Activity 1: Let's Get Started! 🤔 (Warm-up Discussion)
Let's discuss the unique water-world of Plitvice Lakes.
- When you think of a national park, what kind of landscape do you usually imagine? How does the idea of a park made of cascading lakes and waterfalls differ from that?
- The park is famous for its wooden boardwalks that go directly over the water. How do you think this would change the experience of walking through nature?
- If you had one day at Plitvice Lakes, would you prefer to hike the upper trails with panoramic views or walk the lower trails right next to the water? Why?
Activity 2: New Words & Phrases 🗣️ (Vocabulary Expansion)
Enhance your vocabulary for describing the experience of Plitvice Lakes at an intermediate level.
1. Cascade (verb/noun): To pour downward rapidly and in large quantities. / A small waterfall, typically one of several that fall in stages.
Example: "Water seems to Cascade everywhere, connecting one lake to the next."
2. Boardwalk (noun): A walkway made of wooden planks, typically built over wet or delicate ground.
Example: "The wooden Boardwalk allows you to walk directly over the crystal-clear water."
3. Lush (adjective): (Of vegetation) growing luxuriantly; rich and abundant.
Example: "The lakes are surrounded by a Lush green forest, filled with diverse plant life."
4. Vivid (adjective): Producing powerful feelings or strong, clear images in the mind; intensely deep or bright.
Example: "The color of the water is a Vivid shade of turquoise that seems to change with the light."
5. Tiered (adjective): Arranged in a series of rows or levels, one above the other.
Example: "Plitvice is a system of 16 Tiered lakes, each one flowing into the one below it."
6. Ecosystem (noun): A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment.
Example: "The park protects a fragile and unique aquatic Ecosystem."
Activity 3: Reading - Walking on Water in a Croatian Paradise 📖
Read this descriptive account of exploring the magical Plitvice Lakes National Park.
Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia is a world unlike any other, a masterpiece of water and wood. The park is a continuous series of sixteen Tiered lakes, each one flowing into the next through a series of waterfalls and cascades. The most remarkable feature is the color of the water; it is a Vivid, almost unreal, shade of turquoise that changes with the light, the season, and the mineral content. This stunning color is due to the unique geology of the area. The entire landscape is surrounded by a Lush, dense forest, home to a wide variety of plant and animal life, making it a protected and vital Ecosystem.
What truly sets the Plitvice experience apart is how you explore it. Instead of paths beside the water, a network of wooden Boardwalks is built directly over the lakes and at the base of the waterfalls. Walking on these paths feels like you are floating just above the surface of the crystal-clear water. You can look down and see fish swimming beneath your feet and observe every detail of the submerged landscape. As you follow the Boardwalks, you are completely surrounded by the sights and sounds of the park—the constant, gentle roar of a nearby Cascade, the cool mist from a larger waterfall, and the scent of the Lush forest.
The journey through the park is a carefully planned route that takes you from the upper lakes down to the lower lakes, culminating in the Great Waterfall, the highest in Croatia. The system of Tiered lakes means there is always a new waterfall to discover around every corner. The park is a testament to the beauty of water in motion. Whether you are walking on a Boardwalk just inches above a serene lake or feeling the spray from a powerful Cascade, the experience is deeply immersive and peaceful. It's a perfect example of a natural wonder that feels both grand in scale and intimately detailed, creating a truly unforgettable visit.
Activity 4: Discussion Questions 🗣️
Based on the reading in Activity 3, discuss the following questions with a partner or in a group.
- Does walking on a "Boardwalk" over "Vivid" turquoise water sound appealing to you?
- What is your opinion of a "Lush" forest landscape with many waterfalls?
- Would you prefer to see one giant waterfall or many smaller "Tiered" ones that "Cascade"?
- How important is it to you that a natural park protects a unique "Ecosystem"?
- After reading the text, what is your main impression of Plitvice Lakes?