National Parks I

Pack your boots (and books) as we prepare to explore the wild, historic, and breathtaking landscapes of America's National Parks. This course is a journey through American History and culture using the "living museums" of the United States. Together we'll discover the process taken to create the National Parks System. We will dig deep into the history, science, and geography of our most iconic landmarks and many lesser known American marvels. This particular class will cover the first 31 National Parks including Yellowstone, Crater Lake, Denali, and Grand Canyon.  Additionally, we will explore many of the National Designations. In class, we will explore the parks through interactive activities, experiments, and discussion. Homework will include weekly reading, podcasts and basic research into specific National Parks. Students will be asked to regularly share their findings on these parks. In addition to weekly homework, a road trip project will be assigned. This is a stand alone class and can be combined with a 2nd semester which will uncover the remaining 32 National Parks including, Death Valley, Joshua Tree, Pinnacles and more. This course could count toward .5 credit for either Geography or History.