THE
GRAND CANYON
By: Ann Marie Waite (Annie)
Why
did the chicken cross the Grand Canyon?
He was taking flying lessons! The Grand Canyon may be the home to many
species of animals, but I’m sorry to say, it doesn’t contain flying
chickens. The Grand Canyon is
located in Arizona. It was formed
over millions of years by the Colorado River. It is famous for being one of the
largest national parks, for being home to many different species of animals and
plants, and being one of the seven natural wonders of the world. It is so
famous that 5 million people visit the canyon each year.
The
Grand Canyon is the largest canyon in our country and the second largest in the
world. It is 277 river miles or 190 air miles long and is up to 18 miles
wide. The average depth of the
Grand Canyon is 1 mile. At it’s deepest it is 6000 vertical feet. This makes it
the third deepest canyon in the world. It takes up 1,218,376 acres of land.
There are 400 miles of trails located within the Grand Canyon National park.
Because
it is so big and has so many different elevations, it can be a home for a wide
variety of plant and animal life. It is the home to 5 different biotic life
zones. That is as many as if you were to travel from Canada to Mexico. The
Grand Canyon is home to 287 species of birds, 88 species of mammals, 58 species
of reptiles and amphibians, 26 species of fish, and 1500 species of plants.
That makes 1,959 forms of life in all!
The
Grand Canyon is one of the seven natural wonders of the world because it was
carved by nature. What I mean is that flash floods helped the Colorado River
form the Grand Canyon. (That’s what scientists believe!) The flash floods in
the Grand Canyon are so powerful they can move boulders the size of
automobiles, busses and even small houses. That is some powerful water.
The
Grand Canyon is unbelievably beautiful. Nearly two billion years of the earth’s
history is revealed in its layers of rock. Anyone who visits the Grand Canyon
can’t help but stop and admire this amazing work of nature.
I think my mom and me did an unbelievably good job. The judges probably thought that too. It is my greatest essay ever.
3 comments:
Great essay, Annie! There are many things you mentioned that I didn't know before. Thanks for sharing!
good jpb, annie
Dear Annie,
My previous comment was just a tester because I had a hard time getting it to print. This is the real one:
I loved your blog and reading about the Grand Canyon. I remember going there when I was about your age but I was too afraid to go close to the small rickety fence that separated the tourists from the deep abyss. Everyone teased me but I held to the safe ground. I have been a bit afraid of heights ever since.
I hope that some time you let us know more about the 88 different kinds of mammals that reside there. I never would have believed that so many did.
I love you and your blog....keep up the good work
always, Nan
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