Itasca State Park

High school (ages 12+)
Geography

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/itasca-state-park

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How big is Itasca State Park?32,690 acres (132.3 km2)
2. When was Itasca State Park built?April 20, 1891
3. What is the location?Northern Minnesota, United States (Clearwater, Hubbard, and Becker counties)
4. What is the designations?National Natural Landmark (1965), National Register of Historic Places (1973)
5. Where does the Mississippi River start?The Mississippi River starts at Lake Itasca, which is inside Itasca State Park in northern Minnesota.
6. Why was Itasca State Park created?It was created to protect the old-growth pine forests and preserve the river’s source from logging.

Headwaters: The source or origin of a river or stream, typically a network of small tributaries.
Glacial Moraines: Ridges or mounds of earth and stone deposited by a glacier, shaping the landscape.
Hydrology: The scientific study of the movement, distribution, and quality of water on Earth.
Old-Growth Forest: A forest that has attained great age without significant disturbance, characterized by large trees and complex structure.