Part of the reason we chose to use this topic was because it is something that many grade levels could be interested in. It is something that is part of Utah’s culture and something that many students will probably get to see at some point. I think that’s part of what make learning about the national parks so exciting for elementary age students. By learning about the national parks of Utah, students will be able to understand the impact Utah’s geography has on the local economy as well as tourism.
This particular subject is definitely supported by the INTASC standards. Section one of the teacher standards discusses teaching culture to help create an engaging classroom environment. This lesson could be great for students from diverse backgrounds, especially those who aren’t from Utah. It provides a great opportunity for those students to understand more about Utah’s geological wonders. Section two of the ISTE standards talks about using digital age learning tools and assessments. Using a powerpoint to display this information for students provides them with the chance to see pictures and hear information about the parks all at the same time. It provides a much more interactive experience than reading the information in a textbook would.
I don’t see many drawbacks to using this as part of a Utah geography lesson. I think it would be a great introductory tool. The only issue I could see potentially would be not having enough time to cover each of the national parks. There is a lot of history as well as geography to cover when it comes to one national park so five parks could definitely makes things a little more challenging.
In the future, I would use this lesson in any upper elementary class for social studies. I feel that it is very important for students to be aware of the geography in their own state as well as being knowledgeable about their surroundings. This lesson provides a captivating experience and also give students a great variety of knowledge about Utah.
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