Sierra Nevada

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/sierra-nevada

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. What is the location?Western United States, primarily California, extending into Nevada
2. What is the Sierra Nevada made of?The Sierra Nevada is mainly made of ancient granite that formed deep in the Earth’s crust over 100 million years ago. The granite was lifted up and carved by glaciers, creating its bright cliffs and peaks.
3. Why is Lake Tahoe so clear and blue?Lake Tahoe is North America’s largest alpine lake, and its water stays very clear and blue because the watershed is pristine and the lake is very deep.

American Cordillera: An extensive chain of mountain ranges forming the western continental backbone of the Americas.
Nevadan Orogeny: A Mesozoic mountain-building event that formed large granite batholiths deep within the Earth's crust.
Fault Block Escarpments: Steep cliffs formed by the movement of large blocks of rock along faults, characteristic of the southern Sierra's eastern edge.
Life Zones: Distinct ecological areas characterized by similar climate and vegetation, reflecting the Sierra's wide range of elevations.