4 th Social Studies 4.12 Identify and describe unique features of the United States (the Everglades, the Grand Canyon, Mount Rushmore, the Redwood Forest, Yellowstone National Park, and Yosemite National Park). EvergladesGrand Canyon Yosemite National Park Mount Rushmore Yellowstone National Park Redwood Forest Yosemite National Park PowerPoint by Mrs. Batti

The Everglades National Park, the third largest park in the nation covers more than 2,000 square miles in Southern Florida and holds a magnificent beauty. Serving as home to nearly 300 varieties of birds, 600 kinds of fish and more than 40 native species of plants, the Everglades is a nature lover's paradise. Climate The Everglades is mild and pleasant from December through April, though rare cold fronts may create near freezing conditions. Average temperatures in winter - High 77°F (25°C); Low 53°F (12°C). Summers are hot and humid, with temperatures around 90°F (32°C) and humidity over 90%.

American Alligator American Crocodile Osprey Black-crowned Night-Heron Florida Panther Manatee Pelican Blue Bird

The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided gorge carved by the Colorado. It is located in Arizona and stretches to Colorado. The Grand Canyon is 18 miles wide. At average the Canyon is 5,000 ft deep and 227 miles long. The Canyon’s walls are made up of rocks, cliffs, hills, and valleys. The Grand Canyon rocks were formed millions of years ago. CLIMATE The Climate at the Grand Canyon is semi- dry. Humans once lived in the Grand Canyon around 4,000 years ago. The south rim of the Grand Canyon is a grayish green forest. Inside the Grand Canyon is 30 degrees higher then on rim. Rain comes suddenly in violent storms (usually in late summer).

Bighorn Sheep Downy Woodpecker Condor Pink Rattlesnake Chipmunk Raven Mule Deer

Mount Rushmore National Memorial is near Rapid City, South Dakota. It is a monumental granite sculpture that represents the first 150 years of the history of the United States of America with 60- foot sculptures of the heads of former United States presidents: George Washington (1732–1799) Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) Theodore Roosevelt (1858– 1919) Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865) George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln

Birds including the turkey vulture, bald eagle, hawk, and meadowlark fly around Mount Rushmore, occasionally making nesting spots in the ledges of the mountain. The rock of Mt. Rushmore consists of outcroppings of fine-grained granite (a hard, light-colored, igneous rock- volcanic rock that has cooled) and some mica schist (a type of crystalline metamorphic rock). The light-colored granite of Mt. Rushmore contrasts with darker layers of mica schist.

The Northern California coast contains the tallest living things on earth, and some of the oldest — the coastal redwood forests produce the giant Sequoia and grow well over 300 feet, live between 400 and 800 years on the average and can live to 2,000 years. They once grew nearly everywhere in the northern hemisphere, but climate and topography changes have destroyed much of the Redwood forests. The Redwoods Forests

Established in 1872, Yellowstone National Park is America's first national park. Located in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, it is home to a large variety of wildlife including grizzly bears, wolves, bison, and elk. Preserved within Yellowstone National Park are Old Faithful and a collection of the world's most extraordinary geysers and hot springs, and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

Click to hear about Yellowstone National Park Inside Yellowstone—Our new video feature of short ranger talks on park features and processes.

Yosemite National Park is the best-known of a collection of preserved wild lands in California's Sierra Nevada, a spectacular mountain range near California's border with the state of Nevada. The vast majority of Yosemite is comprised of igneous rocks. Massive granite dominates the Yosemite area and much of the Sierra Nevada as well. granite

Y osemite Valley is known for its wonderful display of dogwood blossoms in the spring. Dogwoods begin blooming in late April and early May, depending on the year. coyote bobcat deer western toad long tailed squirrel Northern Pacific rattlesnake western fence lizard dogwood