THE NATIONAL PARKS

Burns’s series, and the 432-page companion book, delve into the history of the park idea, from the first sighting by white men in 1851 of the valley that would become Yosemite and the creation of the world’s first national park at Yellowstone in 1872, through modern-day additions to a system that now encompasses nearly four hundred sites and 84 million acres. The programs recount the adventures, mythmaking, and intense political battles behind the evolution of the park system, and the enduring ideals that fostered its growth. They capture the importance and splendors of the individual parks: from Haleakala in Hawaii to Acadia in Maine, from Denali in Alaska to the Everglades in Florida, from Glacier in Montana to Big Bend in Texas. And they introduce us to a diverse cast of compelling characters—both unsung heroes and famous figures such as John Muir, Theodore Roosevelt, and Ansel Adams—who were transformed by these special places and committed themselves to saving them from destruction so that the rest of us could be transformed as well. The Educator’s Edition comes with detailed lesson plans and activities for each program, along with two DVDs which contain the 45-minute film This Is America, and Untold Stories from America’s National Parks, a collection of five 10-minute mini-documentaries profiling contemporary people from diverse backgrounds involved in parks issues.