National Parks

National Parks America is a land of variety. The land has volcanoes. The land has tall waterfalls and mountains. It has deserts and sea coasts. Many of these places are in national parks. The United States was the first nation to make national parks. This land will never change. No roads or buildings can be built there.

The National Park System There are 58 national parks. Congress set aside land for each one. People will always be able to visit. Yellowstone was the first national park. It was set aside in 1872. Yellowstone is big. It covers parts of three states. It has hot springs and geysers (GAHYzers). Yosemite (yoh-SEM-i-tee) was the second national park. It is in California. Mount Rainier (REY-neer) National Park is in the state of Washington. Mount Rainier is an active volcano. Most of the parks were once owned by their states. In 1916, a new law was passed. The law put the federal government in charge of the parks.

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#50896—Leveled Texts: Symbols, Monuments, and Documents

Some Great Parks Each national park is special. Mammoth Cave is in Kentucky. It has the longest cave system in the world. The Everglades is a large wetland. It is in Florida. Many animals live there. Alligators and crocodiles live side by side. Death Valley is a desert. It is the hottest, lowest, and driest place in the nation. The Petrified Forest is in Arizona. Long ago, the trees of the forest died. Water and minerals seeped into the logs. The logs turned into gleaming rocks. The Grand Canyon is in the same state. It is the nation’s deepest canyon. People can see it from space!

Visit a National Park Go visit a national park. You will be thrilled by what you see. You can start in Alaska or California. There are eight national parks in both states. No matter which one you visit, you will see a special place. These places are the few areas left where plants and animals come first. You can’t hunt. You can’t take anything with you either. You can’t even take a rock. But you can take memories with you. You will want to see more national parks.

What Did You Learn? Why was it important for America to set aside land for parks?

94 #50896—Leveled Texts: Symbols, Monuments, and Documents

© Shell Education

National Parks America is a land of variety. There are volcanoes. There are deep canyons. There are steep waterfalls. There are mountains. There are deserts, tall trees, and sea coasts. Many of these environments are protected in national parks. The United States was the first nation to set aside land for national parks. This land would never be changed. No roads, buildings, farms, or homes can be built in the parks.

The National Park System There are 58 national parks. Congress voted to set aside land for each one. These places will be left in their natural state forever. People will always be able to visit them. If each place was not a park, people could have bought the land. Then it would be private. Yellowstone was the first national park. It was set aside in 1872. It is huge. It covers parts of three states. It has hot springs and geysers (GAHY-zers). The second national park was Yosemite (yohSEM-i-tee). It is in California. Mount Rainier (REY‑neer) National Park is in the state of Washington. Mount Rainier is an active volcano. Most of the parks were once owned by the state in which they were located until 1916. Then, a new law set up the national park system. The law put the federal government in charge of the parks. The park system began to grow. 95 © Shell Education


Some Great Parks Each national park is unique. Mammoth Cave is in Kentucky. It has the world’s longest cave system. The Everglades is a huge wetland in Florida. Many animals that live there are in danger of dying out. It is the only place on Earth where alligators and crocodiles live side by side. Death Valley is a desert. It is the hottest, lowest, and driest place in the nation. The Petrified Forest is in Arizona. About 225 million years ago, the trees of the forest died. Minerals seeped into the logs. The logs hardened into gleaming rocks. Now they look like giant gems. The Grand Canyon is in the same state. It is the nation’s deepest canyon. People have seen it from space!

Visit a National Park Go visit a national park. You will be amazed by what you see. You may want to start in Alaska or California. Both states have eight parks each! No matter which park you visit, you will see a special place. These places are the few areas left where plants and animals are more important than humans. No hunting is allowed. You cannot take anything from the park—not even a rock. You will come away with memories and the desire to see another national park.

What Did You Learn? 96

Why was it important for Congress to set aside land for parks?


© Shell Education

National Parks America is a land of variety. There are volcanoes and deep canyons. There are steep waterfalls and mountains. There are deserts, tall trees, and sea coasts. Many of these different environments are protected in national parks. The United States was the first nation to set aside land for national parks. This land would never be developed. No roads, buildings, farms, or homes can be built in the parks.

