Wednesday Word of the Week

The MWW Blog is launching a new series called “Wednesday Word of the Week.” This feature will contribute to our ongoing work educating the public about Geo-Literacy–the ability to use geographic knowledge to make informed decisions about the dynamic world we live in. Geo-literacy is a relevant, applicable, and global tool; it is a communicative bridge between the peoples, places and possibilities of our earth.

The Wednesday Word of the Week is just one way to start expanding the breadth of your geographic vocabulary. Some words you’ll recognize, and some will be new. Regardless of whether you know the word or not, we at National Geographic Education challenge you to use our words of the week.  Whether in the classroom, in everyday conversation, through the arts, or simply by checking out our provided links, we encourage you to make great use of our words in creative ways!

Noun: Buttes are tall, steep-sided towers of rock. Buttes are created by erosion. They were formerly part of flat, raised sections of land known as mesas or plateaus. Buttes usually form in arid regions, such as those in Mexico and the southwestern United States. Monument Valley, in the U.S. states of Utah and Arizona, has the most famous collection of buttes in the world. The buttes of Monument Valley have been the setting for many movies and television series, from Forrest Gump to Easy Rider. (NatGeoEd.org)

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Inspired by buttes? Extend your geographic knowledge by taking a trip to the source with your family or friends! Navajo Parks and Recreation offers great geographical vacation options with scenic drives, hiking trails, fishing permits and camping sites.

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As always, we want to hear your comments, questions, successes and more!
E-mail us at NatGeoEd@ngs.org and share your Geo-Literacy stories and
photos.

–Julia from My Wonderful World

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