Discover NC! Ashe County

Mount Jefferson State Natural Area

Jefferson, NC (http://www.ils.unc.edu/parkproject/visit/moje/home.html)

Provider: NC Division of Parks and Recreation

Resource summary

• Appropriate grades: 3–12
• Subjects: science (biology and life science, environmental science, geology, natural history)
• Provider: NC Division of Parks and Recreation

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A botanical paradise, the slopes and summit of this mountain are home to a diverse population of trees, shrubs and wildflowers. The large variety of interesting and unusual plants qualified the area for designation as a national natural landmark by the National Park Service in 1975. Rangers hold regularly scheduled educational and interpretive programs about Mount Jefferson State Natural Area. Rangers hold regularly scheduled educational and interpretive programs about Mount Jefferson State Natural Area. To arrange a special exploration of Mount Jefferson State Natural Area for your group or class, contact the park office. Mount Jefferson has a rich natural and cultural history, and the area has played an important role in the community. By special request, park rangers and/or local historians can guide you through the natural and cultural history of Mount Jefferson.

Educational materials about Mount Jefferson State Natural Area have been developed for grades 5-7 and are correlated to North Carolina's competency-based curriculum in science, social studies, mathematics and English/language arts. The Mount Jefferson program introduces students to basic geologic processes, rocks and minerals of the area. Accompanying the program is a teacher's booklet and workshop, free of charge to educators.

Each state park and recreation area has an EELE (environmental education learning experience) curriculum guide that includes on-site activities, pre- and post-visit activities, student information pages, worksheets, fact sheets, vocabulary, and references. You can receive a free copy of an EELE by attending its corresponding workshop at a park, or you can borrow these guides through interlibrary loan at any public library in North Carolina. The EELE for Mount Jefferson State Natural Area is "Metamorphic Mountain" for grades 5, 6, 7, 8 and high school.

The North Carolina State Parks website offers a search feature for finding the plants and animals that can be found at each state park. Using the drop-down menus, you can choose a park and either an amphibian, bird, reptile, mammal, fungus, insect, or vascular plant. You can search within each group by family, scientific name, or common name. There are photographs from the state parks and fun facts for some of the species.