{"id":12779,"date":"2026-02-19T08:11:49","date_gmt":"2026-02-19T08:11:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/?post_type=lesson&#038;p=12779"},"modified":"2026-04-09T12:33:04","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T12:33:04","slug":"mono-lake","status":"publish","type":"lesson","link":"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/lesson\/mono-lake\/","title":{"rendered":"Mono Lake"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-caeeb75f wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:25%\"><div class=\"class-box class-image\">\r\n\t<ul class=\"data-list\">\r\n\t\t<li>\r\n\t\t\t<a class=\"\" title=\"Journey around the World\" href=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/journeys\/journey-around-the-world\/\" rel=\"noopener\">\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"class-logo medium\" src=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Journey_around_the_World-Tall.png\" alt=\"Journey around the World\" title=\"Journey around the World\" \/>\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/a>\r\n\t\t<\/li>\r\n\t<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<!--<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<h2 class=\"class-title\">Mono Lake<\/h2>\r\n<\/div>-->\r\n\r\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Key Information<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<h3 class=\"class-title\">Mono Lake<\/h3>\r\n\t<figure class=\"wp-block-table info-table\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"table-wrapper\">\r\n\t\t\t<table class=\"class-table\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<tbody>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Type<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>Endorheic and Monomictic Lake<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Area<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>70 square miles<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Depth<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>159 ft (Max), 57 ft (Average)<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Length<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>13 miles<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Width<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>9.3 miles<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Age<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>760,000 years ago<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tbody>\r\n\t\t\t<\/table>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Learning Point<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<ul>\n<li><strong>Mono Lake <\/strong>is an <strong>ancient<\/strong>, <strong>super-salty<\/strong> &#8220;<strong>inland sea<\/strong>&#8221; in <strong>California <\/strong>that looks like it belongs on another planet. Because it has <strong>no outlet to the ocean<\/strong>, <strong>evaporating water<\/strong> leaves behind <strong>high concentrations of salt and minerals<\/strong>, making it <strong>nearly three times saltier than the sea<\/strong>. Its most famous features are the <strong>tufa towers<\/strong>\u2014<strong>knobby limestone spires<\/strong> that <strong>formed underwater<\/strong> and were revealed as <strong>water levels dropped<\/strong>. While <strong>too harsh for fish<\/strong>, the lake is a booming ecosystem for <strong>trillions of brine shrimp and alkali flies<\/strong>, providing a <strong>massive <\/strong>&#8220;all-you-can-eat&#8221; <strong>buffet for millions of migrating birds<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Project<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<ul>\n<li>Draw a picture of you and your family at Mono Lake.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-gutena-tabs gutena-tabs-block gutena-tabs-block-77de37-56 class-container class-tab\"><ul class=\"gutena-tabs-tab tab-flex\"><li class=\"gutena-tab-title active\" data-tab=\"1\"><div class=\"gutena-tab-title-content icon-top\"><div class=\"gutena-tab-title-text\"><div>Overview<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li><li class=\"gutena-tab-title inactive\" data-tab=\"2\"><div class=\"gutena-tab-title-content icon-top\"><div class=\"gutena-tab-title-text\"><div>X-Ray<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li><\/ul><div class=\"gutena-tabs-content is-layout-flow wp-block-gutena-tabs-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-gutena-tab gutena-tab-block gutena-tab-block-543fc0-6f active class-box class-image\" data-tab=\"1\">\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6ae18a6ba3b79&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6ae18a6ba3b79\" class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"726\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--pointerdown=\"actions.preloadImage\" data-wp-on--pointerenter=\"actions.preloadImageWithDelay\" data-wp-on--pointerleave=\"actions.cancelPreload\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Mono_Lake-1024x726.jpg\" alt=\"Mono Lake\" class=\"wp-image-13094\" srcset=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Mono_Lake-1024x726.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Mono_Lake-300x213.jpg 300w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Mono_Lake-768x544.jpg 768w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Mono_Lake-1536x1089.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Mono_Lake.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--aria-label=\"state.thisImage.triggerButtonAriaLabel\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.thisImage.buttonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.thisImage.buttonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">By <a href=\"\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/User:Dicklyon\" class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"User:Dicklyon\">Dicklyon<\/a> &#8211; <span class=\"int-own-work\" lang=\"en\">Own work<\/span>, <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\" title=\"Creative Commons Attribution 4.0\">CC BY 4.0<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=149488145\">Link<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-gutena-tab gutena-tab-block gutena-tab-block-05a1ad-fd inactive class-box class-image\" data-tab=\"2\">\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6ae18a6ba42aa&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6ae18a6ba42aa\" class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--pointerdown=\"actions.preloadImage\" data-wp-on--pointerenter=\"actions.preloadImageWithDelay\" data-wp-on--pointerleave=\"actions.cancelPreload\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Mono_Lake_Tufa-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Tufa at Mono Lake\" class=\"wp-image-13095\" srcset=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Mono_Lake_Tufa-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Mono_Lake_Tufa-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Mono_Lake_Tufa-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Mono_Lake_Tufa-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Mono_Lake_Tufa.