A Wonderleaf question
What makes the Grand Canyon so big?
a real page from the book
The Grand Canyon is so big because the Colorado River kept cutting into rock while the land around it slowly rose. Over millions of years, that made the canyon deep. Rain, loose desert slopes, and freezing water then helped widen the sides into a vast opening.
The river at the bottom is much narrower than the canyon above it, which is a great clue. The walls moved back bit by bit as broken rock fell and washed away. The Colorado Plateau helped set the stage by lifting the river's path high.
Wonder words
- canyon
- river
- erosion
- plateau
Try it out
Pour a thin stream of water over a mound of dirt or sand and watch where channels and crumbling edges appear.
Read the whole picture book
Watercolour scenes, straight answers, about three minutes cover to cover.
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