Alfred Packer and the Western Investigations Team: Stop 12 Museum of the West Virtual Tour. Watch this short video to learn about a Museum of the West exhibit or collection to preview your field trip or for a virtual field trip if you are unable to attend in person. The Museum of the West is part of the Museums of Westen Colorado. Was Alferd Packer a murderer? David Bailey describes how he and the Western Investigations Team solved this historic mystery.

Dinosaur Journey is a part of the Museums of Western Colorado. Dinosaur Journey Curator of Paleontology Dr. Julia McHugh talks about the findings from fossils collected at Mygatt-Moore Quarry and the research conducted by herself, Dr. Stephanie Drumheller (UT Knoxville), Miriam Kane (Colorado Mesa University), Anja Riedel (Colorado Mesa University), and Domenic D'Amore (Daemon College). Their open access research article is available at this link: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0233115

Middle School Paleontology Kit Module from Museums of the West in Grand Junction, CO. Lesson 3 on Evolution from the Middle School Paleontology Kit Module. The lesson introduces students to evolution. Students will learn the features that define dinosaurs, and use that information to determine the relationship between dinosaurs and birds based on anatomical features. They will think about if dinosaurs are alive today, and is an animal a dinosaur. Lessons 1, 2, 3 and 5 can be completed without access to the Fossil Kit from Museums of Western Colorado. Lesson 4 uses fossile from the kit. District 51 personnel can request a kit to complete Lesson 4. See this URL for an overview of the module and a link to the Teacher's guide to Paleontology: https://www.museumofwesternco.com/classroom-resources/stem-lessons/

Documentary covering history of ancient peoples living in the Grand Valley of Western Colorado. Includes information on the earliest inhabitants since at least 13,000 years ago compared to the first non-native homesteaders in 1881. Paleo Indian peoples from the ice age were originally hunter gatherers. Later peoples in the Archaic period developed farming techniques to cultivate the "Three Sisters:" corn, beans and squash. The Formative Period saw Ancestral Puebloans build cliff dwellings and adobe structures with pit houses and kivas in the Mesa Verde and Chaco Canyon regions. The dcoumentary discusses rock art, tools, religion and culture of these Native Americans and their relation to current tribal people.

Archeology: Stop 13 Museum of the West Virtual Tour. Watch this short video to learn about a Museum of the West exhibit or collection to preview your field trip or for a virtual field trip if you are unable to attend in person. The Museum of the West is part of the Museums of Westen Colorado. Join archaeologist, Phil Born, as he explains what an archaeologist does and shows us the BLM archaeology collections at Museum of the West

Mountain Men Social Studies Lesson 1 Are You on The Right Tracks? is designed to be used with Mountain Man Artifact Kit. Lessons 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7 can be completed without the artifacts from the kit. These kits are available through Musuems of Western Colorado to D51 Teachers. This lesson can be adapted to use without the kit. Students will be able to: • identify animals based on their tracks • explain why animals have differently shaped feet • infer why the shape of their feet is important for an animal’s survival.

Clues from the Landscape Social Studies Lesson 1 Becoming a Homesteader is designed to be used with Clues from the Landscape Artifact Kit. Lessons 1, 2 and 4 can be completed without the artifacts from the kit. These kits are available through Musuems of Western Colorado to D51 Teachers. This lesson can be adapted to use without the kit. Students will be able to: • Describe the requirements for homesteaders under the Homestead Act of 1862 • Discuss the hardships faced by homesteaders • Defend their decision whether or not they would choose to become homesteaders.

Dinosaur Journey is a part of the Museums of Western Colorado. Dinosaur Journey director of Paleontology Dr. Julia McHugh talks about amphibians. Ever noticed the large red rock base of Independence Monument?! It is from the Chinle formation in the Triassic period. That's the age of the rock these amazing amphbian creatures were discovered.

Join Dr. Julia McHugh at Riggs Hill as she talks about a discovery in 1900 that was described as "The Biggest Thing Yet."

Museum to the West is a part of the Museums of Western Colorado. Curator of History David Bailey tells us about the Buffalo Bill show coming to Grand Junction. Hear a story about two little boys who may have misspent their money, but still managed to see the big show!

The Colorado Schoolhouse: Stop 7 Museum of the West Virtual Tour. Watch this short video to learn about a Museum of the West exhibit or collection to preview your field trip or for a virtual field trip if you are unable to attend in person. The Museum of the West is part of the Museums of Westen Colorado. What was school like in the early days of Grand Junction? David Bailey tells us what teachers and students did at school.

Short history of Cross Orchards Museum formerly known as Red Cross Land and Fruit Company. (See bottom of page for history).

Dinosaur Journey is part of the Mueums of Western Colorado. Dr. Julia McHugh from Museums of Western Colorado’s Dinosaur Journey, talks about the defense and offense of the Mymorapelta dinosaur!

Elementary students design their own pottery based on a Native American design seen at the Museum of the West

Dr. Richard Butler speaks about heterodontosaurids, ornithischian dinosaurs, and new research into their breathing mechanisms.

Brian Engh, paleoartist, explains the process of paleoart and does a demonstration of creating a Stegosaurus. From skeleton to musculature to the possible colors of a Stegosaurus, follow along as Brian shows us what Sophie the Stegosaurus may have looked like. Warning Content Alert: This video contains brief discussion about dinosaur mating and may not be appropriate for all audiences.