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-bind--aria-label=\"state.thisImage.triggerButtonAriaLabel\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.thisImage.buttonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.thisImage.buttonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">By <a href=\"\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/User:Vezoy\" title=\"User:Vezoy\">Vezoy<\/a> (<a href=\"\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/User_talk:Vezoy\" title=\"User talk:Vezoy\">talk<\/a><span style=\"white-space:nowrap\">&nbsp;<span style=\"font-weight:bold;\">\u00b7<\/span><\/span> <a href=\"\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/Special:Contributions\/Vezoy\" title=\"Special:Contributions\/Vezoy\">contribs<\/a>) &#8211; <span class=\"int-own-work\" lang=\"en\">Own work<\/span>, <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/3.0\" title=\"Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0\">CC BY-SA 3.0<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=30004462\">Link<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:25%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Location<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-12779 gallery-columns-1 gallery-size-full'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon portrait'>\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"762\" height=\"875\" src=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Mono_Lake_Locations.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"Location of Mono Lake\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-13097\" srcset=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Mono_Lake_Locations.png 762w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Mono_Lake_Locations-261x300.png 261w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 762px) 100vw, 762px\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-13097'>\n\t\t\t\tBy <a href=\"\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/User:Nzeemin\" title=\"User:Nzeemin\">Nzeemin<\/a> &#8211; ETOPO1 for relief and bathymetry using GMT package<a href=\"\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:USA_California_location_map.svg\" title=\"File:USA California location map.svg\">File:USA California location map.svg<\/a> for borders, rivers, lakes, coastline<span class=\"int-own-work\" lang=\"en\">Own work<\/span> using<span typeof=\"mw:File\"><a href=\"\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:GMT_globe.png\" class=\"mw-file-description\"><\/a><\/span>&nbsp;This <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/map\" class=\"extiw\" title=\"w:map\">map<\/a> was created with <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/en:Generic_Mapping_Tools\" class=\"extiw\" title=\"w:en:Generic Mapping Tools\"><span title=\"open source collection of about 80 command-line tools for manipulating geographic and Cartesian data sets\">Generic Mapping Tools<\/span><\/a>.<span typeof=\"mw:File\"><a href=\"\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Inkscape_Logo.svg\" class=\"mw-file-description\"><\/a><\/span>&nbsp;This PNG <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Computer_graphics\" class=\"extiw\" title=\"w:Computer graphics\">graphic<\/a> was created with <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Inkscape\" class=\"extiw\" title=\"w:Inkscape\">Inkscape<\/a> ., <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/3.0\" title=\"Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0\">CC BY-SA 3.0<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=22064912\">Link<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\r\n\r\n\t<figure class=\"wp-block-table info-table\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"table-wrapper\">\r\n\t\t\t<table class=\"class-table\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<tbody>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Location<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>Mono County, California, United States<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tbody>\r\n\t\t\t<\/table>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Fun Facts<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<ul>\n<li>The lake is nearly <strong>three times saltier<\/strong> than the ocean. It\u2019s so salty that no fish can live in it, but it&#8217;s perfect for tiny brine shrimp.<\/li>\n<li>The weird, knobby towers you see sticking out of the water are called <strong>tufas<\/strong>. They are made of limestone and formed entirely underwater over hundreds of years.<\/li>\n<li>Even though it looks like a desert, it\u2019s a giant restaurant for birds! Millions of birds stop here every year to feast on the lake\u2019s bugs before flying thousands of miles.<\/li>\n<li>Millions of tiny <strong>alkali flies<\/strong> live along the shore. They can dive underwater by trapping a bubble of air around their bodies like a tiny scuba suit!<\/li>\n<li>Mono Lake is over <strong>one million years old<\/strong>, making it one of the oldest lakes in North America.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-caeeb75f wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Past Lessons<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<figure class=\"wp-block-table info-table\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"table-wrapper\">\r\n\t\t\t<table class=\"class-list\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<tbody>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"icon\">192<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">March 30, 2026<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<td>(North America)<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<tr class=\"hide-this-row\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"3\">No Past Lessons<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tbody>\r\n\t\t\t<\/table>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/figure>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\r\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Upcoming Lessons<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<figure class=\"wp-block-table info-table\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"table-wrapper\">\r\n\t\t\t<table class=\"class-list\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<tbody>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<tr class=\"hide-this-row\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"3\">No Upcoming Lessons<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tbody>\r\n\t\t\t<\/table>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","class_list":["post-12779","lesson","type-lesson","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/lesson\/12779","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/lesson"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/lesson"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12779"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}