or class activity where students are responsible for teaching other students assigned topics.
Art and Social Studies
Draw a landscape from the video you just watched.
Explore Vocabulary
Identify key vocabulary terms while previewing each video. Prompt students to find the meaning of each word as they watch the video.
Junior Rangers
Ask students if they have ever heard of the Junior Rangers program through the
Compare/Contrast
Choose 2 National Parks to compare and contrast.
Research/compare landforms and biomes
Research/compare rocks and minerals found in the parks
Research/compare weather patterns in parks
Writing
Students will answer the question “Why are National Parks important?”
Make a List
Students choose their top five notable sites that they would like to visit in these parks. They will explain why they chose their list and older students can present their list with a PowerPoint presentation.
Writing
Have you ever visited a National Park? Write about your experience and share it with the class.
Classroom Ideas for ALL Videos
Here are dozens and dozens of ideas that you can use in your classroom along with our videos!
Topics Covered In This Video
What makes a National Park special?
Grand Teton N.P.
Yellowstone N.P.
Bryce N.P.
Zion N.P.
Arches N.P.
Videos in this Series
National Parks - West: Nevada & California
National Parks - West: Alaska & Hawaii
