Last updated: December 10, 2021
Lesson Plan
The Arrowhead: Emblem of the National Park Service
- Grade Level:
- Upper Elementary: Third Grade through Fifth Grade
- Subject:
- Social Studies
- Lesson Duration:
- 60 Minutes
- State Standards:
- UT State History-Social Science Content Standards:
3.S1.O1.A
3.S2.O1.D
4.S1.O3.C - Thinking Skills:
- Understanding: Understand the main idea of material heard, viewed, or read. Interpret or summarize the ideas in own words. Analyzing: Break down a concept or idea into parts and show the relationships among the parts. Creating: Bring together parts (elements, compounds) of knowledge to form a whole and build relationships for NEW situations. Evaluating: Make informed judgements about the value of ideas or materials. Use standards and criteria to support opinions and views.
Essential Question
How do the five elements on the arrowhead emblem symbolize the National Park Service?
How can the five elements on the arrowhead emblem be observed at Bryce Canyon National Park?
Objective
In this lesson students will learn about the mission of the National Park Service and how it relates to Bryce Canyon National Park through a guided exploration of the elements represented on the NPS Arrowhead emblem.
Background
There are two versions of this activity aimed at different age/ability levels. The version for elementary students involves viewing a PowerPoint about the arrowhead emblem and Bryce Canyon National Park, then creating their own emblem. The version for middle school students involves reading a brief piece about the significance of the arrowhead, then visiting the park website to find out how the arrowhead relates to Bryce Canyon National Park. Fourth and fifth grade teachers should examine both versions and decide which best matches the ability level of their students.
Preparation
- Computer for PowerPoint presentation
- Arrowhead Introduction PowerPoint
- One copy per student of the three worksheets
- Coloring supplies
Materials
Download Arrowhead Introduction PowerPoint
Download Arrowhead Lesson Activities
Lesson Hook/Preview
- Show students the logos available in this CNBC article: http://www.cnbc.com/2015/05/01/13-famous-logos-that-require-a-double-take.html
- Ask students to predict what the logo is representing. The students will most likely say it just represents the company.
- Explain to students that each company actually put significant thought into the logo and used it to represent more than just the company name. Explain that the NPS views the arrowhead emblem similarly
- Today the students will learn the five elements of the arrowhead emblem and how those elements represent the National Park Service as a whole, as well as Bryce Canyon National Park specifically.
Procedure
Part 1: Investigation
- After distributing copies of the Arrowhead Worksheet to each student, present Arrowhead Intro PowerPoint to the class using a data projector or similar means.
- After each slide is shown that explains a particular element of the emblem, brainstorm as a class how that element might relate to Bryce Canyon National Park.
- Note: Depending on your proximity to the park and whether or not students have visited previously, students may or may not be able to generate ideas. If they are having difficulty, leading questions or other hints may be helpful.
- Classrooms with computer access may visit our park website at nps.gov/BRCA to find more examples.
-
For each element, after some ideas have been generated, proceed to the next slide, which will show some specific examples of how the element applies to Bryce Canyon. Allow students time to list examples on the worksheet for each element as you work through the slide show. Before showing the “pop quiz” slide, have students turn their worksheets over so they will have to try to describe the elements from memory.
Part 2: Creation
- Remind students that the NPS emblem was designed to represent ALL sites in the National Park system, and that many sites don’t actually have any of the examples represented on the emblem, such as bison and sequoia trees.
- Tell students to imagine that they have been hired to design a custom emblem that’s just for Bryce Canyon National Park. They will need to include each of the five elements but use only examples that can be found at Bryce Canyon National Park.
- As they begin to plan, you may want to go back through the slides to help them visualize elements of their design. Have students draw their designs on the blank arrowhead provided on the blank Arrowhead worksheet provided. Remind them that neatness counts, and that effective use of color can make a design more attractive.
Part 3: Presentation and Assessment
- Using the PowerPoint, project the original arrowhead emblem.
- Each student will stand up and share his or her new arrowhead emblem with the class. The rest of the class will connect each element of the Bryce Canyon new emblems with the original.
- To conclude, the students will use an exit ticket to vote for their favorite emblem, which can be selected from any of the new designs or the original NPS design. The students must justify their vote.
Vocabulary
Emblem - a symbolic object used as a distinctive badge
Element - a part of something, especially one that is essential or characteristic
Culture - the arts and othe rmanifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively
Landform - a natural feature of the earth's surface
Wildlife - wild animals or native fauna of a region
Enrichment Activities
- Research other emblems or symbols of US government agencies, such as the Federal Communications Commission, or the Environmental Protection Agency.
- Share your voting results with us via email!