Stanley and Stella Find the Environment! (Grade 2 Reading Level)
“Hi! My name is Stanley and this is my friend, Stella. It’s nice to meet you. I am an expert on the environment.”
Stella laughed. “You’re not an expert, Stanley. Just a few days ago, you didn’t even know where to find the environment.”
Stanley blushed. “Well,” he said, “I know a lot more about the environment now. Let’s tell them what happened.
“A little while ago some students, just like you, asked for our help. They were supposed to learn about the environment but they didn’t know where to begin.
“They didn’t know where to look. Was the environment nearby or far away? Was it a place that was big or little? Was that where lions and tigers lived? How about llamas? What about turtles and bugs? They had so many questions!
“I didn’t have the answer, so I asked Stella,” said Stanley.
“I knew of a famous place called Yellowstone National Park that we could visit. We thought we might find the environment there,” Stella said.
“The students wrote a letter to the Park and they put Stanley and me into the envelope and mailed us to Yellowstone.”
“Here is what happened next,” Stanley added.
“Welcome to Yellowstone!” said a Park Ranger named Katy as she opened the envelope.
“Thank you. We can’t wait to explore!” Stella and Stanley said.
“Let’s take a walk and I can tell you some fun facts about the park,” said Ranger Katy.
“Yellowstone is the oldest National Park in the United States,” she explained. “President Ulysses S. Grant made this place a park way back in the year 1872. Since then, the trees and animals have been protected here.”
“Hey look!” said Stella “I see a rainbow and it’s even not raining.”
“Yes,” said Ranger Katy. “That’s the mist from Castle Geyser. When there is sunlight, the geyser mist will make a rainbow, just like the ones you can see in the sky after it rains,” said Ranger Katy.
“Where does the mist come from?” asked Stella.
“The mist comes from hot water that was deep under the ground and inside the geyser. When the water gets really hot, it builds up and erupts into the air where we can see it. Yellowstone is a special place, because there are more geysers here than any place else on Earth.
“We have a camera that watches our most famous geyser, Old Faithful, all of the time. This way your friends can see what it looks like too,” said Ranger Katy.
“There is a lot to see,” agreed Ranger Katy. “Many animals live here, too. Yellowstone is home to 67 species of mammals. Mammals are animals like elk, bears, and wolves.”
“Wow, those are huge, hairy cows!” said Stanley.
Ranger Katy laughed, “Those are bison Stanley. Bison are the largest mammals that live on land in the United States. People travel to Yellowstone from around the world to come see them.”
“How many bison live here?” asked Stanley.
“Well, it is not easy to count animals that live in the wild, but we know there are more than 2,000 bison here. They live in groups of families called herds.
“I wish that the environment was closer to home,” said Stella. “How can we bring our friends here to see it too?”
“Oh Stella, you don’t need to bring them to Yellowstone to see the environment. The environment is all around us, it is everywhere,” explained Ranger Katy.
“It is?” Stanley and Stella said.
“Yes, indeed! You can explore the environment at home, in a park, and everywhere in between. Our environment is where we live. Our environment is everything we see,” explained Ranger Katy.
“So when I look at the sky, that’s the environment too?” asked Stanley.
“It sure is. The environment includes the bears, beetles and bees, the biggest and even the littlest trees. It is everything from the sidewalks to the stars. It even includes you and me. The environment isn’t something to go find, it is all around and right nearby!”
“Wow,” said Stella. “So we can be at home and learn about the environment too?”
“That’s right,” Ranger Katy said, “but I’m so happy I could show you what our environment looks like here. I hope you had fun exploring with me. Now I will mail you back to your friends at the school with some post cards from Yellowstone.”
“That was a fun trip Stella. I do feel like an expert on the environment now,” said Stanley.
Stella laughed, “It was, Stanley, but we’re not experts yet! I think we have more exploring to do. Now we know that the environment is everywhere, there is a lot more to see and learn about.”
“That sounds like the start of some new adventures Stella. I hope our friends take us to explore their environment. I can’t wait to see what else we can find!”
It’s your turn!
Flat Stanley and Stella want to see what you can find. List 5 things that you see in your environment.
Now that you know what the environment is …
Take a picture with your Green Stanley or Stella!
Share your picture with other kids and see what the environment looks like around the world.
This story was written by Jeanethe Falvey, U.S. EPA Office of External Affairs, with creative input and support from Dale Hubert, Creator of the Flat Stanley Project, and Beth Taylor, Education Coordinator at Yellowstone National Park. We thank the U.S. Department of Interior for joining EPA on the first adventure with Green Stanley and Stella!
Editor's Note: The opinions expressed in Greenversations are those of the author. They do not reflect EPA policy, endorsement, or action, and EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog.