Artifact Collection
3rd Grade -
SS.3.G.2.5: Identify natural and man-made landmarks in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
SS.3.G.2.2: Identify the fiveregions of the United States.
1. The Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon is a natural landmark found in the Southwest region of the United States in the state of Arizona. The Canyon was developed over millions of years and was caused by erosion from the Colorado River. Over time, sedimentary rock layers rose above sea level to form the majestic plateaus that visitors see today. There is an abundant amount of wildlife and nature located at the Grand Canyon. Teachers can take their students on a nature tour with these audio files available from the National Park Service website. These sounds can be played as the teacher shows pictures of the Canyon, surrounding nature, and wildlife at the same time. Sounds include cicadas (insects), elk, and bird songs at sunrise, river rapids, creek sounds, and thunderstorms. These sounds can be found at:
http://www.nps.gov/grca/naturescience/natural_sound.htm
2. Mount Rushmore
Mount Rushmore is a man-made landmark located in the Midwest region of the United States in the state of South Dakota. The four U.S. Presidents visitors see carved on the side of the mountain today are George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. The purpose of creating this landmark was to bring more tourism to South Dakota. Carving of the mountain began in 1927 and ended in 1941. Gutzon Borglum, a sculptor, and 400 workers were able to create 60ft carvings of the presidents by using dynamite to blast away the mountain’s granite rock. When construction was finished, there had been a few injuries amongst some of the workers, but no deaths due to any accidents. In 1991, President George H.W. Bush officially dedicated the landmark. The ABC news clip below is from 1991, and details the official dedication. The clip also provides a brief history of Mount Rushmore, and a small interview with one of the original construction workers from the site. Teachers can access this clip from YouTube to use in the classroom with their students. The video clip can be found at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zDGtwikFV8
3. The Everglades
Everglades National Park is a natural landmark made-up of subtropical wetlands. This landmark can be found in the state of Florida, in the Southeast region of the United States. In the past, water from the Kissimmee River near Orlando flowed freely to Lake Okeechobee in the Everglades. This slow moving water system formed ponds, sloughs, sawgrass marshes, hardwood hammock, and forested uplands. This resulted in many different balanced ecosystems in south Florida. Early settlers nearly destroyed the Everglades by attempting to drain the wetlands in order to build farming areas. In 1947, the Everglades became a National Park and its history and ecosystems are now protected. The park is filled with vegetation, natural habitats, and wildlife.
James E. Ingraham was a railroad engineer who came to Florida in 1874. He was a part of a team that went through the Everglades in 1892 that was searching for a possible new path for Henry B. Plant’s railroad. During this exploration, James Ingraham kept a diary of his journey though the Everglades. The diary describes daily camp life, vegetation, wildlife, climate changes, and meetings with Native Americans. Teachers can use selected passages from his diary to describe the Everglades from a firsthand account. As passages are read, the teacher can also show images of the habitats and individuals that are being described to bring the Everglades to life. This diary can be viewed online at the University of Florida’s Digital Collections Library:
http://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00095319/00001/1j
4. The Golden Gate Bridge
The Golden Gate Bridge is a man-made landmark located in the West. The bridge is in San Francisco, California. When the bridge was completed in May 1937, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world. The Golden Gate Bridge Fiesta was a big event held from May 27th to June 2nd, 1937 in honor this magnificent bridge. During the fiesta, guests could watch sports tournaments, parades, and a dramatic pageant about the history of California. The pages below are copies of the official program from May 1937 that was used to celebrate the opening of the Golden Gate Bridge Fiesta. In the program there are various articles and photographs about the bridge, as well as original advertisements from 1937. Students will be able to understand how important this event was to the citizens of California and the excitement that was created from the opening of the new bridge. Students will also be able to read over the original rules and toll rates of the bridge from 1937. Teachers can look up current toll rates and provide this information to students so they can see how the prices have changed between now and then. A PDF file of the entire original program that teachers can print out for students can be found and printed from the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway, and Transportation District website at:
http://www.goldengatebridge.org/research/documents/officialprogram.pdf.
5. The Gateway Arch
The Gateway Arch is a man-made landmark in St. Louis, Missouri, in the Midwest region of the United States. The Arch is also known as “Gateway to the West,” and was built in honor of America’s westward expansion. Construction on the arch began in February 1963 and was completed in October 1965. Nine hundred tons of stainless steel was used to build the Arch, which is more than any other project in history. It is the tallest national monument in the U.S., measuring 630ft, and it is a popular tourist attraction. Visitors are able go inside of the arch and ride trams to the very top, where there is an observation tower.
These photographs can be used by teachers with their students to show students what the Arch looks like, where it is located, and how construction was done.