The Grand Canyon, for kids, is covered in all its breathtaking glory: from its formation eons ago and the stories that its ancient layers tell to the vast array of ways people explore and enjoy its majestic beauty today.
The Grand Canyon – arguably North America’s most recognizable landmark – gets a detailed treatment in this issue. It all starts with the Colorado River, which turned from a simple stream into a mighty canyon carver over time – and which continues to deepen the canyon inch by inch over the eons. The Grand Canyon, for kids who like stories, tells an engrossing tale of how scientists can read the canyon’s exposed layers like a history book, with each level providing a remarkable record of the planet during that period. Then, kids can take a tally of the various plants that flourish in the Canyon’s highest reaches, with their almost-Arctic climate, or the ones on the dry and desert-like valley floors.
For centuries, people have also made the Grand Canyon their home: Kids can read about the Anasazi, who lived in masonry dwellings high on cliff faces, and the Havasupai, who lived in rock shelters and brush wickiups. And don’t forget the amazing array of creatures found in the Canyon, including the massive California condor, the agile bighorn sheep, and six kinds of scorpions! Then, learn about Major Powell’s nearly failed trip in a section on the topics of the Grand Canyon. For kids with a penchant for the outdoors, descriptions of the various ways people hike, bike, and raft the Canyon are sure to get their motors running.
7 Topics in this unit
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The Discovery of the Grand Canyon
In 1540, Francisco Vásquez de Coronado led an expedition into the southwestern Unit ...
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How the Canyon Was Formed
With layers of red, pink, purple, brown, green, gray, and yellow, the rocky walls of the G ...
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The Canyon’s Clues to Earth’s History
The Grand Canyon is a paradise for geologists, or scientists who study the history and str ...
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Canyon Plants
You could hike 3,000 miles from the Arctic Circle to Mexico and go through almost all the ...
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Canyon Critters
All animals have their own unique needs, and the canyon provides habitats for a wide ...
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Peoples of the Canyon
American Indians most likely discovered the Grand Canyon at least 10,000 years ago.
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Ways to Enjoy the Canyon
If you visit the Grand Canyon, there are all sorts of activities to enjoy.
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