National Parks - WA, OR, ID, MT, CO
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National Parks of the Pacific Northwest & Rocky Mountains – A Journey Through Untamed Wilderness! 🏔️🌲
What do towering volcanic peaks, glacier-carved valleys, deep canyons, and ancient cliff dwellings have in common? They’re all part of the stunning National Parks of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Colorado! From the rugged coastline of Olympic National Park to the deepest lake in America at Crater Lake, and from the towering peaks of the Rocky Mountains to the mysteries of Mesa Verde’s cliff dwellings, your elementary students will embark on a breathtaking virtual adventure through some of the most dramatic landscapes in the U.S.!
📽️ “National Parks: Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana & Colorado” is a visually stunning, curriculum-aligned educational video that takes students on a thrilling journey through some of the most beautiful and diverse National Parks in America. Whether trekking through snow-capped peaks, hiking through ancient rainforests, or gazing into the depths of a volcanic crater, this adventure will leave students in awe of the natural wonders that define the American West!
💡 What Your Students Will Learn:
✅ What makes a National Park special and why they are protected
✅ North Cascades National Park (WA) – The “American Alps” with more glaciers than Glacier National Park!
✅ Mount Rainier National Park (WA) – A dormant volcano with the largest glacier system in the U.S. outside of Alaska
✅ Olympic National Park (WA) – Home to three unique ecosystems: rugged coastline, lush rainforest, and towering mountains
✅ Crater Lake National Park (OR) – The deepest lake in the U.S., formed by a volcanic explosion 7,700 years ago!
✅ Craters of the Moon National Monument (ID) – A lava-covered landscape so otherworldly that Apollo astronauts trained here
✅ Glacier National Park (MT) – The “Crown of the Continent,” with over 700 miles of hiking trails and disappearing glaciers
✅ Rocky Mountain National Park (CO) – Home to the Continental Divide, where rivers flow either to the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean
✅ Mesa Verde National Park (CO) – Ancient cliff dwellings built by the Ancestral Puebloans over 700 years ago
✅ Great Sand Dunes National Park (CO) – Home to the tallest sand dunes in North America, reaching 750 feet high!
✅ Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (CO) – A canyon so deep and narrow that parts receive only 33 minutes of sunlight a day!
🌟 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 Geography & Science to Life – Helps students understand ecosystems, geology, and conservation.
📚 Perfect for Social Studies, Geography & Earth Science Lessons – Encourages critical thinking and environmental awareness.
Video length: 27:10 minutes
Learning Resources with this Video*
Quizzes – PDF & Online
Comparing National Parks
National Parks – Junior Rangers
Extraordinary Ecosystems
Why Are Glaciers Melting?
Draw A Landscape – National Parks
National Parks: WA, OR, ID, MT, & CO Video Breakdown
Universal Resources
National Standards
*Links are active on Full Video page.
Classroom Ideas
National Parks – WA, OR, ID, MO, CO
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.
Writing
Have you ever visited a National Park? Write about your experience and share it with the class.
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.
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
Formation of the National Park Service
What makes a National Park special?
North Cascades National Park
Mount Rainier National Park
Olympic National Park
Crater Lake National Park
Craters of the Moon National Monument
Glacier National Park
Mesa Verde National Park
Great Sand Dunes National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park
Black Canyon of the Gunnison
Videos in this Series
National Parks - West: Nevada & California
National Parks - West: Wyoming & Utah
