Short history of towns and locations in the Grand Valley. Links to more detailed information.

Dinosaur Journey is part of the Mueums of Western Colorado. Dr. Julia McHugh from Museums of Western Colorado’s Dinosaur Journey talks about what Holotype Fossils are, and how paleontologist use them to lay the foundation for new species discoveries. She talks specifically about the Mymorapelta dinosaur and it’s discovery.

Science investigation of Homologous traits. Homologous traits are structures that look similar but function differently in different organisms. Homologous traits occur when organism inherit traits from a common ancestor, but evolve different uses of the traits, an example would be a human arm and a bat wing. Activity uses a phylogenetic tree to examine traits within a lineage.

Dinosaur Journey is part of the Mueums of Western Colorado. Dinosaur Journey Curator of Education Stephanie Lukowski talks about the Saber-Tooth Cat found at the La Brea Tar Pits and other predators from the last Ice Age. She explains why we don't always find bones from these animals but have indirect evidence that they were in an area.

Dinosaur Journey is part of the Mueums of Western Colorado. What do you think lived in the Grand Valley during the Ice Age? Curator of Education Stephanie Lukowski shows us some Ice Age fossils we have on display at Dinosaur Journey and talks about how these species differ from the fossils found up in the iconic Snowmass dig near Aspen, CO.

Zebulon Miracle from Museums of Western Colorado discusses rock art interpretation efforts over centuries and examines how researchers have approached studying rock art over time.

Introduction to the Formative Period. This Teacher Guide from the Museums of Western Colorado provides teacher background on the Formative period of indigenous inhabitants in Colorado's western Grand Valley region from 750 BCE – 1300 CE years ago years ago. Use this guide alongside the Rock Art lesson. https://museumofwesternco.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Lesson-4-Rock-Art.pdf

Introduction to the Archaic Period. This Teacher Guide from the Museums of Western Colorado provides teacher background on the Archaic period of indigenous inhabitants in Colorado's western Grand Valley region from 8,000 – 2,500 years ago years ago. Use this guide alongside the Migration into North America lesson. https://museumofwesternco.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Lesson-2-Migration-into-North-America.pdf

Introduction to the Paleoindian Period. This Teacher Guide from the Museums of Western Colorado provides teacher background on the Paleo Indian period of indigenous inhabitants in Colorado's western Grand Valley region from >14,000 – 9,000 years ago. Use this guide alongside the Trash Can Archeology lesson https://museumofwesternco.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Lesson-1-Trash-Can-Archaeology.pdf

Clues from the Landscape Social Studies Lesson 2 Discovering Public Lands as Living Museums 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: • Observe and analyze historical photographs • Predict future events based on historical photographs • Pose relevant questions about events they encounter in historical photographs • Compare and contrast life in the Grand Valley in the past with life today.

Loyd Files Research Library: Stop 14 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. Museum of the West Registrar, Vida Jaber, describes what she does and how the Loyd Files Research Library is different from other libraries. She also explains primary and secondary sources. Access the online collections here: https://www.museumofwesternco.com/collections/

Mountain Men Social Studies Lesson 2 Lupton's Letter 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: • analyze a primary historical source • create and justify a response to the primary source • examine maps to trace the journey of the document.

Museums of Western Colorado. How did people make cookies using a wood stove? Curator Matt Darling shows us the wood stove at Cross Orchards. Then, volunteer, Sandi Pittenger makes her delicious applesauce cookies using applesauce made from Cross Orchards apples! You don't need a wood stove to make these cookies! Applesauce Cookies
1c shortening
4c flour
2c sugar
2 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
2c applesauce
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
1c raisins
2 c chopped walnuts
Cream the shortening, sugar and eggs. Then add the remaining ingredients. Drop on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for 11 minutes

Museums of Western Colorado. Warning Content Note: George Washington's Recipe included alcohol. Teacher may want to preview the recipe using the video but not share with younger students. This recipe is non-alcoholic. Eggnog has a long history in the United States. Join Erin Schmitz, Assistant Director/Curator of Collections and Archives for the Museums of Western Colorado and Cross Orchards, as she discusses George Washington's recipe and makes her own! Erin's Eggnog Recipe
12 egg yolks
16oz heavy cream
4 cups whole milk
1 cup sugar
Cinnamon to taste
Nutmeg to taste
Combine egg yolks and sugar and beat to combine. Bring milk, cream, nutmeg, and cinnamon sticks to barely a simmer. Ladle hot milk mixture in to eggs and sugar slowly to temper the mixture. After about half the milk mixture is added, transfer back into the rest of the milk mixture and cook on low until slightly thickened. Remove and chill. The mixture will thicken more as it cools.

Join Curator of Paleontology, Dr. Julia McHugh, as she teaches you how to make her famous frosted sugar cookies and throws in some neat dinosaur facts! Dinosaur Cut-Out Sugar Cookies:

1 cup of sugar
¼ cup of softened butter
½ tsp. of vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 tsp. of salt
1 tsp. of baking soda
2 ½ cups of flour
In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking soda, and salt together and set aside. Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy, and sugar completely dissolves. Add eggs and vanilla to butter/sugar mixture and beat with mixer until well-blended (about 2-4 minutes). Gradually add the flour mixture, stirring well. Once entire mixture is well creamed together, divide into 2-4 “loafs” and wrap in waxed paper. Chill dough for 2-4 hours.
Rolling out cookies:
Cover surface with a light dusting of flour to prevent dough from sticking. Rub flour onto rolling pin and cookie cutters. Remove dough and roll “loafs” into a flat layer about ¼ inch thick (thinner for crispy cookies, thicker for doughy cookies). Use cookie cutters to cut dinosaur shapes. Peel away dough from in between shapes and add this remnant dough to the next loaf.
Place cookies on non-stick or greased cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 6-8 minutes, or until edges turn golden brown. Let cookies completely cool on wire rack or on parchment paper before decorating.
Vanilla Butter Cream Frosting
½ cup of softened butter (not melted)
1 ½ tsp. of vanilla extract
5-6 Tbsp. of milk
4 ½ cups confectionary (powdered) sugar
Cream butter using spoon or spatula until light and fluffy. Gradually add in the rest of the ingredients, beating the mixture as you add them. If too runny, add small amounts of additional sugar, or if too stiff add additional milk. Beat frosting until desired consistency. Divide into bowls and add food coloring.

Middle School Paleontology Kit Module from Museums of the West in Grand Junction, CO. Lesson 5 on Mass Extinction. Students will learn about the causes of the "Big 5" mass extinctions in Earth's history and the effects of biodiversity over time. 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/

Dinosaur Journey is part of the Mueums of Western Colorado. Learn how scientists used meteorites to age the solar system. Curator of Paleontology Dr. Julia McHugh shows you meteorites on display at Dinosaur Journey.

The Original Coloradans Social Studies Lesson 2 designed to be used with The Original Coloradans 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 potential routes the first people took to arrive in North America • Develop and defend an argument based on facts regarding the first migration into North America • Summarize the origin stories of several groups of Native people.

Students analyze a mountain man's map to see how the political boundaries of the US have changed over time

The Mountain Men: Stop 5 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. Mountain Men not only worked in the fur trade, but they helped open the west to further expansion by the United States. David Bailey explains what life was like for mountain men and how territory in the west changed hands over time.