Students take away valuable lessons in respect, collaboration, and ethics
(left) Students from Augustus H. Shaw Jr. Montessori School in Phoenix, AZ, work with their teachers to prepare for their Crow Canyon experience. (below) Wheaton Montessori students learn survey techniques from Crow Canyon educator Jon Ghahate.
During the 2024 spring school season, 350 students from 14 elementary, middle, and high schools participated in hands-on, experiential educational programming on the Crow Canyon campus. From long-time visitors like Colorado Academy in Denver to first timers like Wheaton Montessori who traveled all the way from Illinois, students and teachers alike reported positive and deep learning experiences. Survey results confirm that students are gaining a more inclusive, accurate perspective of U.S., Southwest, and global history, learning how to navigate ethical dilemmas, and adopting Visit with Respect principles: 91.9% responded “strongly agree” to the statement “If I come across an artifact on the landscape, I should leave it where it is.” 83.8% responded “strongly agree” to the statement “It is crucial for archaeologists to collaborate with descendant communities before, during, and after any project.” 95.9% responded “strongly agree” to the statement “I understand the importance of visiting cultural sites with respect.” Our single day and overnight programs for school groups are designed for students in grades 4 through 12. Through hands- on activities and group discussion, students "experience" another time and culture in replica dwellings on Crow Canyon's campus. Core activities teach students about archaeology, Ancestral Pueblo histories, the scientific process, and the complex interactions between people and their environments. This spring we introduced simulated archaeological survey to campus, and Wheaton Montessori was the first school to try it out.
“Mr. Tyson, my instructor, showed us old pots and pottery made by real Puebloan people. All of the pottery was real which was one of the most life changing things I have ever seen. This trip will never be forgotten by me. Thank you so much.” — Wally S., St. Catherine’s Montessori, Houston, TX
PAGE 02
CROW CANYON ARCHAEOLOGICAL CENTER
Made with FlippingBook. PDF to flipbook with ease