Our FIRST Unit

 Our First Unit: 

Mountain Ranges 



Our first unit this year for social studies will be geography focused, but more specifically it will be about the mountain ranges within the United States. I love the mountains and hiking in them so this unit is very special to me! We will start off by doing a brief introduction about the mountain ranges and then we will dive deep into five specific mountain ranges. The ranges we will focus on are The Appalachian Mountains, The Cascade Range, The Rocky Mountain Range, Sierra Nevada, and The Alaska Range. Each of these mountain ranges are vastly different from climate and agriculture to species and human accessibility. Some mountains are only hiked by the most elite of mountaineers where they risk their lives while others are easy Sunday strolls for a family. 

On the other hand, one thing that all of the mountains have in common are their importance to the people, plants and animals surrounding them. They provide drinking water, food, housing and assist in the climate of the surrounding states. Not only do mountains provide essentials for life, they also provide a world for the explorers, adventurers and thrill seekers. The mountains are a place where people go to reconnect with themselves and most people even consider hiking in the mountains a form of therapy. Overall, the mountains provide us with countless positives.

We will focus on some specific mountains in the ranges, such as Denali in Alaska, Mt. Washington in New Hampshire, and Mt. Rainier in Washington. Denali is famous for being the highest mountain in the United States. This mountain is often compared to Mt. Everest- the largest mountain in the world! Denali is a very isolated mountain, meaning there aren't many mountains within a close distance, which makes it stand out even more! Mt. Washington is a mountain in New Hampshire and is the tallest in the state! Known for its high wind speeds (the highest recorded!), Mt. Washington is a tourist attraction and a place for people all over to visit. With an auto road to the top of the mountain, Washington attracts all different walks of life- not just hikers! Mt. Whitney is the largest mountain within the continental United States (this means, that since Alaska does not directly touch the United States, it is not part of the continental U.S.). The beautiful Mt. Whitney can be seen for miles and provides a large tourist attraction, but only the most daring climb Mt. Whitney! 



 

For a brief digital story on the mountain ranges of the United States, click the link below. This will serve as an introduction for our unit and will briefly discuss what we will be learning. I am so excited to dive into this unit! 






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