Last updated: March 11, 2019
Lesson Plan
National Park Service Arrowhead
- Grade Level:
- Upper Elementary: Third Grade through Fifth Grade
- Subject:
- Literacy and Language Arts,Math,Science,Social Studies
- Lesson Duration:
- 60 Minutes
- State Standards:
- MT.SS.K-12.2 Students analyze how people create and change structures of power, authority, and governance to understand the operation of government and to demonstrate civic responsibility.
- Thinking Skills:
- Remembering: Recalling or recognizing information ideas, and principles. Understanding: Understand the main idea of material heard, viewed, or read. Interpret or summarize the ideas in own words. Applying: Apply an abstract idea in a concrete situation to solve a problem or relate it to a prior experience. Analyzing: Break down a concept or idea into parts and show the relationships among the parts.
Essential Question
What does the National Park Service Arrowhead represent?
Objective
Identify natural and cultural resources that are protected by the NPS.
Define the words: protect, preserve, provide
Analyze photos of national parks to determine the resources that each manages.
Understand that Glacier is one of numerous (418) NPS units across our nation and that each park is unique.
Background
Glacier National Park became America's 10th national park when it was established on May 11th, 1910 by President Taft. There are 391 NPS units in our nation. Approximately 60 sites are designated as parks; the others are national monuments, seashores, preserves, battlefields, and historic parks.
The NPS mission was defined by the Organic Act of 1916 and has been revised to declare: The National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world.
Preparation
Picture of the National Park Service arrowhead logo
Photos of other National Park Service sites
Lesson Hook/Preview
Students will analyze the arrowhead logo students as an introduction to the National Park Service (NPS), an agency whose mission is to protect and preserve natural and cultural resources and provide visitors with opportunities for recreation and learning.
Procedure
- Begin by showing students a picture of the National Park Service arrowhead logo. Tell them that whenever they visit Glacier or another NPS site they will see this logo in a lot of places because it reminds us about why we have national parks.
- Tell the students that the job of the National Park Service is preserve and protect the things that we see on the logo. Ask them to define 'protect' or give a synonm (Protect means to keep safe). Ask them to define preserve (it's likely you will have to help direct them toward the correct answer of 'to make something last a long time').
- Hold up the arrowhead and ask the students to identify the kinds of things that we preserve and protect at NPS sites.
Bison = all animals; Tree = all plants. (it's likely you'll get these two first. If so, use the opportunity to point out that they've named the living parts of nature and next should list the non-living parts of nature.); Mountain = scenic beauty; Water = resources such as clean water and air.; Arrowhead shape = "stories about people" "cultural history". Trace the outline with your finger. Applaud creative answers (fish, tree, acorn, shark tooth) but continue to seek "arrowhead". Ask who used arrowheads? American Indians used arrowheads as a tool to hunt food and to survive. Our logo is in this shape because we want to be reminded about all of the people who have lived in and used national parks throughout history: American Indian tribes, homesteaders, early rangers, and visitors like you. We want to protect and share the stories about all of these people.
Vocabulary
National Park Service, protect, preserve, provide, nature, living, non-living, culture
Assessment Materials
Show students photos of other National Park Service sites (Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Statue of Liberty, Mesa Verde, etc.) Ask them what they see in the photos that might make those places special.
Enrichment Activities
Have students draw a picture of what they think they will see when they visit Glacier National Park.