Utah's Great Salt Lake, near Salt Lake City, Utah, is a fascinating natural phenomenon. An inland salt water lake, the Great Salt Lake had its beginning when the ancient Lake Bonneville of the Great Basin evaporated, leaving behind the Great Salt Lake, the Utah Lake, Sevier Lake, and the Great Salt Lake Desert containing the famous Bonneville Salt Flats.

Although Lake Bonneville was primarily a freshwater lake, it was formed by many tributary rivers, which carried salt from the surrounding countryside to it. As Lake Bonneville became smaller and smaller, the salt became more concentrated in the water, which explains the salinity of the current Great Salt Lake.

Many species of birds, amphibians, and reptiles live in the wetlands and marshes surrounding the lake. They feed on the tiny brine shrimp that live in the lake, as well as the brine flies that surround it. The water is too salty for fish and other aquatic animals.

To draw the Great Salt Lake and its ecosystems, research information about this unusual body of water and the creatures who live there.

Use Crayola® Washable Gel Markers to draw the marshes, wetlands, and waves of the Great Salt Lake on dark construction paper. Use colors that remind you of water, such as blue, green, and white.

Cover your work area with newspaper. Blend areas of the waves with a damp Crayola Paint Brush for a salty, briny effect. Dry.

Add your favorite migratory bird, dining on tiny brine shrimp, or amphibians and reptiles living in the wetlands and marshes.