Natural Wonders of the World Field Trip urlaunch1.htm

Class Discussion  Where are places that you and your family visit for vacation?  What was special about these places?  Brainstorm places that you would like to visit.

And we’re off…  As we travel from place to place, take notes and draw pictures of the places you like and why you like them.  Be sure you research the different places and take your time seeing what YOU want to see!!

Aurora Borealis  The auroras, also known as the Northern Lights, are naturally occurring lights that create intriguing and spectacular displays in the sky. The aurora lights frequently appear as a diffused glow lighting up the horizon. The most amazing sight is when the northern lights appears as waves across the sky; it is almost as if the lights are dancing. original/aurora-borealis

Grand Canyon  The Grand Canyon is a massive gorge located in the state of Arizona in the United States, and was created by the Colorado River. Although not the steepest or the longest canyon in the world, the Grand Canyon is recognized as a natural wonder because of the overall scale and size combined with the beautifully colored landscape. The canyon offers a variety of lookouts and experiences that provide visitors with a view that cannot be matched. original/grand-canyon

Paricutin  Paricutin is a cinder cone volcano in Michoacán, Mexico. Paricutin was named one of the seven natural wonders as an active volcano. The volcano has been dormant since the last eruption in It was established as a natural wonder because mankind witnessed its birth. The volcano was also fast growing reaching three- fourths of its size within the first year. original/paricutin

Victoria Falls  Victoria Falls is located on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe, and travelers can access the falls through either Livingstone, Zambia or Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. The falls are also close to the border of Botswana. The Zambezi River, which begins in northern Zambia, serves as the fall's water source.  The name Victoria Falls was given to the falls by the Scottish explorer Dr. David Livingstone. He named the falls after the reining queen at the time. The locals called the falls Mosi-oa-Tunya meaning “smoke that thunders.” Many people still refer to this nickname, which accurately defines the falls. original/victoria-falls

Great Barrier Reef  The great barrier reef is the world’s largest individual formation created by living organisms. As the largest coral reef in the world, the Great Barrier Reef includes over 900 islands, over 2,900 separate reefs, and supports one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world. original/great-barrier-reef

Mount Everest  Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world with the summit reaching a peak of 29,029 feet (8,848 m). It is located in the Himalayan mountain range on the border between Nepal and Tibet, China. original/mount-everest

Harbor of Rio de Janeiro  The Harbor of Rio de Janeiro is located in Brazil and was created by erosion from the Atlantic Ocean and is also known as Guanabara Bay. The Harbor is surrounded by gorgeous granite monolith mountains that include the famous Sugar Loaf Mountain at 1,296 feet (395 m), Corcovado Peak at 2,310 feet (704 m), and the hills of Tijuca at 3,350 feet (1021 m). Visitors will also experience numerous islands including Governor's island, Fundao and Snakes Island. original/harbour-of-rio-de-janeiro

Class Discussion  What do the Seven Natural Wonders of the World have in common? What makes them different?  Why do you think they were chosen to be on the list?

Video  &title= &title=  Students divide into small groups based on tables. Students will then tag places on the classroom world map of places they have already visited.

Africa/Asia  Sahara Desert  Mount Fuji  Mount Kenya Images provided by Google Images

Sahara Desert  The Sahara Desert is the largest hot desert in the world. The boundaries of the Sahara Desert stretch from the Red Sea on the east, the Atlantic Ocean on the west, the valley of the Niger river on the south, to the Mediterranean Sea on the north. The desert encompasses, at least in part, the countries of Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Western Sahara, Sudan, and Tunisia.  The Nile river runs through the Sahara Desert throughout the year, but all other rivers only exist seasonally. Grasslands may be found in the northern and southern parts of the desert, but the center region is extremely arid. The geography of the desert includes tremendous sand dunes and dune fields which may be described as a sea of sand. Additionally, there are unusual and unique landforms, stone plateaus, salt flats, gravel plains, and arid valleys. desert

