Lesson Plan

Imaginary Yellowstone Road Trip

Download Lesson Plan 708KB
A herd of bison walks down a road with a line of cars stopped in both directions.

A road trip through Yellowstone often involves some unexpected delays.

NPS/Jacob W. Frank

Grade Level:
Lower Elementary: Pre-Kindergarten through Second Grade
Subject:
Social Studies
Lesson Duration:
60 Minutes
Additional Standards:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.K.1
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.K.5
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.1.1
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.1.5
Extension meets CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W

Essential Question

What are symbols, and how can I use them for self-expression?
What are the main features of Yellowstone National Park?

Objective

Students will become familiar with the main features of Yellowstone by taking an imaginary road trip through the park. Students will also learn about symbols and create their own license plate for their trip through Yellowstone.

Background

Yellowstone National Park has 452 miles of roads, and most people travel it by car. In 2024, Yellowstone saw almost 5 million visitors, many of them from all over the United States. License plates in the United States differ by state, and it is common for states to issue license plates with symbols that show history, recreation opportunities, or charitable organizations in that state.

Preparation

Materials required include:

  • Blank license plate printouts (e-file included)
  • Images of example license plates
  • 11” x 17” Map of Yellowstone National Park
  • Map of the United States
  • Colored pencils or markers
  • Scissors
  • Safety pins (at least 2 per student)
  • Projector or television to watch online videos

Procedure

Introduction

  1. Introduce Yellowstone National Park
    1. Using a map of the United States, point out Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone is in the Northwest corner of Wyoming and parts of it are in Montana and Idaho.
    2. Explain to students what a National Park is.
      1. Yellowstone National Park is the oldest national park in the United States, established by the U.S. Congress in 1872. It is situated primarily in northwestern Wyoming and partly in southern Montana and eastern Idaho. The park covers 2.2 million acres and features geothermal areas with active geysers such as Old Faithful. Other notable places in Yellowstone include the Grand Prismatic Spring, Lamar Valley, The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, and Yellowstone Lake. (Yellowstone's official website)
    3. Optionally, view pictures posted by Yellowstone National Park with your classroom using the Yellowstone Flickr page or Instagram channel. 
  2. Discussion: Symbols
    1. Symbol: something that stands for or represents something else
      1. Ex. skull and crossbones representing poison or pirates, NPS Arrowhead representing the National Park Service, your school mascot.
    2. Use the provided sample license plates to show symbols. Guide students to decide what the symbols and slogans might mean in this context.
Activity
  1. Make your own license plate using the blank license plate printouts, coloring utensils, and child scissors.
  2. Parameters
    1. Student’s name or nickname can be the license plate characters. Older students might want to get creative and choose something other than their name (a vanity plate) on the license plate.
    2. Choose at least 1 color and have a reason why you chose that color
    3. Choose at least 1 symbol and have a reason why you chose that symbol
    4. (Optional) Choose a slogan and have a reason why you chose that slogan
  3. Help the students attach their license plates to their clothes using safety pins when they are finished.
  4. Take a virtual visit to Yellowstone with your students with a virtual tour!

Vocabulary

Symbol - something that stands for or represents something else, sometimes evoking feelings or emotions.
National Park - A national park is an area set aside by a national government to preserve the natural environment. A national park may be set aside for purposes of public recreation and enjoyment or because of its historical or scientific interest. Most national park landscapes are kept in their natural state.

Enrichment Activities

  • Encourage students to provide written reasoning for their license plate design. This could include why the elements on their license plate best fits them.
  • Students can compare their design with their state’s current license plate.
  • Combine this activity with one about the National Park Service arrowhead symbols, and what they represent (linked in supplemental resources)

Additional Resources

Related Lessons or Education Materials

Lesson Plan: Learning about the NPS Arrowhead and its Symbols

Contact Information

Email us about this lesson plan

Tags: symbols yellowstone geography art

Last updated: December 11, 2024