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Check out this cool video to learn more about thunderstorms!
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Welcome to Britannica School , a safe, up-to-date, and age-appropriate information resource for Elementary, Middle, and High School.

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Learn about winter here!
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Learn about summer here!
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Learn about spring from Brain Pop Jr.!
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Learn about fall from from Brain Pop Jr.!
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Learn about seasons from Brain Pop Jr.!
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Here is one of the beautiful scenes you can enjoy while hiking the Great Mountain Forest in Norfolk, Connecticut.

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Oceans were formed billions of years ago!  Read to find out more fun facts about oceans.
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How deep are the oceans? If you are wondering and want to learn more exciting information about the world's oceans, click below!

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Most of Earth’s surface—more than 70 percent—is covered by oceans.

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Did you know that a dolphin is not a fish?  Click below to find out more interesting ocean facts!

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We've got challenges, ocean animal profiles, ocean-themed games, videos, and photos for you to explore.

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Plants live in so many different places, including the ocean.  Click the link below to learn about these plants!
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Did you know that World Oceans Day is on June 8th? Click below to find out how to protect our oceans!

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Swimming in trash? That's gross and unhealthy-and not just for you. A healthy planet needs a healthy ocean, but our waters face huge risks from overfishing, climate change, and plastic pollution. Luckily, you can help!

This year's World Oceans Day on June 8 is all about saying "no" to plastic trash to help protect the ocean. Check out the tips below to find out what you can do to stop plastic pollution (plus other kinds of planet-harming trash) and save the seas.

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Swimming in trash? That's gross and unhealthy-and not just for you. A healthy planet needs a healthy ocean, but our waters face huge risks from overfishing, climate change, and plastic pollution. Luckily, you can help! This year's World Oceans Day on June 8 is all about saying "no" to plastic trash to help protect the ocean.

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Learn about a mountain range on the eastern coast of the United States. There are many natural resources in these mountains!

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ăpəlā´chən, -chēən, -lăch´- [ Appalachian Mountains key] , mountain system of E North America, extending in a broad belt c.1,600 mi (2,570 km) SW from the Gaspé Peninsula in Quebec prov., Canada, to the Gulf coastal plain in Alabama. Main sections in the system are the White Mts., Green Mts., Berkshire Hills, Catskill Mts., Allegheny Plateau, Black Mts., Great Smoky Mts., Blue Ridge, and Cumberland Plateau. To the E is the Piedmont (foothill) region. The Appalachians, much-eroded remnants of a great mass formed by folding (see mountains ), consist largely of sedimentary rocks. Mt. Mitchell (6,684 ft/2,037 m) in North Carolina's Black Mts. is the highest peak.

The Great Appalachian Valley or Great Valley is a chain of lowlands extending S and W from the Hudson Valley; its main segments are the Lehigh, Lebanon, Cumberland, and Shenandoah valleys; the Valley of Virginia; and the Valley of East Tennessee. Long a major north-south travel and settlement corridor, the Great Valley is one of the most fertile areas in the E United States.

The Appalachians are rich in coal; other resources include iron, petroleum, and natural gas. The scenic ranges also abound in resorts and recreation areas, including Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mts. national parks. The Appalachian Trail winds 2,050 mi (3,299 km) along the ridges of the Appalachians between Mt. Katahdin, Maine, and Springer Mt., Georgia.

Crossed by few passes, the Appalachians were a barrier to early westward expansion and played an important role in U.S. history; major east-west routes like the Cumberland Gap and Mohawk Trail followed river valleys or mountain notches. Appalachia is a name applied to parts of the region that were long characterized by marginal economy, isolation of its people from the U.S. mainstream, and distinctive folkways.

See E. Porter, Appalachian Wilderness (1970); H. M. Caudill, My Land is Dying (1971); M. Brooks, The Appalachians (1986); H. D. Shapiro, Appalachia on Our Mind (1986).

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

See more Encyclopedia articles on: U.S. Physical Geography

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ăpəlā´chən, -chēən, -lăch´- [key], mountain system of E North America, extending in a broad belt c.1,600 mi (2,570 km) SW from the Gaspé Peninsula in Quebec prov., Canada, to the Gulf coastal plain in Alabama. Main sections in the system

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Did you know that there is a hiking trail in the United States that is 2,144 miles long and goes from Georgia to Maine? It even passes through part of Connecticut. Click below to learn about the famous Appalachian Trail.

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Appalachian Trail, officially Appalachian National Scenic Trail, hiking path, 2,144 mi (3,450 km) long, passing through 14 states, E United States. Conceived in 1921 by Benton MacKaye , forester and regional planner, and completed in 1937, the trail extends along the ridges of the Appalachian Mts. from Mt. Katahdin, Maine, to Springer Mt., Ga. The largest part of the trail passes through eight national forests and two national parks, but some of its length is still on private property. Hiking and trail clubs maintain shelters and campsites along the path. The Appalachian and Pacific Crest scenic trails, both designated in 1968, were the first two components in the National Trails System. In 1999 the International Appalachian Trail, a 690-mi (1,110-km) extension of the trail north and east from Mt. Katahdin into New Brunswick and Quebec to Cape Gaspé, was dedicated. Sections of this trail pass through Canadian national and provincial parks.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

See more Encyclopedia articles on: U.S. National Park System

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Appalachian Trail, officially Appalachian National Scenic Trail, hiking path, 2,144 mi (3,450 km) long, passing through 14 states, E United States. Conceived in 1921 by Benton MacKaye , forester and regional planner, and completed in 1937, the trail extends along the ridges of the Appalachian Mts. from Mt.