Mount Fuji  Mount Fuji is the tallest mountain in Japan with the peak reaching an elevation of 12, 388 feet (3,776 m). The mountain is located on the west of Tokyo near the boundary of Shizuoka and Yamanashi. Mount Fuji can be seen from Tokyo on clear days.  Mount Fuji is most known for the symmetrical cone shape that is often snow covered creating a spectacular scene across Lake Kawaguchi. Mount Fuji is actually surrounded by five lakes that include: Lake Kawaguchi, Lake Yamanaka, Lake Sai, Lake Motosu and Lake Shoji. The mountain is part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. Google Images

Mount Kenya  Mount Kenya is the tallest mountain in Kenya and is only second to Mount Kilimanjaro. The mountain features three peaks over 16,000 feet: 1) Batian as the tallest at 17,058 feet (5,199 m), 2) Nelion at 17,022 feet (5,188 m) and 3) Lenana at 16,355 feet (4,985 m). kenya

Europe/North America  Mount Olympus  Niagara Falls  Great Blue Hole Images provided by Google Images

Mount Olympus  Mount Olympus is the highest mountain in Greece and holds mythological significance as the home of the gods. The summit peaks at 9,570 feet (2,919 m), but with a sea level base it is one of the greatest elevations in Europe. olympus

Niagara Falls  Niagara Falls is an incredible waterfall system located on the border between Ontario, Canada and New York of the United States. Niagara Falls is comprised of three distinctive falls that include: Horseshoe Falls on the Canadian side and American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls on the American side. The Horseshoe Falls are 2,600 feet ( 792 m) wide with the American Falls measuring 1,060 feet (323 m) wide. The highest drop occurs on Horseshoe Falls at 173 feet (53 m). Google Images america/niagara-falls

Great Blue Hole  The Great Blue Hole is located off the coast of Belize; it is found in the middle of the Lighthouse Reef ecosystem. The Great Blue Hole is a underwater sinkhole that measures 984 feet (300 m) across. The sink hole plunges 394 feet (120 m) deep and provides divers with a crystal clear haven for exploring this underwater wonder.  The Great Blue Hole and surrounding reef are commonly home to the Caribbean Reef Shark, the Blacktip Shark, nurse sharks, giant groupers, and abundant other aquatic life. Although not routinely seen, the sinkhole and surrounding reef have also been home to the bull shark and the hammerhead shark. Google Images america/great-blue-hole

Oceania/South America  Daintree Rainforest  Galapagos Islands  Amazon Rainforest Images provided by Google Images

Daintree Rainforest  Daintree Rainforest is the largest tropical area in all of Australia. It is located north of Cairns and is a protected area as Daintree National Park. The rainforest is recognized as a significant biosphere with diverse habitats necessary for survival. The Daintree Rainforest is home to a number of endangered species including the popular Bennett's Tree-kangaroo. There are around 430 species of birds and 12,000 species of insects living in the area. The areas accounts for 65% of Australia's bat and butterfly species. e-rainforest

Galapagos Islands  The Galapagos Islands gained their greatest recognition following the observations and publication of the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin. More importantly, the Galapagos Islands are notable for the unique and endemic species. The majority of wildlife and fauna have been introduced to the island as compared to native and endemic species. There are over 700 species of plants introduced to the islands as compared to approximately 500 native and endemic species. Google Images america/galapagos-islands

Amazon Rainforest  The Amazon Rainforest is the greatest collection of plant and animal life; 1 in 10 species from around the world are found in the Amazon. The Amazon Jungle is home to approximately 427 mammals, 378 reptiles, 428 amphibians, 1,294 birds, 3,000 fish, 40,000 plants and 2.5 million insect species. One in five of all birds are found in the Amazon. Google Images america/amazon-rainforest

Class Discussion  Compile a class list of the top five places that should be considered for a new list.

Assessment  Students will create a brochure or advertisement promoting their favorite place. This is to be done individually.