For Teachers

Selection of artwork, “Through a Child’s Eyes,” courtesy of the Mesa Verde Museum Association.

Jim Tschetter, artist

A field trip to Mesa Verde National Park and exploration of its resources gives students an opportunity to form their own intellectual and emotional connections to our shared cultural heritage.

There are many things you can do at Mesa Verde to help your students experience the natural and cultural resources of the park.

• Plan a visit to a cliff dwelling, the ancient homes of Ancestral Puebloans who once lived in Mesa Verde;
• Explore the museum and discover the tools, clothing, and other objects used as they went about their day-to-day activities;
• Drive the Mesa Top Loop to see archeological sites of even earlier homes of pithouses and pueblos;
• Hike a trail to experience the Mesa Verde environment;
• View the movie, "Mesa Verde: Legacy of Stone and Spirit" to better understand the story of the Ancestral Puebloans who made this remote, high plateau their home over 700 years ago.

The "For Teacher" web pages provide information and links to help you:

• Find useful resources for planning a field trip
• Apply for an educational fee waiver
• Download and print activities and additional resources for you to use with your students in the classroom or during your field trip
• Schedule a special curriculum-based educational tour of Balcony House (spring or fall)
• Prepare your students for their field trip by helping them understand their role as stewards, and teaching them how to be respectful of the archeological sites and artifacts

Please use the links in the left-hand navigation and take advantage of all that Mesa Verde can offer!