1) King Tutankhamen became ruler of Egypt at age _________ .

          a) 9
          b) 10
          c) 19


2) Giant pandas in China are having trouble finding __________.

          a) shelter
          b) friends
          c) bamboo
 


3) Africans were forced aboard the Amistad in __________.

          a) 1839
          b) 1842
          c) 1900

 

4)  One U.S. city the new Amistad will visit is _________.

         a) Las Vegas, N.V.
         b) New Haven, C.T.
         c) Austin, T.X.

5)  __________ Cinque led the rebellion aboard the Amistad.

        a) Dwayne
        b) Joseph
        c) Matthew

ANSWERS:
1. A
2. C
3. A
4. B
5. B

The Grand Canyon National Monument Turns 100.

This is the second of three special GeoTrek issues you will receive this year. Each GeoTrek issue offers a detailed look at the physical geography, culture, and news of a region or country. Please e-mail the editors at wrnews@weeklyreader.com to let us know how you used this GeoTrek issue in your classroom.

Help students find the Grand Canyon on a map. Ask: What is the Grand Canyon? Why is it important? What can scientists learn by studying rocks?

Vocabulary

canyon: a deep, narrow valley with steep sides

erosion: the wearing away of parts of Earth, such as rock or sand

fossils: the remains of plants and animals

geology: the study of what makes up Earth

monitor: to watch

national monument: a protected area in the United states

preserve: to save

reservation: land set aside for Native Americans

• What is a canyon? A canyon is a deep, narrow valley with steep sides. The Grand Canyon is one of the world’s largest canyons, but it is not the deepest. Hell’s Canyon on the Oregon-Idaho border holds that honor. Carved by the Snake River, that canyon is more than 8,000 feet deep.

• How is the top of the Grand Canyon different from the bottom? There is an 8,000-foot elevation difference between the canyon floor and its highest point on the North Rim. As a result, the temperature at the top of the canyon can be as much as 25 degrees Fahrenheit lower than the temperature at the bottom at any given time. The top of the canyon also receives more rainfall. The canyon floor is a desert, and the highest rim holds a conifer forest.

• How many kinds of plants and animals live in the Grand Canyon? Five of the seven life zones occur in the Grand Canyon. As a result, the canyon is home to a wide range of species, including more than 1,500 plants, 355 birds, 89 mammals, 47 reptiles, nine amphibians, and 17 fish.

How might the Grand Canyon be different if two rivers ran through it? What might the area look like today if the Colorado River did not exist?

Organize students into five groups to research and report on the five life zones the Grand Canyon encompasses: Lower Sonoran, Upper Sonoran, Transition, Canadian, and Hudsonian. Ask: What types of plants and animals live in each zone? What is the weather like? At what level of the canyon is the life zone found?

Teaching Activity

The Grand Canyon isn't the only landmark to be declared a national monument. Others include the Giant Sequoia National Monument and the Statue of Liberty National Monument. Research and create a travel brochure for a monument. Your brochure should include exciting details about the national monument and offer at least three reasons people should visit it.