Ain't It Grand?

Here's a study guide to help you organize your Web research. Each research topic also includes questions to consider and some related activity ideas. In addition to using search engines like Yahooligans to research your topic, visit the following sites and consider the following questions and related activities. EROSION Sites: Grand Canyon Explorer http://www.kaibab.org/geology/gc_geol.htm Questions to consider: What is erosion? What are the most powerful erosive agents and how do they work? What role does gravity play in erosion? What part does erosion play in the formation of the Grand Canyon? Why is the soil of the Grand Canyon susceptible to erosion? What factors contribute to the slowing of erosion in the Grand Canyon? What are some of the causes that are slowing the Colorado River's erosive force? Suggested Activity: Try this hands-on activity on erosion (gopher://ericir.syr.edu:70/00/Lesson/Subject/Science/cecsci.03). Remember to take pictures or video tape your activity so you can incorporate the images into your stack. PLATE TECTONICS Sites: USGS-This Dynamic Earth http://pubs.usgs.gov/publications/text/dynamic.html Questions to consider: What is the theory of plate tectonics? How has plate tectonics influenced the formation of the Grand Canyon? What is continental drift? Is the theory of continental drift the same as that of plate tectonics? What formations of the Earth do scientists hold plate tectonics responsible for? Suggested Activity: After conducting your basic research, compose a list of questions and pose them to a professional Geologist (http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/docs/ask-a-ge.html). ROCK LAYERING OF THE GRAND CANYON Sites: Grand Canyon Explorer http://www.kaibab.org/geology/gc_geol.htm http://www.discovery.com/area/exploration/river/river1.html Questions to consider: What are the sciences of petrology, stratigraphy, and paleontology? How old are the rock layers of the Grand Canyon? How are scientists able to determine this? What can the rock layers tell us about Earth's history of climatic change? What are the characteristics of sandstone, shale, limestone, granite, and schist? What other information about Earth's history do the rock layers give us ? Suggested Activity: Make a scale model of the Grand Canyon. Use different colored clay to replicate the rock layers. Remember to add a key to your model and to photograph your project for your multimedia presentation. ANASAZI INDIANS Sites: Grand Canyon Explorer http://www.kaibab.org/misc/gc_misc.htm#anasazi Native American History Resources on the Internet http://hanksville.phast.umass.edu/misc/indices/NAhistory.html Northern Arizona University Cline Library http://www.nau.edu/~cline/speccoll/imagedb.html Questions to consider: What was life like for the Anasazi Indians? What were some of the traditions the Anasazi held? Were the Anasazi hunters and gatherers? Did they farm? The Hopi Indians are thought to be modern descendants of the Anasazi Indians. What aspects of the Anasazi culture remain intact in the Hopi culture today? What are petroglyphs? What can they tell us about life during the time the Anasazis inhabited the Grand Canyon? What spiritual significance did the Grand Canyon hold for the Anasazi? How do the Hopi Indians regard the Canyon? Suggested Activity: Split twig figurines were significant to ancient desert cultures and are thought to be ritual offerings made to the animal spirits before a hunt. Make your own Split Twig Figurines (http://www.kaibab.org/kids/stf.htm). TOURISM AND THE GLEN CANYON DAM Sites: Grand Canyon Explorer http://www.kaibab.org/gc_home6.htm National Park Service http://www.nps.gov/ Questions to consider: What impact has the building of the Glen Canyon Dam had on the Colorado River? How does this affect the Grand Canyon and the wildlife of the Canyon? How many tourists visit the Grand Canyon each year? Is the number of tourists increasing or decreasing each year? What effect has tourism had on the Grand Canyon? Suggested Activity: Make a graph illustrating the increase or decrease in tourism since the Grand Canyon became a National Park. Discuss the effects of tourism on the park. Form a mock council and develop regulations to preserve the park.