Mount Rainier National Park - Curriculum Materials (U.S. National Park Service)

NISQUALLY RIVER CURRICULUM MATERIALS
Where the River Begins, the first in a series of interdisciplinary curriculum guides focusing on the Nisqually River Watershed (the Nisqually River begins near the top of Mount Rainier at the Nisqually Glacier), is designed for upper elementary to middle school students. The guide includes pre- and post-visit activities and field trip activities that provide overview of glaciers, glacial rivers, life zones, national parks, and some park history.

Obtain your copy of Where the Rivers Begin:
Download files below at no charge. For slower connections, right click on file and select "save target as". Then, open the file after it has been saved to your computer.

Curriculum Guide (large PDF, 2 MB)
Student Log Book (PDF, 350 KB)

Purchase CD-ROM for $10 or a printed hard copy for $10 or both for $20. Payment must be made by check or money order made payable to DOI/NPS (credit cards and cash cannot be accepted). To order, print and complete the order form, then mail it along with payment to:
Education Office
55210 Mount Rainier National Park
238th Avenue East
Ashford, WA 98304

The CD-ROM includes the curriculum guide plus interactive animations and games, full-length movies, video clips, plant and animal checklists, and more. The CD-ROM works on both PC (minimum requirements: 486/66, 256 color monitor, Windows, mouse, CD-ROM drive, and 8MB of RAM) and Mac platforms (minimum requirements: System 7, 256 color monitor, mouse, CD-ROM drive, and 8MB of RAM).

More information about the Nisqually River corridor is available here.

VOLCANO CURRICULUM MATERIALS
, an interdisciplinary middle school curriculum, focuses on the processes, products, and hazards associated with living in the shadow of Mount Rainier, the volcano. The curriculum is divided into three thematic chapters: What the Past Tells Us, Today's Discoveries Unlock the Past, and Don’t Be Scared - Be Prepared! Living with a Volcano in Your Backyard is part of the partnership between the park and the .

Washington State History Museum offers a new Ring of Fire: Volcanoes of Washington State History Box that helps students explore the historic interaction between the people of Washington and their ever-changing volcanic landscape. Find out more from Washington State History Museum's Education Department.