The National Park System Congress voted to set aside land for each of the 58 national parks. These places will be left in their natural state forever. People will always be able to visit them. If each place was not a park, people could have bought the land, and then it would be private. Yellowstone was the first national park. It was set aside in 1872. It is so huge that it covers parts of three states. It sits over a “hot spot” on Earth’s crust. It has hot springs and geysers (GAHY-zers). The second national park was Yosemite (yoh‑SEM-i-tee) in California. It has North America’s tallest waterfall. Mount Rainier (REY-neer) National Park in the state of Washington has an active volcano. Some of the nation’s largest glaciers cover it. Most of the parks were once owned by the state in which they were located. Then, in 1916, a law set up the national park system and put the federal government in charge. The park system began to expand.

97 © Shell Education


Some Great Parks Each national park is unique. Mammoth Cave in Kentucky has the world’s longest cave system. The Everglades is a huge wetland in Florida. Many animals that live there are endangered. It is the only place on Earth where alligators and crocodiles live side by side. Death Valley is a desert. It is the nation’s hottest, lowest, and driest place. The Petrified Forest is in Arizona. About 225 million years ago, the forest died. Minerals seeped into the logs, and they hardened into gleaming rocks. Today they look like giant gems. The Grand Canyon is in the same state and is the nation’s deepest canyon. People have seen it from space!

Visit a National Park Go visit a national park. You will be amazed by what you see. You may want to start in Alaska or California since both states have eight parks each! No matter which one you visit, you will see a special place. These places are the few areas left where plants and animals have priority over humans. No hunting is allowed. You cannot take anything from the park—not even a rock. You will come away with memories and the desire to see another national park.

What Did You Learn? Why was it important for Congress to set aside land in North America for parks? 98 #50896—Leveled Texts: Symbols, Monuments, and Documents

© Shell Education

National Parks America is a land of great variety. It has volcanoes, deep canyons, steep waterfalls, and rugged mountains. There are deserts, tall trees, and sea coasts. Many of these different environments are protected in national parks. The United States was the first nation to designate land for national parks that would never be developed. This means that roads, buildings, farms, and homes cannot be built in the parks.

The National Park System Congress voted to set aside land for each of the 58 national parks. These places will be left in their natural state forever so people will always be able to visit them. If each place was not a national park, people could have bought the land, and then it would be private. Only a lucky few would have been able to enjoy it. Yellowstone was the first national park. It was established in 1872 and is so huge that it covers parts of three western states. It sits over a volcanic hot spot on Earth’s crust. It has hot springs and geysers (GAHY‑zers). The second national park was Yosemite (yoh-SEM-i-tee) in California. It has North America’s tallest waterfall. Mount Rainier (REY‑neer) National Park in the state of Washington has an active volcano. Some of the nation’s largest glaciers cover it. Most of these parks were once owned by the state in which they were located until 1916 when a law established the national park system and put the federal government in charge. The park system began to expand. 99 © Shell Education


Some Great Parks Each national park is unique and wonderful. Mammoth Cave in Kentucky has the world’s longest cave system. The Everglades is a huge wetland in Florida where many endangered animals live. It is the only place on Earth where alligators and crocodiles live together. Death Valley is a desert that is the nation’s hottest, lowest, and driest place. Arizona has the Petrified Forest. About 225 million years ago, the forest died. Minerals seeped into the logs until they hardened into gleaming rocks. Today they look like giant gems. The Grand Canyon is in the same state and is the nation’s deepest canyon. It is so large that astronauts can see it from space!

Visit a National Park Go visit a national park. You will be amazed by what you see. You may want to start in Alaska or California since both of those states have eight parks each! No matter which one you visit, you will see a special place. These places are the few areas left where plants and animals have priority over humans. No hunting is allowed, and you cannot take anything from the park—not even a rock. You will come away with memories and a strong desire to see another national park.

What Did You Learn? 100

Explain the importance of the U.S. National Park System.


© Shell Education