George Washington Carver National Monument
Welcome to George Washington Carver National Monument’s Junior Ranger Program!
George Washington Carver National Monument is a special place that needs people like you to take care of it. By becoming a Junior Ranger you can help preserve national parks so that future generations may also enjoy them!
Explore the park and have fun while you complete the steps to become a Junior Ranger. When you are finished, take this booklet to the Visitor’s Center and have a Park Ranger or other staff member sign your certificate and issue your badge.
Thank you for helping to preserve national parks. Remember to have fun!
Park Rangers help take care of America’s national parks. Park Rangers work at national parks all across the United States. Here at George Washington Carver National Monument, Park Rangers have many important jobs, such as:
Are you ready to begin your journey through George Washington Carver National Monument and discover many things about Dr. Carver? Go to the next page!
Earn your Junior Ranger badge and certificate by following these two steps:
1. Complete at least one of the activity pages with a sketch of young George.
2. Complete at least five of the activity pages with a sketch of George Washington Carver in his laboratory.
Once you have completed both steps, take your activity book to the visitor center for a Park Ranger to sign your certificate and to issue your Junior Ranger badge!
This park map will help you find your way while visiting George Washington Carver National Monument.
Please leave prairie in its natural state. Do not pick wildflowers.
George was often sick as a child, but this did not stop him from exploring and learning about everything around him. He loved flowers and plants, and even kept a secret garden in the woods not far from the house. Young George’s nickname was the “Plant Doctor.” Draw a picture of what you would put in a secret garden if you had one.
Watch the Boyhood Carver video at the visitor center and answer the questions below.
1. The Moses Carver farm was located near what Missouri town?
2. What happened to George’s mother?
3. Did George do the easier chores or the harder chores on the Carver farm?
4. What are two things that George taught himself to do while on the Carver farm?
5. What did George use to teach himself how to read?
Hike the Carver trail where young George used his curiosity to find out about the world around him. Write about or draw three things you see while hiking the trail!
The Carver trail leads to the 1881 Moses Carver House, Williams Pond, and Carver Family Cemetery.
Fill in the Blanks: ask a Park Ranger, visit the museum, or watch a Carver video for the answers!
George Carver was born into slavery during the Civil War near , Missouri on a farm owned by Moses and Carver. Do you know that a slave is a person who is owned by someone else? Slaves must work for their owner and are not to do what they want to do. Outlaws stole George and his mother, , from the Carver farm when George was very young. A man named John Bentley rescued George and returned him to the Carver farm, but his mother was lost and never seen again. The Carvers took George and his brother, , into their home and raised them. George learned many things while living on the farm. He taught himself to by watching Mrs. Carver and imitating her hand movements. He also taught himself to using supplies that he had made out of berries and other natural materials.
Find these words in the puzzle below:
| p | z | v | z | b | f | t | m | z | i | r | t |
| i | n | v | e | n | t | o | r | x | f | l | e |
| l | e | r | u | t | l | u | c | i | r | g | a |
| p | f | p | e | a | n | u | t | e | d | e | c |
| p | l | a | n | t | d | o | c | t | o | r | h |
| w | k | t | s | i | t | r | a | d | f | x | e |
| s | c | i | e | n | t | i | s | t | e | n | r |
| i | a | s | p | l | a | x | r | h | g | z | i |
| f | k | g | m | a | j | l | e | n | k | x | h |
Read the Carver Quotes page. Write your favorite quote here ...
Draw a picture about the quote.
“Day after day I spent in the woods alone in order to collect my floral beauties, and put them in my little garden I had hidden in brush not far from the house....” G. W. Carver
“I never saw anybody do anything with his hands that I couldn’t do with mine.” G. W. Carver
“Equipment is not in the laboratory, but in the head of the man running it.” G. W. Carver
“From a child, I had an inordinate desire for knowledge, and especially music, painting, and the science of Algebra being all of my favorite studies.” G. W. Carver
Explore the museum to find out about George’s life. The following list contains items that are in the museum that belonged to George or his family. Check them off as you find them. To complete this page find all fourteen things!
Find the bust of Dr. Carver and listen to the poem he is reading called Equipment, by Edgar A. Guest.
The pieces of equipment listed in the poem symbolize our attitudes in life. What do you think? Circle the best answer.
| “Two arms” means: | ||
| I can work with all of my strength | OR | I should cross my arms and quit |
| “Two hands” means: | ||
| I can do helpful things | OR | I cannot do helpful things |
| “Two legs” means: | ||
| I can go wherever I choose | OR | I cannot accomplish very much |
| “Two eyes” means: | ||
| I can learn by reading and observing | OR | I should watch a lot of TV |
| “A brain” means: | ||
| I can keep learning for my whole life | OR | I do not have to keep learning |
| “Start for the top and say ...” | ||
| I Can! | OR | I Can’t! |
George Washington Carver overcame many obstacles that could have stopped him from becoming a successful, happy man. He always believed that every person had great value. Read the words below and draw a line matching them to the right definitions.
| A. Racism | Sicknesses like whooping cough or the croup. | |
| B. Segregation | The loss of both parents. | |
| C. Prejudice | The belief that people of one race are better than people of other races. | |
| D. Illness | A predetermined judgment about someone. | |
| E. Becoming Orphaned | The separation of people because of differences. |
Find the Leaf Classification drawer and the Animal Track Classification drawer in the Discovery Center and draw and label three leaves and three animal tracks that you find interesting.
| Leaves | Animal Tracks |
|---|---|
There are many Park Ranger Programs offered at the park. Check at the visitor center to see when the next program will start.
Make sure you participate in the program and ask lots of questions! When the program is over ask the Park Ranger to sign below.
Program Title
Date
Park Ranger
George loved to paint so much that he discovered new ways to make colors from soil and different plants. Draw a picture of your favorite place at the park.
George Washington Carver invented over 300 things from peanuts! Use the charts in the Discovery Center to label the parts of the peanut plant.
flower · peg · stem · leaf · roots · peanut
George Washington Carver was a lifetime learner. He moved to many different locations in order to earn his education. In this map of the United States locate the different states that he lived in.
George Washington Carver National Monument
Certificate of Achievement
This certificate of achievement certifies that
has successfully completed all of the requirements of the George Washington Carver Junior Ranger Program and as such is duly awarded the position of Junior Ranger.
Park Ranger
George Washington Carver National Monument
Official Park Stamp
As a Junior Ranger, I will do my best to:
This booklet belongs to: