Making North America is a NOVA production that chronicles the geological formation of North America. You can watch the series online to learn about the natural forces that shaped the landscape of North America. As a complementary resource for classrooms, NOVA offers an interactive map that features unique geological features of North America.

Making North America’s interactive map is offered in two versions. The “explore” version has placemarkers that include pictures, videos, and text descriptions of the featured sites. The “expedition” version contains three short quizzes called “treks” in which students apply the knowledge they gained in “explore.”

Applications for Education
The Making North America interactive map could be a good supplement to a geology lesson. The detail that is found in some of the images and videos within the map is greater than what you’ll find in any middle school textbook. If you’re short on time, you could have students jump straight to the “expedition” section of the map to test the knowledge of geology that they gained through lessons that you taught.