Earth Science
Studying Earth Science
Field Trips
Study Tip
Which of these areas have you visited? Did you notice any of these features?
Geological Features
Scientists work in the field in order to gather data and perform experiments. This allows them to form a deeper understanding of the area. There are many different geographic features that can be seen all around the western United States.
Study Tip
Which of these areas have you visited? Did you notice any of these features?
- In California there are:
- A long coastal range with lots of rain and heavy forestation
- A very fertile Central Valley
- The Sierra Nevada mountain range and Yosemite National Park
- Death Valley
- Mt. Shasta (a volcanic cone)
- In Nevada there are:
- An extremely arid climate
- Lots of Mountains and Valleys
This is a picture from Yellowstone National Park, a place known for its geysers and herds of wild animals.
- In the Pacific Northwest (Washington, Oregon, Northern California) there are:
- Coastal land and forests
- Volcanoes
- In Idaho, Utah, and Montana there are:
- Mountainous regions
- In Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming there are:
- Glacier National Park (in northwestern Montana, full of glaciers, snowfields, and rocks)
- Yellowstone National Park (in northwestern Wyoming, full of geysers and wildlife
- In the Southwest there are:
- An arid climate
- Easily seen rocks and structures
- The Grand Canyon (with “layer cake geology” that tells the “story” of the environment)
- In the Hawaiian Islands there are:
- Volcanoes
Concept Check
- Be able to identify how geographic features distinguish regions
- Know why it is important to travel to the regions they study
