“the land of the west”. lesson 1: a land of mountains main idea: the land of the west includes...
TRANSCRIPT
“The Land of the West”
Lesson 1: A Land of MountainsMain Idea: The land of the West includes
many mountains.
Places: Rocky Mountains, Continental Divide, and Yellowstone National Park
Vocabulary: timberline, geyser, magma, volcano, lava
The Rocky MountainsLargest mountain system in North America.
“The Rockies”Made of smaller ranges- Salish, Beartooth-
Absaroka, Big Horn, Wasatch, Bitteroot, Cascades
Landmarks- Pikes Peak in COExtends 3,000 miles from New Mexico to
AlaskaRuns through Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho,
and Montana
The Rocky MountainsContinental Divide: imaginary line that runs
along the crest of the Rockies. Rivers on the east run to the Atlantic Ocean or
the Gulf of MexicoRivers on the west flow to the Pacific Ocean
The Rocky MountainsHigh elevation
Trees would not grow above the timberlineHigh peaks are mostly covered in snow year-
round
Animals in the Rocky Mountains include:Forest: grizzly bear, mountain lions, elk, minkValleys: chipmunks, coyotes, mooseRivers: fishAbove Timberline: mountain goats, bighorn sheep
The Rocky MountainsEconomy: production, distribution, and
consumption of goods and servicesUse natural resources
MineralsRanch landTimber
Use TourismHiking, skiing, mountain climbing, and scenery
What is Continental Divide?
Name some activities vistors to the Rocky Mountains would enjoy.
Yellowstone National ParkYNP: Oldest national park in the world
Established in 1872Covers over 2.2 million acresIncludes parts of Wyoming, Idaho, Montana
Natural attractions: Mountains, canyons, waterfalls, lakes, forests,
and wildlifeGeysers: hot spring that erupts, shooting hot
water into the air 10,000 hot springs and geysers in Yellowstone
Yellowstone National ParkOld Faithful is the most popular geyser
Erupts every 45-110 minutesShoots more than 100 feet into the air
Park located over a “hot spot” in Earth’s crustWhere magma (molten rock) lies close to
Earth’s surface rather than deep undergroundHeats groundwater that rises causing geysers
and hot springs
Yellowstone National ParkWildlife roam free
Elk, moose, grizzly and black bears, wolves, bison
No hunting animals within park boundariesFishing is allowed in limited accessWildfire: 1988 many acres of forest burned
By following year, new growth had begunProvided chance to study fires and forests’
recovery
What heats the geysers and hot springs?
Name six types of wildlife that attract tourists to Yellowstone.
How are forests able to recover after wildfires?
Western Mountain RangesSierra Nevada: through eastern California
and western NevadaHigh & ruggedSome peaks rise higher than 14,000 feet above
sea levelCascade Range: in Washington and California
Has volcanoesAleutian Range: in Alaska
Has volcanoes
Western Mountain Ranges
Volcano: mountain with an opening through which gas, ash, and lava are forced through.Lava: molten rock (magma) that flows on
Earth’s surfaceHawaii: all ranges are volcanoes
Mountains that rose from the ocean floorMount Kilauea
Summarize what you have learned todayName four mountain ranges in the western
region.