Montana

Summary
This is an introductory lesson about the state of Montana.

Objectives
• to list some of Montana?s points of interest;

• to describe and discuss Montana?s economy.

Suggested Grades
2nd Grade
3rd Grade
4th Grade

Excerpt
Montana is located in the western United States. There are many mountains in this state, and in fact, seventy-seven named ranges of the Rocky Mountains are located in Montana. This fact is reflected in the name of the state. The name Montana comes from the Spanish word ?monta?a,? which means mountain. Montana has a few different nicknames, including ?Land of Shining Mountains,? ?The Treasure State,? ?Big Sky Country,? and ?The Last Best Place.? The state capitol is Helena, even though the largest city in Montana is Billings. Montana is bordered by Canada in the north. The western and southwestern border is shared with Idaho, and Wyoming is located to the south. The state?s eastern border is shared with North and South Dakota.

In the eastern part of the state, the economy is mainly based on wheat farming, ranching, oil, and coal. In the western part of the state, the economy is mainly based on hard rock mining, lumber, and tourism. Montana is home to the Glacier National Park. This National Park has two mountain ranges and more than 130 lakes. The Glacier National Park is home to more than 1100 species of plants and hundreds of animal species.

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