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Did you know that there are different kinds of mountains?  Read to find out a mountain of facts by clicking the link below!
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Click below to find some exciting places to hike in Litchfield!

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Did you ever see a geyser that erupts on a schedule, a rainbow colored hot spring, and endless hiking trials? Welcome to Yellowstone National Park. Click below to learn more about this amazing wonder!

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A Swainson's hawk soars over tree-lined mountains, gushing waterfalls, and hot springs called geysers. The land below is part of Yellowstone National Park. Straddling the states of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, Yellowstone was the first national park ever formed.

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A Swainson's hawk soars over tree-lined mountains, gushing waterfalls, and hot springs called geysers. The land below is part of Yellowstone National Park. Straddling the states of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, Yellowstone was the first national park ever formed.

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Did you know that there is a mountain near us where scientists have recorded some of the highest wind speeds on earth.  It also has measurable snow during all twelve months of the year.  Here is a picture of the mountain taken at the end of May with some snow on it!

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Have you ever heard of Acadia National Park? Learn about some of our National Parks by clicking below!

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Do you want to hike a mountain and then find a tower at the top with beautiful views? Hike Haystack Mountain in Norfolk, Connecticut to have beautiful and amazing views!

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The Rocky Mountains are also in the United States.  Click below to learn about these amazing mountains.

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Rocky Mountains, major mountain system of W North America and easternmost belt of the North American cordillera, extending more than 3,000 mi (4,800 km) from central N.Mex. to NW Alaska; Mt. Elbert (14,431 ft/4,399 m) in Colorado is the highest peak. The Rockies are located between the Great Plains on the east (from which they rise abruptly for most of their length) and a series of broad basins and plateaus on the west.

The mountains form the Continental Divide, separating rivers draining to the Atlantic and Arctic oceans from those draining to the Pacific. The major Atlantic-bound rivers rising in the Rockies include the Rio Grande, Arkansas, Platte, Yellowstone, Missouri, and Saskatchewan. Those draining to the Arctic include the Peace, Athabasca, and Liard rivers. Flowing to the Pacific Ocean are the Colorado, Columbia, Snake, Fraser, and Yukon rivers.

Sections in this article:

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

See more Encyclopedia articles on: U.S. Physical Geography

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major mountain system of W North America and easternmost belt of the North American cordillera, extending more than 3,000 mi (4,800 km) from central N.Mex. to NW Alaska; Mt. Elbert (14,431 ft/4,399 m) in Colorado is the highest peak. The Rockies are

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What is nature and how do we take care of it?  Click on the link below to find out.
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Did you know that there are plants that survive in the desert?  Click on the link to learn more about how these plants survive in an environment without very much water.
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Why do plants flower?  Find out this and more about flowering plants with this link!
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Check out these flowers that look like animals, movie characters, and more by clicking the link below!

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These aren't your ordinary flowers. Check out bizarre blooms that look like animals, movie characters, and more in this photo gallery.

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Learn to make your own Plant People! Click below for instructions.

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If you want to learn about trees and go on a nature walk, click below!

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Wherever you live, you're probably not too far from a tree.

Whether in a forest, a park, your backyard, or simply on a city sidewalk, trees provide homes for critters, shade for humans, and even protection for our Earth by absorbing harmful carbon dioxide. So appreciate these leafy friends by learning more about them. Get to know them a little better with these tips.

BE TREE SMART

So you've spotted two different trees in a nearby forest. Now what? Bring a tree field guide with you to help identify each one. Use the tips below to get started.

OTHER THINGS TO LOOK FOR

SHAPE: Is the tree's crown (the leafy part) round, pointy, or conical (cone-shaped)? Be aware that two trees of the same species can have different shapes. It depends on how crowded they are, how much sun they get, and how old they are.

To start identifying a tree, begin with its leaves. Are they needle-like or scaly? Are they broad and flat? Note whether the leaves have smooth or toothed edges. Are they lobed, like a hand? Do the tree's twigs hold single leaves, or little leaflets along a single stalk? Are the leaves opposite each other, or do they alternate on the twig? Find the trees with those sorts of leaves in your guidebook.

FLOWERS OR CONES: Can you see flowers on the tree? What do they look like? How about cones? What are their shape and size?

FRUIT: Does the tree have little winged seeds, acorns, or other growths that look like nuts or berries?

BARK: Is it smooth or rough? What color is it? Is it peeling off?

HABITAT: Check the tree's surroundings. Are they wet and marshy? Open and sunny? Hills or valleys?

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Wherever you live, you're probably not too far from a tree. Whether in a forest, a park, your backyard, or simply on a city sidewalk, trees provide homes for critters, shade for humans, and even protection for our Earth by absorbing harmful carbon dioxide. So appreciate these leafy friends by learning more about them.

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Find out how to plant a garden by clicking below. It's easier than you think!