iPad app for Mesa Verde

I wanted to share a new National Parks iPad app that has images and information for Mesa Verde that can give students another way to access the park virtually.  Fotopedia National Parks app is free and has pictures and information on National Parks.

Day in the Lab

We spent a day indoors working in the lab with Kathy.  Each table had a task with items recovered from a site and using science skills to discover both the purpose of the items and the era to try to understand the past.  My group started with the tools center and tried to place each tool with its proper group and see how it was used by the people at the time of its use.  We were surprised by the innovation and the inventiveness to use tools.

Teachers working to organize tools

Reading about how tools were made and used

Getting it organized! 

At this center we were observing shards of pattern recovered from sites and organizing them by era as well.  The design, structure and use evolved over time and was evident in the pieces.  The art work as well as craftsmanship of the pottery was beautiful.  

Classifying shards

At this center we looked at essential tools for the Pueblo people.  We viewed manos which were essential to the corn grinding down throughout the eras of Pueblo people.  This classification was of the tools and their uses.

Tools used to grind corn

At this center we looked at animal bones which maybe found on or near sites.  We were able to learn about how the people hunted as well as the domestication of the turkey.  

Animal bone classification

After our experiences in the lab, Kathy took us into the archive room and shared with us some reconstructed pieces that were at Crow Canyon.  She shared about they were reconstructed and the uses of each item and how they determined which era to place each piece based on art and design.

reconstructed pottery

Kathy explaining the archives

beautiful pottery

Pueblo Life with Jeannette

We had the pleasure of spending the day with Jeannette who is a Pueblo woman living a modern Pueblo life with her family a few hours away from Crow Canyon.  She came to spend the day with us and give us insights into how her culture is deeply rooted in its history and tradition, yet living in a modern age.  Her stories were so rich and colorful and out of respect for her I won't share the details here.  Crow Canyon has a beautiful teaching site just east of the main buildings.  We walked up the road to reach the constructed pueblo home and tower.

We were able to climb the tower and enjoy the views from the top.  You can see how the tower would be useful to see approaching visitors, both welcome and unwelcome as you can see quite far from the top.

The view back at the main buildings at Crow Canyon

Inside the pueblo, which is a teaching tool for the instructors, you get a real experience of what it was like for the ancient Pueblo people.  Although we were there on a very hot day the pueblo was quite cool inside.  Jeannette explained to us the building technique of having the windows allow for a breeze and the awnings built to allow sunlight in during the winter months, but the angle allows it to be shaded in the hot summer months.  The building also had recreations of tasks that members of the home would engage in while living there.  What a great way to learn!