Geography & The Lakes
Madison is built on a narrow strip of land sandwiched between two lakes. This type of landform is called an
What is an isthmus?
The beautiful building where the governor works in downtown Madison is called
What is the Capitol?
Before Madison was built, lawmakers met in a tiny, simple wooden building in this town, Wisconsin's very first capital.
What is Belmont?
This huge public college is located right in Madison and its sports teams are known as the Wisconsin Badgers.
What is the University of Wisconsin-Madison?
Because sound waves need air to travel through, this massive, quiet place outside of Earth's atmosphere is completely and totally silent.
What is space?
There are this exact number of major lakes surrounding the Madison area, perfect for canoeing and swimming.
What is four?
If you look closely at the stone walls inside the Capitol building, you can see these prehistoric imprints of ancient sea creatures.
What are fossils?
The streets that surround the Capitol building are named after the real people who signed this famous American document in 1787.
What is the U.S. Constitution?
Because of a funny student prank where 1,000 of them were placed on a hill, this plastic lawn ornament is the official city bird of Madison.
What is a pink flamingo?
Even though they look like fish, these playful ocean mammals are actually smart enough to give each other unique, individual "names" using special whistles.
What are dolphins?
This large lake sits on the north side of the city and is famous for being the most studied lake in the whole world
What is Lake Mendota?
The giant, rounded roof of the Capitol is called a dome. Madison's dome is unique because it is the only one in the U.S. made entirely out of this hard rock.
What is granite?
Madison was named in honor of James Madison, who served as the fourth president of the United States.
Who was James Madison?
Every summer weekend, the streets around the Capitol turn into the country's largest shopping event for buying fresh fruits, vegetables, and cheesy snacks directly from local growers.
What is a Farmers' Market?
This delicious frozen treat was actually invented by accident in 1905 by an 11-year-old boy who left a cup of soda with a stirring stick outside on a freezing cold night.
What is a Popsicle?
Madison is located inside this county, which shares its name with a popular breed of large dog (like a Great ___).
What is Dane County?
The golden statue standing on the very top of the Capitol dome has a small statue of this official Wisconsin state animal sitting on her head.
What is a badger? [1, 2]
Madison's huge college football stadium, Camp Randall, sits on land that was used as a training camp for soldiers during this historic American war.
What is the Civil War? [1]
Madison hosts a giant festival every year dedicated to eating this iconic, grilled Wisconsin sausage.
What is a bratwurst (or brat)?
Instead of using their mouths, butterflies use sensors located on this part of their bodies to taste leaves and flowers.
What are their feet?
In the winter, Madison's lakes freeze over so thick that people can safely do this sporting activity on top of the ice.
What is ice fishing (or ice skating)?
To make sure the beautiful Capitol building can always be seen, a city law says no other building in Madison is allowed to be taller than this.
What is the Capitol dome?
A famous Wisconsin politician from the Madison area created this global environmental holiday celebrated every year on April 22nd.
What is Earth Day?
In 1979, UW-Madison students made history by staging the world's largest outdoor food fight, using 100,000 of this yellow, leafy cafeteria food.
What is lettuce?
This is the only continent on Earth that does not have any native species of ants living on it.
What is Antarctica?