National Parks Research Project

National Parks The purpose of the United States National Parks system is to protect the scenery, wildlife and natural historic objects and to provide for the enjoyment of these same things in such a way as to preserve them for future generations. Currently there are 392 designated national parks that range from the homes of historic figures to the 13.2 million acre national park in Alaska. The first national park was Yellowstone and it was established in 1872 by congress.

Denali National Park Everglades National Park Gates of the Arctic National Park Glacier National Park Grand Canyon National Park Grand Teton National Park Great Basin National Park Great Sand Dunes National Park Great Smoky Mountains National ParkGreat Smoky Mountains National Park Guadalupe Mountains National ParkGuadalupe Mountains National Park Haleakala National Park Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park Hot Springs National Park Acadia National Park Arches National Park Badlands National Park Big Bend National Park Biscayne National Park Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park Bryce Canyon National Park Canyonlands National Park Capitol Reef National Park Carlsbad Caverns National Park Channel Islands National Park Congaree National Park Crater Lake National Park Cuyahoga Valley National Park Death Valley National Park Dry Tortugas National Park National Parks List

Isle Royale National Park Joshua Tree National Park Kobuk Valley National Park Lassen Volcanic National Park Mammoth Cave National Park Mesa Verde National Park Mount Rainier National Park National Park of American SamoaNational Park of American Samoa North Cascades National Park Olympic National Park Petrified Forest National Park Redwood National and State ParksRedwood National and State Parks Rocky Mountain National Park Sequoia National Park Shenandoah National Park Virgin Islands National Park Voyageurs National Park Wind Cave National Park Yellowstone National Park Yosemite National Park Zion National Park

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Data Collection Collect data on the weather three times this year (fall, winter, spring) Use online resources (Weather Channel) Use data to predict trends, climate

Great Sand Dunes National Park

Yellowstone National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park

Grand Canyon

Mesa Verde National Park

Mammoth Cave National Park

Olympic National Park

Denali National Park

Capitol Reef National Park

How to Choose: Where have you visited? Where would you like to visit? What park sounds interesting to you? Which park have you heard about and would like to learn more about?

Project Requirements Create a research paper that details: –History of your park(including location and size of park) –Ecology of park (habitat, animals, plant life) –Weather of park (climate, weather) –Environmental issues –Geology of Park (land)