Grades 6-8 Lesson Plan - Stewardship of Yosemite National Park

Map 9 Main Page

Core Map: [Tourist Map of the Yosemite District, 1936] in Plumb, Stanley, ed. The Four Seasons in Yosemite National Park. Yosemite Park and Curry Co., 1936. Newberry Library call number: Case folio F868 .Y6A33 1940 (Printable PDF version of the Core Map)

Resources related to Map 9.
Curator's Notes for Map 9.

Overview
John Muir's mission, after Yosemite was declared a national park, was the preservation of its natural resources and conservation of its beauty. Today the park still faces challenges and pressures with growing traffic congestion and urban development in Yosemite Valley and from natural hazards, such as the 1996 fire and 1997 flood. These pressures also provide new opportunities to rethink the preservation of this site and whether visitor access should be modified. Students are asked to devise a plan that would be true to Muir's spirit of stewardship toward Yosemite.

Objectives
By the end of this lesson student are expected to:

1. analyze the core map to determine the original plan and usage of the park.
2. compare the original plan to a current park map.
3. design a plan for Yosemite National Park preservation and stewardship.

Key Terms
conservation, conservationist, preservation, preservationist, stewardship, naturalist, national park, grove, canyon, valley, reservoir

Materials
Computer image or overhead of the core map, copies of the core map, current Yosemite National Park Map, The Tourist in Yosemite, resources about John Muir (see Resources), large drawing paper, colored pencils

Time
Two to three class periods, plus homework

Getting Started

1. Distribute copies of the core map. Have students analyze the map with a partner, noting activities and lodging available for visitors. Ask students to share what an early visitor would have seen and done in Yosemite National Park. Where could visitors stay? Select "Show Sites" from the menu on the core map to view various sites. Discuss what made Yosemite unique.

2. Talk about John Muir and his relationship with Yosemite (see Curators Notes or Resources for suggested sources). Ask students to summarize his philosophy and to evaluate how he viewed the original park access, sites, and use.

3. Read the provided passage from "The Tourist in Yosemite, 1855-1985" to students and ask for their reactions. Discuss how Muir would have reacted to this passage.

Developing the Lesson

1. Currently, there are approximately four million visitors to Yosemite each year. Ask students to identify what impacts there are to the park due to high visitation.

2. Review some of the recent natural occurrences in Yosemite: fire and flood in the late 1990s and the National Park Services' commitment to preserve natural areas. Discuss whether park visitation should be limited. Students may want to review other national parks in which visitation is limited and changes are being made to vehicle access.

3. Have students work in groups of three or four students each. Each group should create "The John Muir Yosemite Stewardship Plan for the 21st Century." The written plan should:

   a. consider Muir's philosophy,
   b. address vehicular access (allowing for only bus traffic, limited roads, allow only hiking inside the park, add more roads, etc.),
   c. determine visitor attendance amounts (limited, if so, how?; add accommodations for continued growth, if so, where and how much?; charge entrance fees, how much?),
   d. determine how environmental impacts can be reduced, and
   e. include a map outlining changes, using the 1936 core map as the base map for the plan

4. Have students present their John Muir Yosemite Stewardship Plan for the 21st Century. The presentation can allow for various media, such as speeches, papers, posters, etc.

Evaluation
Using a 1-4 scale (4=excellent, 3=good, 2=fair, 1=poor) assess student performance as follows:

For 4 points, the student participates in discussions, adding insight and understanding. The group stewardship plan contains all requirements, including detail and examples. The group presentation includes all required information and the map. The plan emulates the philosophy of John Muir. All group members participate in the presentation articulating ideas in an interesting manner and with a good speaking voice.

For 3 points, the student participates in discussions. The group stewardship plan contains all requirements but could include more detail and examples. The group presentation includes required information and the map. The plan emulates the philosophy of John Muir. All group members participate in the presentation articulating ideas and with a good speaking voice.

For 2 points, the student listens to discussions but does not add insight and understanding. The group stewardship plan contains most requirements but could include more detail and examples. Group presentation includes some required information and attempts to map changes. The presentation tells about the philosophy of John Muir, but plan may not emulate it in great detail. Not all group members participate in the presentation. Ideas are articulated but they are not well organized and/or cannot be heard by all.

For 1 point, the student does not participate in discussions. The group stewardship plan contains some requirements but lacks significant detail and examples. Group presentation does not include required information nor the map. The plan mentions the philosophy of John Muir but does not include it. Not all group members participate in the presentation. Ideas are not organized; speakers cannot be heard by all.

Extensions

1. Have students create a picture scrapbook of sites in Yosemite National Park. Captions should provide basic, accurate information about the image.
2. Have student study the artists and photographers who have depicted Yosemite National Park. Have an art show, either of samples of the works or of students' own paintings based on the art work.
3. Have students research and develop stewardship plans for other heavily used national parks, including Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce, Rocky Mountain, Yellowstone, and Great Smoky Mountains.