Aztec Ruins
National Monument

Resources Available to Teachers

Aztec Ruins National Monument welcomes and encourages teachers and students to use the monument as an "outdoor classroom." Rangers are willing to assist teachers as much as our limited staff allows.

Materials Available to Borrow

Teachers from San Juan County may borrow any of the following materials. You will need to pick up and return the items to the monument. Phone (505) 334-6174 ext.30 well in advance of your visit to arrange for their use.

Replica Artifact Trunk: Reservations are required. A wide variety of artifacts are included with written information. Lesson plans using them are also available. Handle and examine the items as much as you like, use in the classroom or at the monument.

 

Videotapes: About 30 video tapes are available for loan.

 

Trail Guides: Loaners are available.

Teacher's Guide

A teacher's activity guide targeted for fourth through seventh grades is available. The lessons encourage teachers to use Aztec Ruins and the loaner trunk of replica artifacts as a resource to help them teach language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, and art. Drafted by teachers who attended "Project Archeology" workshops, lessons include hands-on activities that students undertake either on a field trip to Aztec Ruins or in the classroom with the replica artifacts. Produced through funds from a National Park Foundation grant, the guide has been distributed to all San Juan County fourth through seventh grade teachers.

The following downloadable files are in the PDF (Portable Document Format)format and readable by using Adobe Acrobat Reader software. The free Acrobat Reader software allows you to view, navigate, and print PDF files. You may download a free copy of Acrobat Reader (version 4.00) from Adobe Systems. Follow the installation instructions provided.

Introduction (intro.pdf)

This file contains the Table of Contents, Introduction, How To Use This Guide, and Education Standards. This section is important to understand how the guide can be used and how the lesson plans relate to New Mexico State Education Standards. It also addresses the connections this place has to Pueblo people of today. The introduction includes a summary of the most recent archeological interpretations of the site, which is excellent background information for a class visit.

Lessons (lessons.pdf)

This file contains Student Projects for Level I - Beginner; Level II - Intermediate, and Level III - Advanced.

Resources (resource.pdf)

This file contains Archeologist Profiles, Glossary of Terms, Reference list, and A Teacher Comment and Evaluation Form.

Children's Writing Workshop and Teachers' Workshop

Teachers of grades 3-5 in San Juan County, New Mexico, may apply to participate in Aztec Ruins National Monument Children's Writing Workshop. This model collaborative program, uses the tools of writing to link area children with the historical and cultural resources of this World Heritage Site. A Teachers' Workshop explores the philosophy and methods of the Children's Writing Workshop so that teachers may conduct their own writing workshops with their students here at Aztec Ruins.

Educational Fee Waiver Application

If you represent an educational or scientific institution, you may be eligible for a waiver of entrance fees for the adults over 16 years old (children 16 and under are free). You may download the fee waiver application (feewaiver.pdf) here, or contact Andy Pearce at (505) 334-6174 ext 28 for more information.

Last Updated:Wednesday, 10-Nov-2004 18:14:44 Eastern Standard Time
http://www.nps.gov/archive/azru/educ4.htm