Distance Learning Opportunities

JOURNEYS TO WILDERNESS CANYONS

The "Journeys to Wilderness Canyons" program aired and webcast 4 half-hour videos for middle school students from around the globe. The program had subscribers from every state in the United States and several other countries. A total of 6.1 million watched and participated in the program every Wednesday in March, 2001. More than 24 million have participated so far, and the webcast portions are still available online.

The shows featured Park Rangers from the Park and 10 Gunnison Middle School students exploring the ecosystem, geology and history of the area. The program also featured comparisons from around the world like Petra canyon in Jordan, the Three Gorges in China and even a canyon on Mars.

Journeys to Wilderness Canyons is a four-part learning experience designed to meet national science standards. Through inquiring and problem solving activities, students follow a journey through time to discover how these canyons have become such a powerful illustration of natural forces and human impact. The series will address (1) What is a wilderness canyon? (2) How have forces of nature shaped wilderness canyons? (3) What plants and animals live at Black Canyon? and (4) What are the human influences on wilderness canyons?

In the event you missed the initial broadcast, Journeys to Wilderness Canyons is available for download at:

One Planet Education Network

The program is also available in Spanish.

The program was provided by the NPS, the Satellite Education Resource Consortium (SERC), One Planet Education Network (OPEN), KLVX-PBS Las Vegas, the Weather Channel, Western National Parks Association, the Dept of Education's Star Schools Program, University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University and the National Park Foundation.