Home Plan - [GR2-L7-U1-LC1-27 Alaska -The Last Frontier]

The document provides a comprehensive overview of Alaska, starting with learning objectives related to summarizing and identifying main ideas and details about the state. It discusses Alaska’s geography, economy, and the vastness of its land, guiding students through various exercises to understand these concepts. Moving forward, it delves into Alaska’s natural beauty, wildlife, history, and the effects of significant events like the Good Friday Earthquake and the discovery of oil. The document also addresses the balance between industry and preserving the state’s environment, tourism, the debate on conservation efforts, and the potential impact of climate change on Alaska’s glaciers and wildlife. Overall, it presents Alaska as a captivating destination with a rich history and a future facing challenges such as climate change while maintaining its allure as America’s “Last Frontier.”

Contents

• Pages 1—23: Alaska lesson overview
• Pages 24—39: Alaska’s beauty and history
• Pages 40—50: Alaska’s natural beauty.

This section introduces a lesson on Alaska. It includes learning objectives such as summarizing, identifying main idea and details, and learning specific words related to Alaska. There are tips for students on sharing their knowledge about Alaska, circling the location of Alaska, and describing pictures. The section covers pre-reading activities about the Arctic Circle, Alaskan economy, kayaks, and preserving nature. It also discusses the main idea and details in texts about U.S. states and Alaska, including the vastness of Alaska’s land and its different regions. Students are guided to understand and practice these concepts through various exercises and activities.

The section of the document describes Alaska’s natural beauty, wildlife, and history. Highlights include the state’s snowy mountains, forests, clear lakes, and coastline, as well as its diverse wildlife like grizzly bears, eagles, and whales. Alaska’s state bird, the willow ptarmigan, undergoes a color change for camouflage. The document also mentions Alaska’s large land area, history of Native Americans and early European traders, discovery of gold, and eventual statehood in 1959. It describes the impact of the Good Friday Earthquake, the discovery of oil, and the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, which significantly changed Alaska’s economy. Additionally, it mentions Alaska’s low population, reliance on natural resources like oil and fishing, and the balance between industry and preserving the state’s natural beauty. The section further touches on tourism in Alaska, the allure of the aurora borealis, and the importance of protecting the state’s environment despite economic interests.

This section discusses the beauty of Alaska as a natural resource, attracting thousands of tourists each year who come to see icebergs, whales, snow-covered mountains, and wildlife like grizzly bears and moose. The debate over how to preserve Alaska’s beauty is presented, with some advocating for setting aside areas that cannot be drilled for oil or impacted by human activity, while others argue this is a waste of resources. The text also mentions how industry coexists with wilderness in Alaska and points out the potential impact of climate change on the state’s glaciers, wildlife, and economy. Additionally, it highlights Alaska’s future as one filled with adventure and continues to be known as America’s “Last Frontier.”